70 ILCS 615

in effect

70 ILCS 615/0.01

(70 ILCS 615/0.01) (from Ch. 42, par. 353.9) Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Chicago Drainage District Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(70 ILCS 615/1) (from Ch. 42, par. 354) Sec. 1. That the City of Chicago is hereby organized as a drainage district, and the corporate authorities of such city may exercise the powers conferred by an act entitled "An Act to vest the corporate authorities of cities and villages with power to construct, maintain and keep in repair drains, ditches, levees, dykes and pumping works for drainage purposes, by special assessment upon the property benefited thereby," approved June 22, 1885, and are hereby vested with the further powers hereinafter granted. (Source: Laws 1887, p. 126.)

70 ILCS 615/2

(70 ILCS 615/2) (from Ch. 42, par. 355) Sec. 2. Such corporate authorities may lay out, construct and maintain a cut-off drain or ditch for the diversion of the flood waters of the Des Plaines river into Lake Michigan at some point north of the City of Chicago, for the relief and in aid of the drainage system established or to be established within said district, the location and route, dimensions and capacity of such cut-off to be determined by said corporate authorities. If the location of such cut-off shall occupy a portion of the North Branch of the Chicago river, said North Branch may be widened and deepened as shall be required. Such cut-off or diversion may be so constructed and maintained as to answer the purpose of a drain for the lands through which it shall pass, and such corporate authorities may allow said lands to be drained into the same upon such terms and conditions as they may determine: Provided, such corporate authorities shall not be allowed to interfere with any right of drainage which the owners of land have or would have, if such cut-off had not been made. (Source: Laws 1887, p. 126.)

70 ILCS 615/3

(70 ILCS 615/3) (from Ch. 42, par. 356) Sec. 3. No more of the water of the Des Plaines river shall be diverted by any such cut-off than the excess above the ordinary water mark in said stream. At the point of diversion there shall be constructed and maintained such dams and sluices as shall control and regulate the amount of such diversion at all times. During dry weather no water shall be diverted into Lake Michigan and during floods no more water shall be allowed to pass said point of diversion down the river than three thousand (3,000) cubic feet per second. (Source: Laws 1887, p. 126.)

70 ILCS 615/4

(70 ILCS 615/4) (from Ch. 42, par. 357) Sec. 4. Such corporate authorities may construct and maintain, if the same shall be found desirable and expedient, a dam across what is known as the Mud Lake Valley on or near the west line of sections 6 and 7, township 38 north, range 13, east of the third principal meridian, of such dimensions and elevation as may be determined upon. (Source: Laws 1887, p. 126.)

70 ILCS 615/5

(70 ILCS 615/5) (from Ch. 42, par. 358) Sec. 5. Such corporate authorities may acquire by purchase, gift, condemnation or otherwise all the real and personal property, rights of way and easements within or without the district necessary for the construction and maintenance of the works hereby authorized, and shall have the same control and jurisdiction of the property without as of that within the district. They shall have the right to construct the cut-off herein authorized, across, under, over, along, or upon any water course, street, highway, public ground, railroad or turnpike which the route of the same may intersect or touch; but shall not interrupt the use thereof longer nor to a greater extent than shall be necessary for the purpose. (Source: Laws 1887, p. 126.)

70 ILCS 615/6

(70 ILCS 615/6) (from Ch. 42, par. 359) Sec. 6. Whenever it shall be necessary to take or damage private property, for any purpose contemplated by this Act, whether within or without said drainage district, the compensation therefor may be ascertained and the proceedings for the condemnation thereof may be had in the manner provided in the Eminent Domain Act, and the cost of constructing and maintaining the improvements herein provided for may be defrayed by special assessment upon the property benefited thereby within such district only, said assessments to be levied and collected as provided in Article 9 of an Act entitled "An Act to provide for the incorporation of cities and villages", approved April 10, 1872. (Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)

70 ILCS 615/7

(70 ILCS 615/7) Sec. 7. Eminent domain. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, any power granted under this Act to acquire property by condemnation or eminent domain is subject to, and shall be exercised in accordance with, the Eminent Domain Act. (Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.aspFetched: 10/17/2026