The recently completed Bangs Lake Outfall Improvement Project has proved its worth during the heavy rainfall over the past two weeks. The infrastructure upgrades along nearly 4,000 feet of streams and channels help alleviate flooding to more than 70 properties and eight roads near the lake.
The $3.5 million project was completed in mid-May and formally opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by county and village officials. The Bangs Lake Outfall was identified as a structure that had reached the end of its useful life and was deteriorating to the point of replacement
A manual system of managing lake levels, by adding or removing bars on the outfall control gate, was previously used and considered ineffective in mitigating flooding incidents. The upgrades include new remote monitoring tools, a retaining wall, a storm sewer, and box culverts.
“There was up to three inches of rainfall last week, and estimates call for just as much this week,” said Jake Mann, Wauconda’s public works director. “The new system is doing its job, as it was designed to do, getting water out of Bangs Lake. The main portion was previously taken in downstream, by subdivisions, and these are older subdivisions.”
County data showed that local roads were closed 40 times over the last several years, as a result of flooding in rain events. Residential properties have flooded 15 times annually over the last decade. The new monitoring equipment allows for remote assessments of water levels in Bangs Lake, and adjustments to height of the gate.
“In the future, I don’t foresee any additional flow to the stream or the older sections of town,” Mann said. “The project came in at bid level, and this is a major victory. It’s definitely the biggest grant the village has ever received.”
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity provided partial funding with a $2.7 million grant. The village supplied an additional $266,387 from a line item in its general obligation budget, as a local sponsor.
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In 2022, Lake County was awarded a $122 million appropriation from the state agency, earmarked for regional stormwater initiatives to reduce flooding.
Kurt Woolford, the Lake County Stormwater Commission’s executive director, had said it will ensure the proper drainage of Bang’s Lake, while minimizing flood damage to surrounding properties, roads, and public areas.
A Lake County press release noted that environmental concerns were also addressed, with the work acting to help stabilize the shorelines and stream banks. A reduction in erosion and sediment accumulation is expected.
Native vegetation is also being planted, as part of a restoration endeavor to improve the lake’s water quality. “SMC and the village worked together to create a positive environmental impact on Bang’s Lake,” said Marah Altenberg, Dist. 19 county board member, at the ceremony.
Work started on the project in March 2025, focusing on the outfall system running from Phil’s Beach, on Main Street, to Route 176. Roughly 6,500 feet of storm sewers and channels encompass the area, with new covered piping being laid.
The multi-jurisdictional project was coordinated between the village, the county stormwater commission, and the village.