City Awaits FEMA Grant Approval for Bank Restoration Project

Alteration of the flow of the Vermilion River after a 2007 landslide now requires bank restoration to protect properties and homes in Streator, Ill.

Back in 2007, the waters of the Vermilion River crested in Streator, Ill. When the waters receded, a landslide ensued along the soaked eastern bank of the river south of the Main Street Bridge near the downtown. It was kind of a mini-version of a Southern California mudslide (see ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The 2007 landslide pushed earth into the Vermilion River, narrowing the channel and causing the waters to pick up more speed and apply greater force to the riverbanks. That water assault is affecting more than a dozen residential properties along Water Street. Properties have lost land and decking; some homes have cracks in the earth and in their foundations.

The city of Streator plans on using gabions to stabilize the riverbanks. The term is derived from the Italian (gabbione), meaning "big cage."

In August 2009, the city applied for a $785,000 FEMA grant to purchase property and stabilize the bank erosion in the area of the 2007 landslide. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency recommended the grant for FEMA approval, but the city has yet received an answer.

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