Braeburn Marsh Drainage Improvements

Current Status (March 2, 2023)

Due to unfavorable weather conditions during last fall the contractor was not able to complete prescribed burn. Conditions have to be suitable for the burn with respect to wind direction and levels of moisture. We expect sometime between March 13 and April 14 the contractor will be back to try again this year.

(April 21, 2022)

With the unusually wet soil this spring we were unable to complete a prescribed burn. We will try again during the our next window of opportunity in the fall. The contractor is now moving straight into spring weed control activities.

(March 11, 2022)

The marsh will undergo a prescribed burn on one to two days between March 7, 2022 and May 13, 2022, weather permitting.  A prescribed burn is dependent on weather conditions; as such a specific date cannot be set.

The prescribed burn will be conducted in a safe and expeditious manner by trained and experienced personnel of V3 Companies, the City’s consultant and contractor. The burn plan calls for quick dispersal of the smoke. This activity will be permitted by the Batavia Fire Department and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The purpose of the burn is to improve the native plant communities by reducing the non-native shrubs and weeds that invade the prairie areas and degrade these natural communities. Conversely, prescribed burning also promotes the germination and growth of many native plant species that are adapted to and require periodic fire to maintain healthy natural communities. Prescribed burning is a technique widely used for the restoration and management of natural areas throughout the Midwest.

2022 Prescribed Burn Letter and Map

Status (April 10, 2018)

Steve Piper and Sons cleared the invasive trees this winter. The herbicide will be applied on the stumps in April to prevent re-growth. V3 will begin work on the 5-year wetland monitoring and maintenance contract in June. Maintenance includes removing cattails and other invasive plants by using a combination of herbicide and manual removal. Native seeding will also be performed. A controlled burn is scheduled for this fall; however, the weather window for fall burns is very narrow. The burn will be postponed to spring 2019 if necessary.

Status (January 2018)

Steve Piper will be removing invasive trees along the corridor beginning in early February for a period of approximately 2 weeks. The herbicide will be applied to prevent regrowth. Annual maintenance will commence in the spring by V3.

Status (October 2017)

All City-owned portions of Braeburn Marsh were burned in the spring of 2017. Continued monitoring and maintenance were performed by Encap to conclude their 5-year contract ending this fall. Bids were received for the next 5-year Maintenance contract in September and awarded to V3. V3 will start in Spring of 2018. Tree clearing is being sought this fall for winter clearing on City-owned property as well.

Status (May 9, 2016)

The weather was too wet this past fall and winter to complete a prescribed burn for the City-owned west side, therefore our contractor completed a mow earlier this spring. Staff met out with our consultant today to discuss the progress for this season. Expect to start seeing contractors applying herbicide to cattails in the upcoming weeks and continue through the summer. Continued monitoring will occur for erosion too.

Eastside update May 3, 2016

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County owns and maintains this side. Today they had a team of staff on-site clearing brush along the creek from Braeburn Park to the main marsh area behind residents. A continued presence of County workers or their consultants is expected throughout the growing season to keep brush and the cattails at bay while working to keep the waterway clear.

Status (November 17, 2015)

Prescribed burn for the west side is scheduled for November/December 2015. The earliest anticipated burn date would be November 23rd, weather pending. Once the contractor narrows down a date the City will place notification signs on Randall Road near the project vicinity.

Project Purpose

The City of Batavia is now in the 5-year maintenance and monitoring period of this project. The project was completed in the fall of 2010 for the west side (the City of Batavia owned and maintained) and 2011 for the east side (Forest Preserve District of Kane County owned and maintained). The monitoring is required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make sure the area is fully restored after the improvements.

Project Background

During the past decade, the City of Batavia has seen flooding in the Braeburn & Crestview Subdivisions along the McKee Road tributary. As a result in 2008 City staff along with Kane County Water Resource Department, Kane County Forest Preserve and the City of Geneva worked together with Christopher Burke West/Wills Burke Kelsey to collect data and study the area.

Construction Impacts

For more information, please view the 2018 to 2022 Management Schedule (PDF).

Project Funding

The City of Batavia pays 100% of annual maintenance and reporting for USCOE on the west side and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County pays 100% for the east side annual maintenance.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the project please email Chris Bong or call 630-454-2752.

Project Updates