Joliet plans levee as downtown gets put on floodplain map

Joliet is moving forward with plans to build a multimillion-dollar levee downtown to meet federal safeguards against potential flooding from the Des Plaines River.

Nearly 700 properties in the downtown area will be put into a floodplain this month by a map drawn by the Federal Emergency Management Agency based on new standards being set since the early 2000s.

Joliet since 2009 has been trying to persuade FEMA to keep downtown out of the floodplain based on historical experience of the Des Plaines River never overflowing the walls that border the river as it goes through downtown.

“Our appeals are kind of over,” Public Works Director James Trizna said. “There are no more appeals. They shot them all down.”

The new map goes into effect Feb. 15, putting 696 properties in sections of downtown and surrounding neighborhoods into a floodplain.

The floodplain designation affects insurance rates for property owners and could have an impact on land development.

Trizna said Joliet will present a levee plan to FEMA, hoping it will provide the needed flood protections to change the map and remove the properties out of the new floodplain. But the area would remain in a floodplain at least until the levee is built.

FEMA has drawn the new floodplain map based on the prospect of Des Plaines River water backing up during heavy rains into the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which meets the river at a point north of Ruby Street, and flooding into the downtown area.

The levee system would be built at the juncture of the canal and river.

The Joliet City Council will vote Tuesday on a $160,000 contract with Rempe-Sharpe and Associates to design a levee and flood wall.

The city at one time estimated the levee system to cost at least $2 million.

Trizna said the costs will probably be higher based on discussions with FEMA and what the agency will require. But the price estimate would be determined by Rempe-Sharpe. The council’s Public Service Committee will review the contract at its 4:30 p.m. Monday meeting. It is on the council agenda for both the 5:30 p.m. Monday workshop meeting and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday regular meeting.