June 24, 2025
Shaw Local
NewsSportsBearseNewspaperObituariesNewsletterWeekend PlansEvent Calendar

Yorkville reviewing stormwater basins to prevent flooding

Part of inspection will search for illegal outfalls of water seeping into city’s basins

By Joey Weslo

Muskrats tend to reeds while reinforcing their lodge along the Fox River area. Muskrats, along with beavers and invasive cattails, are some of the culprits Yorkville city staff are looking to inspect to ensure the town's stormwater basins do not overflow and cause flooding. (Photo provided)

A battle over the shape of water is at play in the ponds throughout Yorkville. City staff manipulates floodwaters by designing stormwater basins, redirecting the flow of rainfall.

Beavers, muskrats, invasive cattails and willows, often have their own ideas of land management and the city says those natural elements are a factor storm drainage.

To prevent nature from returning flooding to the town’s streets and properties, the city conducts annual inspections of the stormwater basins, identifying areas where extra care is required.

Along the shores of 24 of the city’s watery basins, inspection services will be provided by Engineering Enterprises Inc., if city council approves the $19,764 contract at its Tuesday meeting.

The engineering firm will also be tasked with inspecting 40 stormwater basins that were analyzed last year. The city intends to follow-up with the owners of each of the basins to see if they are making progress on addressing any problem areas that exacerbate flooding concerns.

“These inspections are important to all residents to ensure that the stormwater basins are functioning properly and will be able to handle and process stormwater properly when needed,” Eric Dhuse, Yorkville’s public works director, said in city documents.

The lineup of culprits the city tries to manage ranges from weedy and invasive plants, erosion along the shoreline, illegal dumping of water, excessive buildup of trash, and damage from beavers and muskrats.

If left unmanaged, each culprit can clog the stormwater pipes or outfalls, causing excessive water to spillover into surrounding areas or not drain into the basins at all.

Several clever engineering designs can help stormwater basins work more efficiently, such as naturalized plantings and landscaping to manipulate the water flow and seepage, overland release waterways, and enforced retaining walls.

For several years now, the city has investigated rotating portions of the town to ensure problem areas don’t create more systemic city-wide flooding issues.

In addition to the stormwater basins, significant areas of the city drain into the Rob Roy Creek drainage ditch before the excess water streams off into the Fox River.