Geology topics

Research about Des Plaines River

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Des Plaines River.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2022

Continuous monitoring of nutrient and sediment loads from the Des Plaines River at Route 53 at Joliet, Illinois, water years 2018–20

The Des Plaines River in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois is the principal conduit for the discharge of wastewater effluent and stormwater runoff from the greater Chicago metropolitan area. In November 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, installed a continuous monitoring station to measure water quality and streamflow in the Des Plaines River at Joliet, Illinois. Surrogate models encompassing continuous data and discrete water-quality samples were used to estimate loads of nitrate, total phosphorus, and suspended sediment. Comparisons to other major rivers in Illinois show that the Des Plaines River is a substantial contributor to statewide loading estimates for nitrate and total phosphorus but only a minor contributor to suspended sediment. Future loading estimates of total phosphorus could include more research into the effects of combined sewage overflows because these effects likely increased model uncertainty. The results in this report document current loadings and provide a baseline from which to assess future water-quality management decisions.

Illinois↗

USGS2012

Flood-inundation maps for a nine-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois

Digital flood-inundation maps for a 9-mile reach of the Des Plaines River from Riverwoods to Mettawa, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and the Villages of Lincolnshire and Riverwoods. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ , depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights) at the USGS streamgage at Des Plaines River at Lincolnshire, Illinois (station no. 05528100). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?05528100 . In addition, this streamgage is incorporated into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system ( http://water.weather.gov/ahps/ ) by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. The NWS forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the Des Plaines River at Lincolnshire inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was then used to determine seven water-surface profiles for flood stages at roughly 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from the 50- to 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability flows. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Geographic Information System (GIS) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) (derived from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage height from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS, provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

Illinois↗

USGS1991

Effects of wetlands creation on groundwater flow

Changes in groundwater flow were observed near four Experimental Wetland Areas (EWAs) constructed along a reach of the Des Plaines River in northeastern Illinois. These changes were observed during monthly monitoring of groundwater elevation in nested piezometers and shallow observation wells before and after the wetlands were filled with water. A numerical model was calibrated with observed data and used to estimate seepage from the wetlands into the Des Plaines River. After the wetlands became operational, groundwater levels in adjacent wells increased by about 0.5m, while water levels in wells distant from the wetlands decreased. The increase in groundwater levels near the wetlands is a result of seepage from the wetlands. Numerical predictions of seepage from the wetlands are 60–150 m 3 day −1 for two wetlands situated over sand and gravel and less than 1 m 3 day −1 for two wetlands situated over clayey till. The difference in seepage rates is attributed to two factors. First, the hydraulic conductivity of the sand and gravel unit is greater than that of the till, and thus there is less mounding and a greater capacity for transmitting water beneath the wetlands overlying this deposit. Secondly, the wetlands located over till are groundwater flow-through ponds, whereas the wetlands over the sand and gravel are primarily groundwater recharge areas. The model was used to estimate that seepage from the wetlands will double groundwater discharge into the Des Plaines River and a tributary relative to pre-operational discharge from the study area. Overall, the wetlands have acted as a constant head boundary, stabilizing groundwater flow patterns.

Illinois↗