Klingner & Associates, P.C. received a Special Achievement Award at the 2020 Engineering Excellence Awards for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL). Our firm was selected in the Water Resources category for the Gulfport / Henderson Pump Station Replacement in Henderson County, IL.
The Gulfport / Henderson Pump Station, located in Henderson County, IL, enhances flood protection for hundreds of individuals, Highway 34, and the county’s approximately $138M agriculture industry. The pump station had been pumping at a reduced capacity since it was damaged in the 2008 flood that overtopped the levee, inundating the area with approximately 10 feet of water. Since becoming operational in 2019, the station has successfully contended with 12 – 16 inches more rainfall than the average according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“We believe the increased capacity, reliability, and efficiency of this upgraded pump station puts us on a stable footing for operation over the next several decades,” said Larry Russell, chairman of Henderson County Drainage District #2.
All elements of this complex design, which increases pumping capacity from 100,000 GPM to 316,000 GPM, were constructed within a strict $5.7M grant — $1.8M less than the initial estimate. Sustainable design choices were also made, including the integration of elements from the original 1913 pump station and utilization of the natural siphon, which reduces energy consumption.
“We are proud to see the culmination of our planning and design work result in this award from our peers in the engineering world,” said project manager Bryan Bross, PE, RG. “Beyond that, we are very thankful for the trust placed in our firm by the Village of Gulfport and the Henderson Levee & Drainage Districts #1 & #2. It is certainly nice to see our design perform well through near maximum design conditions and exceed our expectations during operation.”
The ACEC-IL Engineering Excellence Awards honored a total of 37 projects state-wide. Projects were considered in 12 categories covering a wide range of consulting services for Honor, Special Achievement, and Merit Awards. Klingner’s pump station design was one of only 7 projects granted a Special Achievement Award, the second-highest project award. The award was presented at the 2020 Engineering Excellence Awards Gala on February 20 in Rosemont, IL.
