Who maintains Pingree Grove ponds? Drainage, study and costs

Records checked October 3, 2026. Pingree Grove's pond-maintenance work affects drainage, shared spaces and public spending, but responsibility varies by location. On September 8, 2026, the village board approved a $13,252.50 pond-assessment award to McCloud Aquatics. The recorded scope covers 16 ponds and maintenance recommendations. That action does not establish that dredging was authorized, completed or paid for. Approved minutes, item 7(e).

This guide helps residents identify the right pond, find the responsible party, understand the study and budget, and report a drainage problem with useful details.

Who maintains the ponds in Pingree Grove?

The village's March 2026 staff memo distinguishes 16 village-maintained stormwater ponds from other water features described as private ponds or protected wetlands. A pond next to a home is not automatically the homeowner's, the HOA's or the village's responsibility. March 16 board packet, PDF page 85.

For the 2026 assessment, start with the pond map on PDF page 10 of the village's request for proposals. The addendum explains that the bold boxes identify village-owned and village-maintained ponds included in this bid.

Two clarifications make that map easier to use:

• Pond 19a–c counts as one pond, with portions that can be dry.
• Pond 20 is one pond; the smaller neighboring ponds to its south and east are not the village's, according to the addendum.

The addendum also says some study ponds are dry ponds. A dry area alone does not establish that the drainage system has failed. Assessment Addendum 1, pages 1–2.

Confirm the location before assigning responsibility

Use Kane County's property inquiry as a parcel starting point. Ask Public Works to match the pond label with the relevant maintenance and engineering records. For association contacts, see the Cambridge Lakes community guide.

The March staff memo's wetland discussion is a description of the village's stated limits. It is not a parcel-by-parcel determination of federal jurisdiction. Confirm the actual site before assuming that work is prohibited or permitted.

What the 2026 pond assessment is supposed to produce

The solicitation asks for condition reviews and maintenance options across one-year, five-year and ten-plus-year periods. Requested work includes identifying sediment buildup, erosion and other constraints, comparing maintenance approaches, and estimating implementation and longer-term costs.

Potential approaches include dredging, bank stabilization, vegetation management and structural improvements. These are options for evaluation—not a finding that every pond needs each treatment. RFP, PDF pages 8–9.

Addendum 1 asks for funding options and optional pricing for depth surveys where needed. It says there was no fixed deliverable deadline at that bidding stage; the village would work with the selected firm. A completion date or the inclusion of optional surveys therefore needs the executed agreement or a later record. Addendum, pages 1–2.

As of this review, a completed assessment, final pond-by-pond recommendations and payment reconciliation were not verified. The useful next milestone is the actual report and its acceptance, followed by any separate decisions to fund physical work.

Pond-maintenance decision and spending tracker

Sources: March discussion memo, official bid posting, addendum, September minutes, and October 5 packet, PDF pages 1 and 13.

The March estimate and September award describe different stages. Subtracting one from the other is not evidence of realized savings without comparing scope and final costs.

The October packet lists $3,060 for mowing two islands on the main pond, under Yellowstone Landscape, invoice 1270064 and account 10-17-55-1500. The check report shows October 5, a future date relative to this review. Treat this as a listed warrant item, not a verified cleared payment or proof of the meeting's outcome. It is separate from the assessment award.

Who pays? Follow the budget line and the invoice

The original FY2026–27 budget, adopted April 6, 2026, includes the following pond-maintenance entries in its attached schedules:

The schedules retain a “Recommended” heading on the final-year column within the adopted document. The dash is the document's display for the SSA 9 pond line. These are selected budget entries, not a complete stormwater-cost total or a statement of actual spending. Adopted ordinance and budget.

To establish the cost of a particular job, match its agreement and invoice to the ledger account and payment record. Check later budget amendments as well. Do not add the full budget allocation to a contract or invoice that may already be funded within it.

An SSA budget entry also does not establish a new charge on every Pingree Grove household. For a property's tax burden, use its own bill, area number and applicable levy records. The property-tax and SSA guide explains that process; the village budget tracker explains spending records.

Backyard drainage, fences and changes to a lot

Pingree Grove's published Code §5-1-12 addresses unapproved obstacles that block drainage or alter the flow established by approved grading plans. Its examples include fences, earth mounds and walls in drainageways. For a fence crossing a drainageway, the section calls for clearance approved by the Public Works director.

The code also provides enforcement and abatement procedures, including emergency action to restore drainage. A wet yard or a neighbor's complaint alone does not establish a violation, responsibility for damage or the cause of flooding. Those questions require the site records and facts. Published drainage-impediment section.

Before changing grading or placing a structure near a drainage route, ask the village to review the project against the approved plan and any later rules. Association approval is a separate question. The permit and fee guide provides the building-department starting points.

How to report a pond or stormwater problem

For a routine maintenance question, start with Pingree Grove Public Works. Give the location and describe what you observed before drawing conclusions about its cause.

A useful report includes:

1. The pond-map label, if known, and the nearest public street or landmark.
2. The date, time and whether the condition followed rain.
3. What is visible: a blocked inlet, eroding bank, standing water, damaged outlet or unusual discharge.
4. Photos taken from a safe, lawful location.
5. Whether the condition is recurring and any earlier report reference.
6. A request to identify the responsible owner or maintenance agency and the next review step.

For suspected contaminant spills or illegal discharges, the village's stormwater page lists 847-464-5533, extension 1502, and pdoherty@pingreegrove.org. It directs residents to call 911 for a suspected discharge occurring after hours. Use 911 for an immediate emergency. Official stormwater reporting instructions.

Keep the report and any reply. An observation is useful evidence, but it does not by itself identify a pollutant, prove a code violation or establish that a pond caused a particular property's flooding.

Which public records would answer the remaining questions?

The most useful follow-up records are the signed assessment agreement and amendments, the final report, pond-specific maintenance recommendations, funding decisions, invoices and payment entries. For one location, also ask for its approved drainage plan, maintenance assignment and relevant inspection or work-order history.

The village's stormwater page links its management plan and older annual inspection reports. The latest report explicitly labeled on that page during this review covered March 2019–March 2020. That webpage listing does not establish whether later reports exist elsewhere or whether any compliance obligation was missed.

Use the public-records guide to request a specific record and date range when it is not posted. No records request was submitted for this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pingree Grove maintain every pond?

No. The village's records distinguish its study ponds from other private water features and wetlands. Match the actual location to the map and supporting maintenance records.

Has the village approved dredging all 16 ponds?

The verified September action is an assessment award. A dredging recommendation, project authorization and completed construction are separate steps.

What did the pond study cost?

The board approved a $13,252.50 award on September 8, 2026. This guide has not verified final invoices, amendments or the amount ultimately paid.

Is a dry pond necessarily broken?

No. The village's bid addendum says some study ponds are dry ponds. The design and inspection records are needed to judge whether a particular area is functioning properly.

Can I change a fence or landscaping that affects drainage?

Ask the village to review the proposed change against the approved grading plan and current requirements. The published drainage code addresses obstacles in drainageways; HOA approval alone does not resolve that review.

Does the pond budget mean my SSA tax is increasing?

A budget allocation alone does not establish your parcel's tax charge. Check the current bill and the applicable levy or abatement records.

Review scope and next update

October 3, 2026: reviewed the March study memo, bid documents and map, September award minutes, adopted budget, published drainage code, reporting information, and the September 21 and October 5 meeting packets.

Next checks are the October warrant outcome, the executed study agreement, completed assessment, and any later maintenance or funding approvals. This guide does not establish the condition of an individual pond, a flooding claim or an environmental violation. Return to the Pingree Grove hub for related guides.

Related Pingree Grove guides

Return to the Pingree Grove development, taxes and village-records hub.

• Cambridge Lakes HOA fees, rules and safety records
• Pingree Grove building permits and project fees
• Pingree Grove FY2026–27 budget and spending approvals