Stormwater Components

A stormwater sewer drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems. They are fed by street gutters on most roadways, as well as surface waters during heavy rainfalls.

The Elmhurst stormwater sewer system consists of over 133 miles of sewer lines, with half of the City's stormwater flowing to Addison Creek and the other half flowing to Salt Creek. Stormwater drains to either a lift station, a detention basin, or directly into waterways. The City has eighteen (18) stormwater pumping stations that move the stormwater to Salt Creek and Addison Creek. Since the completion of the Salt Creek levee, there has been no overbank flooding from Salt Creek. During heavy rainfall when Salt Creek reaches high water levels, pump stations move some of the water over the levee berm into Salt Creek in limited amounts to prevent downstream flooding.

DuPage County manages the Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility located south of North Ave. on Illinois Route 83. It is an 8,300 acre-foot flood control facility and the two lobes of the quarry are separated by a rock high wall which supports West Ave. It is a passive stem for flood prevention and it takes no human interaction for the system to work. There is a "keyway" in the wall which allows diverted flood water to fill both lobes. The East Lobe is the deeper of the two lobes with an average depth of 200 feet. When Salt Creek water elevations near flood stage, excess flood water begins spilling into a diversion channel which conveys the water to a drop shaft. Water then falls down the drop shaft into a 400 ft. long tunnel which carries the water under Rte 83 from west to east and into the west lobe of the quarry. The water is then held in the quarry until in-creek water levels have receded to safe levels. The water is then pumped back to Salt Creek at safe flow rates.

The Quarry is just one of several water detention facilities in the City. 

Stormwater Infrastructure
  • 133 miles of storm sewer piping
  • Salt Creek & Addison Creek Watersheds
  • 18 stormwater pumping stations
Water Management Facilities
  • Quarry Flood Control Facility
  • 13 water detention sites
  • Robert Palmer Drive Underpass