Kickapoo Creek

THE GROVE/KICKAPOO CREEK

The City of Bloomington sought to manage urban development/urban sprawl while enhancing community cohesion and services by managing a new residential growth area on the eastern limits of the city with ‘green’ development. The development was anchored by an 88 acre passive park which included re-meandering of approximately two miles of waterway, creation of 10 acres of wetlands, and a series of bike paths within a restored upland prairie. Construction was completed over three phases. Services included permitting assistance (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 404), granting assistance (US Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources), design of environmental zoning (vegetation), construction observation during all three phases, assistance with maintenance of establishing native vegetation, and preparation of vegetation monitoring reports as part of long term USEPA national monitoring program. The project received an Engineering Excellence Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies-Illinois in 2010.

Phase 3 construction included a modified approach to the restoration as the design team coordinated with the US Department of Agriculture – Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) to include an innovative ‘two-stage ditch’ into the upper segment of the west branch as a demonstration project for managing agricultural runoff. PEI staff provided services on this project with a previous consultant and also through Prairie Engineers of Illinois.

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