IDNR – IDOT PTB 198 Item 39 Hennepin Canal West End Levee Project

<– Back to Projects

The Hennepin Canal West End Levee Project seeks to evaluate the condition of the historic Hennepin Canal between Lock 26 and Lock 28, determine the cause of embankment overtopping, and propose solutions to prevent overtopping events from causing damage to IDNR facilities and rendering the Hennepin Canal Trail inoperable after flooding events. This complex water resources project involved detailed hydraulic modeling using SRH-2D, factoring in the hydraulic impacts of the Green River and it’s associated floodplain (which is over a half-mile wide), farm levee’s located in various areas along the Green River, and the Hennepin Canal and its associated embankments. This site is unique, with the Hennepin Canal crossing the Green River in a location that had historically had an aqueduct, causing complex hydraulic interactions between the various waterways.

M Squared Engineering, LLC (M²) teamed with Kabbes Engineering on this complex water resources project. This historic canal, which also provides recreational opportunities across Illinois, is in need of repair and maintenance on the west end near the Rock River. The overall project team, led jointly by M² and Kabbes Engineering, collected all available existing data on the canal, evaluation the condition of the existing canal, performed geotechnical data collections and evaluations, performed a complex 2-D hydraulic analysis using SRH-2D, prepared a detailed Hydraulic Report, evaluated improvement alternatives, developed proposed repair and improvement plans, evaluated the permitting and regulatory issues associated with the project, evaluated historical and cultural resources, provided agency and stakeholder involvement, prepared cost estimates, and developed a comprehensive preliminary design report.

SERVICES