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 BeowulfBrower
  
Location: Mendota, IL
Gender: Male
Profession Tetanus Shot Receiver
 |  | Chicago Deep Tunnel
< on 5/9/2012 9:41 PM >
|  | | | I can't find any accounts of people accessing it and am not too familiar with drains in general. Is it likely connected to other, more accessible, drains?
Seriously tho, this is so freakin cool
Is that snow or asbestos? |
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Captain Stormy
  
Location: Chicago mostly. Sometimes Minneapolis.
Gender: Male
SO TIGHT THAT IT CHAFED
| |  | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 1 on 5/10/2012 12:42 AM >
| | | | Here we go:
Not sure how much you've read about the Deep Tunnel or how well you understand how it works, so I'm just going to start from the beginning of what I know about how Chicago's wastewater system works. Usually this isn't the sort of thing I would post in a public forum, but there's really nothing secret about it.
First of all, Chicago proper has very few drains. The city is almost entirely served by an antiquated CSO system that both wastewater (sewage) from buildings and runoff (storm water) from streets flow into. The system was originally designed to dump it all into the Chicago, Des Plaines, and Calumet rivers, as well as Lake Michigan. At some point early in the development of the system, they started pumping a lot of the sewage to the Des Plaines River rather than dumping it into the Chicago so it would flow away from the city. This was disrupted when the Des Plaines breached the Chicago Portage during a flood and began to permanently flow into the Chicago. As I'm sure you've read, the solution to that was to reverse the flow of the Chicago River itself.
As time went on, it was no longer considered acceptable, even with the Chicago reversed, to dump raw sewage, so an mid-level interceptor system was built beginning around 1910 running to sewage treatment plants. The interceptors were/are largely below the water table and like most interceptor systems, rely on a combination of pumping stations, gravity drainage, and siphons. The primarily run along waterways, so that they could connect to the existing gravity CSOs near their old outfalls and the old outfalls could be used in the case of heavy flow, rather than the sewers backing up into streets and basements.
Fast forward to the 50s and 60s when the EPA started to crack down on CSO "events". Most cities put in separate storm drains and began to seal off CSOs. Chicago, however, in part due to the geography (very very high water table, swampy soil), in part due to cost, and in part due to just being batshit crazy, decided to keep their CSO system and instead but the TARP (tunnel and reservoir plan or "deep tunnel" system). The deep tunnel, like the interceptors, typically runs under/along waterways. This allows them to not have to reconfigure the existing CSO and interceptor systems, as well as simplifies construction easments by building largely along public right of ways.
A typical CSO/interceptor/deep tunnel connection complex is laid out like this:
The CSO (usually old brick tunnels barely below street level) enters a concrete junction room between 3 and 20 feet above the bottom. From this room the bottom flows off into a gravity interceptor and through a system of pumping stations and siphons all the way to a treatment plan. On another wall in the room, usually at the same height as (or slightly lower than) the entering CSO tunnel, there is a wooden hinged floodgate, that when water in the interceptor backs up to that level, will be pushed open so the water can flow through it. The floodgates are pretty heavy. Tough for one person to open. Three people-- two to lift and one to chain it open-- works well. This usually only goes a short distance before dropping into another concrete room, with basically the same layout, except rather than an interceptor coming off the junction room, there is a short tunnel to a nearby TARP deep tunnel shaft, that will drop between 80 and 350 feet down into the deep tunnel. Likewise, the flood gate, rather than flowing out to another junction, flows out to a body of water, be it a river, stream, or the lake.
There are some connections where gravity CSOs flow direction into TARP connections without first passing an interceptor connection, but in our experience these are relatively rare.
So the system works as follows: During dry weather sewage flows through the old gravity CSO system, drops into the interceptors, and is pumped to the treatment plants. During slightly wet weather, runoff flows into the same CSOs and through the interceptors. When runoff volumes increase beyond the fixed capacity of the interceptor system, the water pushes open the floodgates and drops into the deep tunnel, where it flows out to the big quarries where it sits until the treatment plants get a chance to process it. In the event of a super-storm that somehow overwhelms the TARP system and fills it up, the water will push open the next set of floodgates and overflow into local rivers, as a last-ditch effort to keep it from flowing into people's basements.
Now, as to exploring the deep tunnels themselves:
Finding a point of entry wouldn't be at all difficult-- there are hundreds and hundreds of drop shafts (all with surface access grated large enough to lower mancages through) all over the city. The problems you would have to overcome are numerous though:
--The rappel in is a long ways... Could be up to 350 feet depending on the location.
--At the bottom it's very unlikely that you'd find a dry tunnel. Since the tunnels themselves (in addition to the old quarries repurposed as reservoirs) are used for storage, it's entirely reasonable that you could find a tunnel with 40+ feet of sewage in it... and possible that it could be deeper than the tunnel itself and backed up into the bottom areas of the dropshaft.
--Which brings up another danger... the tunnels are drained and filled using a system of computer and human controlled automated floodgates. Meaning you could be in a tunnel with only a few feet of water in it and suddenly find a 30 foot wall of water heading towards you, even when it's not raining.
--There's also the danger of air quality. Drains (and most CSOs) have natural convection that flushes the air. The deep tunnels do not. They are also often filled with raw sewage in the order of 40+ feet deep. Last summer there was a large methane explosion in one of the deep tunnels under South Harmon that blew a large grate off of the top of a dropshaft and apart, throwing it several hundred yards and damaging several cars.
Exploring the deep tunnel is a big logistical challenge and risk. An under construction portion that has yet to be connected to the rest of the system would certainly be much more doable.
As far as connections to drains, there are none AFAIK, and there's no reason for there to be-- the TARP was designed to prevent CSO events (in theory 95% of them), and drains by definition aren't CSOs. Chicago proper has very very few drains. CSOs and interceptors aplenty if you're down with that. Outside the city limits in the suburbs there are plenty of interesting drains, but again, thanks to our high water table and very minimal elevation change, they pale in comparison to what can be found in other large midwestern cities.
TL;DR: Very dangerous to explore, Chicago has weird wastewater systems thanks to shitty geography, drains in suburbs if you do your research.
[last edit 5/10/2012 12:52 AM by Captain Stormy - edited 1 times]
http://www.urbex12.com |
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musket boy
 
Location: Maui
Gender: Male
It smells like your grandpa and your feet stick to the floor
| |  | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 2 on 5/10/2012 2:13 AM >
| | | | Posted by Captain Stormy
TL;DR
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From what I heard as well the tunnels are mostly submerged but the more I think about it that wouldn't make much sense, because if there was a major event and the tunnel was already full then there would be nowhere for the water to go and that would kind of defeat the purpose of having a deep tunnel. Also for there to be a methane explosion there would need to be a place for the methane to gather, ie a place not filled with water, amirite? I've seen a similar albeit much smaller (71 million gallon)detention system for storm runoff and it was almost always dry save for a couple bad events every few years or so. As far as a 350' rappel that wouldn't really be all that difficult, cavers do such drops routinely. And even if there was a small amount of flow in the tunnel you could always bring an inflatable boat.
uering |
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BeowulfBrower
Location: Mendota, IL
Gender: Male
Profession Tetanus Shot Receiver
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 3 on 5/10/2012 3:05 AM >
| | | |
Well, I enjoy being alive, so looks like I'm Naperville bound.
Is that snow or asbestos? |
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Lackluster Lake Lurker
 
Location: MSP
Gender: Male
Lurking in the Shadows at a Location Near You
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 4 on 5/10/2012 10:24 AM >
| | | | And this is why we love Captain Stormy!
Give me poo or give me death. From Antwerp to MSP if it's underground you'll find me there |
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SPARKY_481
Location: Indy
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 5 on 5/11/2012 1:54 AM >
| | | | Posted by Captain Stormy
TL;DR:
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Great write-up and explanation on how these deep rock tunnel connectors work. Thanks for the info!
You only LIVE once |
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uLiveAndYouBurn
Location: Beyond
Anarchocommunist
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 6 on 5/11/2012 2:27 AM >
| | | | There be a quarry south of downtown. you're gonna need to know SRT and do some research on the system in order to not die. at your own risk.
"Aint nothin' to it but to do it"
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yokes
 
Location: Toronto
Gender: Male
I aim to misbehave
| | | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 7 on 5/11/2012 2:33 AM >
| | | | Great writeup
"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel |
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CaptOrbit
Location: Sarasota, FL or Cincinnati, OH
Gender: Male
There you are, right back in the jungle again.
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 8 on 5/13/2012 1:32 AM >
| | | | A very interesting read, thank you! 
The personal responsibility train left the station years ago, and you gave it the finger as you watched it leave. |
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Therrin
 
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
Location: North of Chicago, IL
Gender: Male
*Therrin puts on the penguin-suit
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 10 on 5/13/2012 5:08 AM >
| | | | Awesome writeup! Thanks for explaining all that.
As to what Musket Boy said:
| As far as a 350' rappel that wouldn't really be all that difficult, cavers do such drops routinely. And even if there was a small amount of flow in the tunnel you could always bring an inflatable boat. |
Well hell, if it's as easy as all that why don't you just take a jaunt down there, Musket Boy, and take some pics for us?
Give a person a match and they'll be warm for a minute, but light them on fire and they'll be warm for the rest of their life. =) |
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MrSivalls
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
I'll be a-surfin' in yer blood on Saturday night
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 11 on 5/15/2012 1:51 AM >
| | | | Posted by BeowulfBrower
I can't find any accounts of people accessing it and am not too familiar with drains in general. Is it likely connected to other, more accessible, drains?
|
Stop whining and start draining. You'll be fine. Prove me wrong
Your security measures were inadequate.
How unfortunate for you. |
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Darlinclem
Location: Twin Cities
Gender: Female
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 12 on 5/15/2012 3:05 AM >
| | | | Thanks Stormy for the well written and detailed summary! Your passion for cities and how they work is amazing.
[last edit 5/15/2012 3:08 AM by Darlinclem - edited 2 times]
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Orangedrink
Gender: Male
Phobiaphile
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 13 on 5/16/2012 9:54 PM >
| | | | We love Capt. Snorey!
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DJ Craig
  
Moderator
Location: Johnson City, TN
Gender: Male
Break the Silence
| | | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 14 on 5/18/2012 3:36 PM >
| | | | Posted by Captain Stormy
Here we go:
.................
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This was a fascinating read!
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." -Dr. Suess |
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ILexplorer
Location: Northern Illinois
Man is born, man lives, man dies, and it's all vanity
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 15 on 5/19/2012 4:42 AM >
| | | | Indeed a good read. I did a little more research and apparently the system isn't supposed to be complete for a looong time, so I'd bet there are parts that are not in use and thus safe to explore.
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Captain Stormy
Location: Chicago mostly. Sometimes Minneapolis.
Gender: Male
SO TIGHT THAT IT CHAFED
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 16 on 5/21/2012 5:30 PM >
| | | |
It was the damn humidity, I swear!
Love you all too. <3
Posted by musket boy
From what I heard as well the tunnels are mostly submerged but the more I think about it that wouldn't make much sense, because if there was a major event and the tunnel was already full then there would be nowhere for the water to go and that would kind of defeat the purpose of having a deep tunnel. Also for there to be a methane explosion there would need to be a place for the methane to gather, ie a place not filled with water, amirite? I've seen a similar albeit much smaller (71 million gallon)detention system for storm runoff and it was almost always dry save for a couple bad events every few years or so. As far as a 350' rappel that wouldn't really be all that difficult, cavers do such drops routinely. And even if there was a small amount of flow in the tunnel you could always bring an inflatable boat.
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I think long-term the idea is not to use the tunnels for storage, but right now both Thorton and McCoook are still under construction. The tunnels themselves have 2.3 billion gallons of storage capacity, Majewski only has 0.35, but McCook and Thorton together have 14.9 billion gallons of capacity.
[last edit 5/21/2012 5:30 PM by Captain Stormy - edited 1 times]
http://www.urbex12.com |
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Freak
Location: Usually Alaska, now MSP.
Gender: Male
Hypocrite
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 17 on 5/22/2012 2:59 PM >
| | | | So are these underground quarries (Limestone mines) that are being used for storage, or open-pit quarries? I've seen both in the Chicago area, there seem to be some pretty impressive underground mines there, but they mostly seem to be under the water table (there's one that has an angled entrance that goes right under a river, looks kind of cool).
Turn off the internet and go play outside.
http://spamusement...hp/comics/view/137 |
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Captain Stormy
Location: Chicago mostly. Sometimes Minneapolis.
Gender: Male
SO TIGHT THAT IT CHAFED
| | | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 18 on 5/22/2012 4:01 PM >
| | | | Everything's below the water table here! 
The two main reservoirs are open-pit quarries. The smaller ones were purpose-dug lakes.
http://www.urbex12.com |
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uLiveAndYouBurn
Location: Beyond
Anarchocommunist
| | Re: Chicago Deep Tunnel
<Reply # 19 on 5/24/2012 5:01 AM >
| | | | Theres a pretty big diversion tunnel outside of downtown. would be about a 300 foot straight drop through a rather humongous deaeration chamber and an outfall. Without knowing for sure the diversion gates at the infall wont open its a pretty serious risk of drowning. Hope for a drought!
"Aint nothin' to it but to do it"
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