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Heavy Rains Fill the Deep Tunnel
October 4, 2006 Deep Tunnel Captures Heavy Rains, Saves Lake Michigan Terrence J. O’Brien, President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District) said today that the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) captured more than two billion gallons of stormwater and prevented a reversal of the North Shore Channel into Lake Michigan early Tuesday morning at Wilmette Harbor. Commissioner James C. Harris, Chairman of the Committee on Flood Control, Drainage and Storm Flow, said, “The level of the North Shore Channel came within two inches of rising above the diversion gate. The District staff diverted water from the channel into the tunnel, lowering the level of the channel enough to prevent a reversal into the lake. TARP saved Lake Michigan last night from being polluted with a combination of storm and sewer water.” Heavy rains fell on the area which was already saturated from heavy rains in September. The overall average rainfall total was more than two inches. Precipitation gauges at 87th and Western Avenue in Chicago measured 2.62 inches, while the Pumping Station at Lawrence Avenue and the Chicago River on the north side of the city received 2.2 inches. The level of the Chicago River at the Controlling Works at the mouth of the Chicago River rose to within 1.5 feet of reversal stage, remaining safely below the level where the lock would have to be opened. The Tunnel and Reservoir Plan prevents pollution of the inland waterways by capturing and storing the overflow from combined sewers. Since the first part of the tunnel system became operational in 1985, hundreds of billions of gallons of combined sewer overflow have gone into the tunnels and improved the quality of the water in the Chicago River. The District’s web address is www.mwrd.org. |