Kent Massie with Massie Massie and Associates Landscape Architects meets with a tour group interested in a series of projects which aim to alleviate groundwater runoff in the area around Illinois REALTORS® headquarters in Springfield.

Illinois REALTORS® hosted a group of visitors on Tuesday involved in stormwater management at the federal, state and local environmental levels.

The group from CWLP, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the federal Environmental Protection Agency took the tour to learn about an extensive network of stormwater drains which manage runoff heading into the Town Branch sewer.

The sewer, which is fully enclosed, extends through Illinois REALTORS® parking lot located off of South Fifth Street. When there is heavy rain the sewer can back up, resulting in flooding into area buildings and portions of surrounding properties.

Bicentennial Plaza, a REALTOR® Community Partnership, was designed to help alleviate runoff from downpours. The plaza, which extends from South Fifth Street to South Sixth Street in Springfield, uses permeable pavement which allow water to drain quickly and collect in storage areas underneath the plaza.

Kent Massie, ASLA, principal with Massie Massie and Associates Landscape Architects led the tour, and he gave an overview of other projects in the area which share a goal of reducing the threat of flooding.

• As part of a massive renovation, the Illinois Governor’s Mansion has a stormwater retention area which keeps the historic building from having a flooded basement.
• And a vacant block across the street was the site of a project where giant pipes were installed to act as a stormwater buffer.

All three projects have just been completed. Bicentennial Plaza was dedicated on Sunday at an event that featured the University of Illinois’ Marching Illini and a flyover by Illinois Army National Guard helicopters.