Elk Grove Business Park Drainage Management

Elk Grove Village

OBJECTIVE

This project addressed the need to manage and restore approximately 30 miles of drainage swales within the Elk Grove Village Business Park, one of the nation’s largest industrial parks. The system spans hundreds of properties and is impacted by invasive vegetation, erosion, access constraints, and complex coordination with over 800 adjacent businesses.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

HLR partnered with Elk Grove Village to provide comprehensive drainageway management and native landscape services across approximately 28 miles of swales spanning multiple watersheds. These drainageways are critical to stormwater conveyance but had become overgrown with invasive species, restricting flow and contributing to erosion.

HLR implemented a data-driven, GIS-based management approach using ArcGIS Field Maps and customized ArcGIS Dashboards to track field conditions, coordinate work, and communicate with stakeholders in real time. The dashboards provide live updates on maintenance activities, treatment progress, erosion areas, and overall program status to Village staff, contractors, and adjacent businesses, significantly improving transparency and coordination.

Field efforts include multiple rounds of targeted herbicide applications, invasive species removal, woody vegetation clearing, erosion repairs, and native seeding to restore ecological function and improve stormwater performance. Work is sequenced by watershed to prevent recontamination from upstream sources, and all activities are carefully coordinated with businesses to minimize disruption.

The program has improved drainage performance, reduced erosion, enhanced water quality and habitat, and streamlined communication across a complex stakeholder environment. The innovative GIS-based workflow has increased operational efficiency, reduced administrative burden, and created a scalable, replicable model for long-term stormwater management. The program is ongoing through 2026.