Lake County Central Permit Facility's
Sustainable Green Stormwater Features

The Central Permit Facility's best management practices (BMPs) to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution were designed and constructed for a sustainable site development. The facility is located on the watershed divide between the Bull Creek subwatershed and the Des Plaines mainstem watershed.  

BMP Project Cost

Funding for this BMP project provided in part by the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The total project cost was $328,800, which includes the installation of the BMPs and the education and outreach program.

	Bio-infiltration Swale Nonpoint source pollution from automobiles and surrounding land areas is deposited and tend to collect on roads and parking lots. Pollutants are then washed into a stormwater system when it rains and eventually end up in our creeks and lakes. The bio-infiltration swale along the south end of the visitor parking lot was constructed with layers of stone, amended soils and deep-rooted native plants to filter pollutants and to capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff from the lot.
	Green Roof The plants and soil on the green roof absorb rainfall reducing runoff and pollutants from the roof surface. A special 8" deep planting mix is the base for a variety of small to large plants chosen becuase they adjust to large swings in temperature and are drought tolerant. The green roof will also help moderate the temperature of the building. It can can be viewed from the second floor of the building.
	Rain Garden Rain gardens are shallow excavated landscape areas planted with wildflowers and other deep-rooted native plants. The three large rain gardens in front and on the east side of the building soak up rain water and runoff rather than allowing it to drain into the stormwater system and directly to the river. The native plants filter stormwater pollutants while their deep roots infiltrate rainfall and runoff.
	Wetland Detention Basins Two wetland designed detention basins, one located in front of the building and one on the western edge, collect all of the runoff that has not been absorbed by the green roof, plant swales and rain gardens. The wetland design includes special plants in the basin bottom that tolerate having "wet feet." The wetland plants in the basin capture and filter pollutants from the stormwater runoff before it reaches Bull Creek and the Des Plaines River. Deep-rooted native prairie plants on the side slopes infiltrate runoff and protect the slopes from erosion as the water levels rise and fall in the basins following large storm events. The native plantings of the wetland design also provide wildlife habitat.
	Native Plant Swales All of the parking lots at this facility are surrounded and interspersed with native plant swales. These shallow excavated swales with deep-rooted native plants are designed to collect, absorb and filter stormwater runoff and pollutants that collect on the parking lots from automobiles. If the swales become full during a heavy rain storm, the excess runoff is directed to the wetland detention basins.

 Watershed Benefits

The CPF green BMPs address several of the Bull Creek/Bull's Brook Watershed-Based Plan. Most importantly the BMPs improve water quality by reducing runoff nonpoint source pollution from the parking lots, roads and building. In addition to water quality, the site BMPs also provides flood damage reduction, natural resource protection/enhancement and education benefits, which are also goals in the watershed plan