Work is set to start this month on a project that will address flooding problems along the 7th Avenue Creek.

At Monday’s St. Charles City Council meeting, aldermen unanimously approved a $3.6 million contract with Elgin-based Martam Construction, Inc. for phase one of the 7th Avenue Creek Flood Reduction and Water Quality Improvement Project.

Aldermen also approved a construction engineering services contract for the project to McHenry-based HR Green, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $82,735. A significant rain event in September 2008 impacted much of the area adjacent to the 7th Avenue Creek and the 7th Avenue Creek Tributary, resulting in extensive property damage, street and yard flooding and erosion along the stream banks, according to city officials.

After the rainfall event, the city noted that the flooding limits far exceeded those illustrated on the current flood insurance rate maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Phase one of the project will restore a natural meandering creek from South 10th Avenue to Washington Avenue as well as stabilize stream banks, upsize culverts underneath Illinois, Indiana and South avenues and removes a portion of South 9th Avenue between East Main Street and Illinois Street, Ken Jay, manager of the St. Charles Public Works Engineering Division, told aldermen in a memo.

It also adds a walking path along the creek between South 10th and Indiana avenues and will remove an additional 13 structures from the floodway/floodplain.

Three grants totaling $1.7 million will go toward phase one construction. That includes a $1 million grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a $73,000 grant from the Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat fund and a $605,300 Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunity.

Tree removing and clearing will begin this month. After the project is completed, new naturalized areas and trees will be planted.

Utility installations and culvert replacements are expected to begin in March.