Addison Creek Reservoir and Channel Improvements

The Addison Creek Reservoir and the Addison Creek Channel Improvements are two connected flood control projects that will work together to significantly benefit communities along Addison Creek, including Bellwood, Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Westchester and Broadview. The 600-acre-foot Addison Creek Reservoir will hold 195 million gallons of storage capacity and connect with the Addison Creek Channel to protect the communities from overbank flooding.

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Aerial image of the Addison Creek Reservoir under construction

A history of flooding, an investment in resilience

In 2023, the MWRD completed construction on the reservoir at 2795 Washington Blvd. in Bellwood. The $ 81-million reservoir includes a control structure, inlet structure, spillway and pumping station. In addition to providing flood control benefits, the reservoir provides flood storage for the channel improvement project. The $77-million channel improvement project will increase the conveyance by widening and removing restrictions. The channel improvements will include a mix of natural design, gabion baskets, soldier pile walls, concrete, riprap, articulated concrete blocks, native vegetation, and removing three bridges.

Essential partners, critical funding

The reservoir was partially funded via Cook County through a $5-million Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The channel improvements benefit from a $9.9-million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security. These projects could not be completed without this critical support.

Homes and businesses are protected, and future savings are earned

The Addison Creek Reservoir and the Addison Creek Channel Improvement project will help ease public health and safety concerns by reducing overbank flooding to approximately 2,200 structures along the creek from Northlake to Broadview, including 1,700 structures that will be removed from the floodplain. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the project will allow flood-prone properties within these six communities to qualify for reduced flood insurance premiums.

Enhancing green space, controlling erosion, protecting communities from flooding

The reservoir and channel will provide approximately $116 million in flood benefits. Flood reduction benefits will be fully achieved when both projects are completed. In addition to mitigating flooding, the two projects will improve the quality of life further by enhancing green space, including new walking paths and other recreational opportunities for surrounding communities. When the channel Improvements are complete, Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Bellwood, Westchester, and Broadview will maintain the channel improvements within their communities.

Addison Creek Reservoir and Channel Improvements

Approaching the finish line

Ground was officially broken on the Addison Creek Reservoir in April 2019, and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred in August 2023. Construction on the Addison Creek Channel Improvements started in the summer of 2023 and is anticipated to be completed by the summer of 2026.

Addison Creek Reservoir and Channel Ribbon Cutting — MWRD commissioners, state and federal leaders, project supporters and local mayors formally unveiled the new Addison Creek Reservoir to take on overbank flooding from the connecting Addison Creek Channel.