An Integrated Approach to Flood Mitigation: Landscape Analysis, Stormwater Modeling, and Green Infrastructure Design in Markham, IL

Abstract:

The Chicago region has a long history of flooding issues and major stormwater infrastructure projects aimed at combating this. Markham, a small suburb south of Chicago, has experienced severe and frequent flooding in recent years. Markham is home to the Indian Boundary Prairies (IBPs), five high-quality remnant prairie wetlands. This study focused on flooding issues in the Bel Aire neighborhood, a residential community in Markham directly bordering Gensburg Markham Prairie (GMP), one of the five IBPs. This study aims to (1) understand the root causes of flooding in the Bel Aire neighborhood by analyzing local and regional landscape features, (2) determine the quantity and extent of flooding via hydrologic & hydraulic modeling, and (3) design conceptual green infrastructure solutions that aim to mitigate flooding and establish connections between the community and the adjacent IBPs. The analysis of the Bel Aire neighborhood's landscape focused on the progression of local and regional geomorphology, hydrology, vegetation, infrastructure, and precipitation trends. Hydrologic & hydraulic modeling utilized HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS to simulate the floodplain under three design storms. The results of this modeling served as inputs for the performance-based design of green infrastructure systems within the hydraulic model. This work provides a proof-of-concept foundation for the detailed design of stormwater infrastructure in Markham and establishes a framework for green infrastructure-driven flood mitigation solutions for communities throughout the Chicago region.

Bio:

Conor McGarvey graduated from Northwestern in 2022 with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Architectural Engineering and Design. During his time at Northwestern, Conor worked as a research assistant on Dr. Kimberly Gray's NSF-funded green infrastructure grant, focusing on the work in Markham and assisting Haley Lewis with field and laboratory work. He currently works as a civil/environmental engineer at Hampton, Lenzini, & Renwick, Inc, an engineering firm in Elgin, IL that specializes in civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The majority of his project work is related to water resource engineering, working on hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, naturalized detention basin design, streambank stabilization, and municipal stormwater reviews.