T he Butterfield Creek Steering Committee was established in 1981 in a cooperative effort between Richton Park, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Homewood, Glenwood, and Cook County. The main focus of the Steering Committee has been to identify measures to control flooding along Butterfield Creek. After consideration of a variety of alternatives, the committee has recommended comprehensive management of stormwater throughout the watershed, and preservation and enhancement of natural areas that provide flood mitigation as well as other environmental and community benefits. The Committee has adopted a comprehensive set of Goals for the watershed, based on a multiple objective watershed management approach:

1. Reduce flooding and minimize streambank erosion.
2. Protect the storm and flood water capacities of natural detention areas and protect wetlands for their resource management benefits.
3. Preserve additional puclic open space to increase recreational opportunities, to protect and enhance natural resource benefits, and to improve the environment within communities and neighborhods
4. Improve the maintenance of streams in order lto maximize natural water resource benefits and the aesthetics of stream corridors.
5. Improve the quality of water in Butterfield Creek and its tributaries.
6. Achieve a mutually supportive, basin-wide management and regulatory framework for development activities affecting Butterfield Creek.

T hese goals were used to develop the model Butterfield Creek stormwater and floodplain ordinance that has been adopted by most of the comunities in the watershed. The goals were also used as the framework for the Vision for Butterfield Creek project.

Go to Implementation