PROJECT

Stanford Meadows

Stream Restoration

Location

Stanford Meadows Park, Naperville Park District, Naperville, Illinois

Introduction

ILM partnered with Naperville Park District to restore 2,200 linear feet of highly eroded stream bank that originates at Stanford Meadows Park, runs through a residential subdivision, and feeds into a residential detention basin. The project included non-native tree removal, minor grading, vegetated geo-lift installation, 150-feet of vegetated geo-wall installation, and appropriate post-construction site restoration.

Services

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration- Tree & Vegetative Debris Removal

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration- Tree Removal

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration- Geo Lift

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration- Geo Wall

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration

Details

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration Plan

This stream restoration project took place in a residential neighborhood where properties butted right to the stream. The work area between the Park District property and residential lots was about 25 feet wide from the stream’s edge, making working conditions very tight for heavy equipment. To help mitigate this issue, ILM brought in their smallest equipment, including a mini excavator, a dingo, and a chipper.

The first step was to thin out the dense tree canopy by removing non-native trees so light could penetrate the forest floor and allow native plants to grow. Despite the Park District’s robust efforts to inform and educate residents before the project started, including town hall meetings, letters, and Park District police going door to door, some residents were upset that trees were being taken down and removing their privacy. The Park District intervened so that work was not disrupted; ILM was given 30 days to complete the project, so staying on track was very important to the project’s success.

Once the trees were removed, the banks were reshaped using a mini excavator. Geo-lifts were installed throughout most of the site to stabilize the stream bank but a geo-wall had to be installed where the banks were very steep and vertical protection was required.

Wet prairie seed mix was spread in areas closer to the water, and mesic prairie seed mix was spread in dry portions of the site before the erosion control blanket was installed.

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration - Wet Prairie Seed Mix

ILM Environments Stanford Meadows Stream Restoration - Mesic Native Seed Mix