In the winter of 2022-23, the City made improvements to Sediment Pond, the northern-most pond in Villa Park. This pond was constructed in 1985 as a flood reduction and water quality project for Lake McCarrons. The pond captures stormwater from approximately 1,023 acres and allows sediment to drop out before the water outlets and flows through a series of wetlands towards Lake McCarrons. The Capitol Region Watershed District also uses Sediment Pond for monitoring purposes to collect water quality and flow data.
The improvements included replacing the outlet on the southeast side of the pond near the walking bridge, tree management, and dredging the pond of accumulated sediment. Approximately 1,600 cubic-yards (160 dump truck loads) of sediment needed to be removed from the northwest end of the pond where the stormwater enters.
In the late summer of 2022, the City contracted with a company to trap turtles that use Sediment Pond as a location to hibernate over the winter. Turtles were relocated to the wetlands downstream of Sediment Pond.
The work to the pond will help protect the water quality of the downstream wetlands and Lake McCarrons.
Future Work:
Dredging: Postponed
The dredging of the pond was removed from the scope of the 2022-23 project. Dredging will be performed at a future date.
Contractor: Kevitt Excavating