DuPage County issued the following announcement on Aug. 12.
In partnership with the Elmhurst History Museum, DuPage County Stormwater Management will offer the public a rare opportunity to tour its Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Stormwater Management Committee Chairman Jim Zay said the event quickly sells out each time it is offered.
“We always have a strong showing of people interested in learning about how DuPage County manages floodwater. This tour gives us an opportunity explain how the Elmhurst Quarry detains 2.7 billion gallons and protects residents and their property during intense rainfall,” said Zay. “The magnitude of this facility is very impressive, and we are happy to be able to give residents a chance to see it up close.”
The Elmhurst Quarry is the largest of DuPage County’s 17 flood control facilities countywide. Using a predetermined operating plan, DuPage County Stormwater Management staff allows floodwater to enter the Elmhurst Quarry via a 400-foot tunnel, which runs under Illinois Route 83. The Quarry holds the floodwater until water elevations recede enough to pump the water back into Salt Creek.
Tours will depart from the Elmhurst History Museum’s Education Center, located at 120 E. Park Avenue in Elmhurst, via bus every 30 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Each tour will last approximately two hours. Cost for the tour is $12 per person, payable to the Elmhurst History Museum.
Following the quarry visit, participants can take a self-guided tour of the Elmhurst History Museum’s exhibit “By All Accounts: The Story of Elmhurst,” which includes more information and a video about the Quarry’s history.
”The Elmhurst Quarry was one of Elmhurst’s oldest businesses, and it is a site that many people have been very curious about over the years,” said Jessie Wandersee, Supervisor of Education Services at the Elmhurst History Museum. “The Quarry Tour offers a behind-the-scenes opportunity to learn about the facility’s history and view its inner workings from viewing platforms that are usually closed to the public.”
Elmhurst Quarry Tour ticket sales will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Tickets can be purchased online only on the Elmhurst History Museum’s website at www.elmhursthistory.org in the Special Events section.
Children 10 and over are permitted but must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call the Elmhurst History Museum at (630) 833-1457.
Original source can be found here.
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