TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 6, 2025
COMMITTEE ON ENGINEERING
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Authorization for payment to the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the non-federal sponsor’s share of costs associated with the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study, in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00, Account 501-50000-645630
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to make payment by direct voucher, to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for the Limited Reevaluation of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study (Study), in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00.
In 2014, the District entered into an amended Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement and made an initial payment of $290,854.47 for the non-federal sponsor’s share of completing the Study. The Corps released their final report for the Study in 2015, which included recommendations for flood mitigation projects in the Cook County portion of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries watershed. While the collective projects were found to be cost-effective, the benefit-to-cost ratio was not sufficient to attract Federal funding. In 2019, the Corps initiated a limited reevaluation of the benefits and costs associated with the flood mitigation recommendations, to reflect new rainfall data and perform updates to the modeling to develop an overall economic update, and the District provided $99,998.00 as the non-federal sponsor’s share of the reevaluation efforts. An additional $49,499.00 was provided by the District in 2023 towards this work, and subsequently, the Corps requested an additional $100,000.00 in a letter to the District dated December 20, 2024, in matching funds needed to complete the reevaluation to update modeling and economic analyses of the planned flood mitigation projects in light of changing environmental, hydrologic, and socio-economic conditions.
Based on the foregoing, it is respectfully requested that the Board of Commissioners authorize and approve a payment by direct voucher, in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 to the Corps as the non-federal share of the limited reevaluation of the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study, via electronic funds transfer.
Funds are available in Account 501-50000-645630.
Requested, Catherine A. O’Connor, Director of Engineering, KMF:JK
Recommended, Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for February 6, 2025