We Haven't Reached 2.7 Billion Gallons—Yet

The Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility continues to operate at full capacity Thursday afternoon, according to a press release from DuPage County.

Floodwaters from Salt Creek are being diverted into the Elmhurst Quarry via a mechanical gate and overtopping from a fixed weir. This is only the fourth rain event in which water elevations in Salt Creek were high enough to overtop the weir.

Find all Elmhurst flood stories in one place by clicking here.

One of 15 flood control facilities operated by DuPage County Stormwater Management, the Quarry is the largest mechanically operated flood control facility able to collect approximately 2.7 billion gallons of floodwater from the adjacent Salt Creek.

Using a predetermined operating plan, DuPage County Stormwater Management staff allows floodwater to enter the Elmhurst Quarry via a 400-foot underground tunnel underneath Illinois Route 83. The Quarry holds the floodwater until water elevations recede enough to pump the water back into Salt Creek.

Based on current forecast models, DuPage County expects to operate throughout Thursday. The National Weather Service reported approximately 4 to 5 inches of rain throughout the area early Thursday with an additional 1 to 2 inches of rainfall forecasted throughout the day.

For more information on the Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility, please click here. Real-time stream and rain gage information can be found here.

Source: DuPage County