Fireman’s Park

Certified Survey Map, Site Design, Grading, Utilities, Erosion Control and Storm Water Management

Professional Engineering was the civil engineer for this 37 acre park project. The project required not only respect for the environment, but skill in navigating the political and governmental issues surrounding it. Professional Engineering worked with the developer, adjacent property owners, city staff, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, environmental consultants and elected officials while developing the park project. Due to poor drainage conditions with environmentally sensitive low lying kettles, flood control efforts with an emphasis on infiltration were needed as part of this project.

After an extensive site investigation, soil and infiltration tests took place. It was determined that the “pre-development” stormwater runoff condition was very low for both rate and volume of runoff, because the many closed depressions acted as small catchments. For volume control, the various Best Management Practices (BMPs) were designed so there would be no increase in stormwater or rainwater runoff volume for the 2-year, 24-hour storm. For peak rate control and to prevent localized flooding, the various BMPs were interconnected with a shallow piping system capable of conveying 2-year through 100-year flows without overtopping the BMPs or creating damaging flooding.

Rain gardens and bioretention basins were selected for the design because of their relatively straightforward construction and their ability to dissipate the energy of the high flows anticipated on the subject property and to provide increased levels of infiltration. Natural Resources Consulting, Inc. provided a planting plan for the BMPs