Properties in the Village of Glenview are subject to flooding from overbank river flooding, sanitary sewer backup and local drainage. Flooding has also been an historic issue in parts of Glenview and other Chicago area communities not immediately adjacent to rivers. In these areas, heavy clay soils, flat topography and a lack of well-defined drainage paths can contribute to poor drainage conditions. Recent severe storm events, in August 2007 and September 2008, resulted in overbank flooding along both the West and Middle Forks of the North Branch of the Chicago River, greatly impacting homes, businesses and other properties in the community. Several areas in the Village have been identified as areas that are susceptible to sanitary sewer backups into basements.The Village is continuing to evaluate and consider capital projects to reduce the rate and volume of rainfall-related inflow and infiltration into its public sanitary sewer system. Many areas of the Village developed prior to the early 1970s were built without storm water detention and other currently accepted engineering standards. Many of these areas are subject to local drainage issues which may result in damage to structures and limit vehicle access.Parks’ Plumbing and Sewer offers Glenview residents assistance and solutions to these problems with their yard drainage systems, overhead sewer installation, flood control systems, and backflow prevention devices. Parks’ has been the innovator in flood control systems for decades.
Glenview is located about 19 miles north of downtown Chicago with a population of about 45,000 people. The village was originally called South Northfield. Farmers first came to the area in the 1830s and started to establish a village. In 1872 the first single track to the area was laid down by the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad. They named the local station Glenview, which some think is part of the reason the Village was renamed Glenview. A second track was added in 1892 to carry passengers to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.The name Glenview won the majority vote from the villagers on May 7, 1895. The village was then incorporated in 1899. Adding the tracks brought more people in to the village that started to settle here and build beautiful Victorian homes. Schools, Churches and Parks were then built and in 1923 the first airport was added to the village. The airport was eventually turned in to a Naval Air Base.Recently, the Village along with other regional agencies have started major flood control projects affecting the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River, their plan is to greatly benefit homes adjacent to the river. The three Techny flood control basins that were built in north Glenview greatly contributed to the reduction in bank flooding events along the West Fork. In 1990, the Village and the Navy cooperated on a plan to construct six storm water detention ponds on the Naval Air Station that would detain the water before it reached the West Fork. Three ponds were built using Village Engineering funds and Naval Reserve Construction Labor. In 1993, this process stopped when the Base was set to be closed in 1995.
