Beardsley Regional Stormwater Detention Facility

In 2013, V&K completed a regional stormwater detention study for the City of Norwalk which identified several locations for potential facilities. The next year, we began designing the Beardsley Regional Stormwater Detention Facility, which would serve 180 acres of commercial and industrial property and provide a city park around the facility as well. We worked in cooperation with adjacent landowners to coordinate land requirements and outline future costs that could be incurred by properties benefited by the facility.

The project covered three phases: a clearing phase, a grading and drainage phase, and a phase that included all improvements for the  facility. We worked with property owners to relocate 175,000 cubic yards of excavated material onto adjacent properties, avoiding the cost of trucking excavated materials, as well as improving adjacent ground for future development.

The final phase of the project was to develop a one-mile, multi-use trail system around the drainage facilities with lighted parking, LED lighting around the trail, walking trails, and flagstone walkways for access to ponds, reforestation, and a shelter. V&K recommended including the lighting as an alternative in the bidding process, if budget allowed, and it was completed within the original budget for the project. The project included development of a stormwater drainage district to recover part of the cost of the improvements over time as development occurs for properties served by the facility. 

The project was a massive undertaking, requiring a full engineering study, financial planning, mapping, analysis, and much more. Now, the stormwater detention facility is fully operational and ponds have been stocked by the IDNR and are included in the registry for public fishing. The project received a water quality award from the Warren County Soil Conservation Service and the trail system is now open to the public.