Stephen A. Forbes State Park – Dump and Fish Cleaning Stations

Summary

Stephen A. Forbes State Park is located in Kinmundy, Illinois. Prior to the facilities upgrade, the site used the existing sanitary dump station that was constructed in 1973 in conjunction with the construction of a Class A campground.  The dump station consisted of a distribution manifold; two, 1500-gallon septic tanks; and an independent leach field off of each tank.  The leach fields were built using clay tiles that were spaced to allow for efficient permeability.  After 32 years, the clay tiles were plugged with sediment and tree roots, which greatly diminished their efficiency.  The septic tanks served as holding tanks.  They had to be pumped by a private-licensed septic hauler on an as-needed basis, which added to the operational costs of the park’s budget. 

Project

Kaskaskia Engineering Group, LLC (KEG) prepared plans for the demolition and replacement of the existing sanitary dump station.  The new dump station is easily accessible to campers.  The dump station includes a concrete driving surface, a water tower, and a freeze-proof yard hydrant which allows the tower and hydrant to drain each time the hydrant is closed.  Concrete dumping pads that contain a bronze foot-operated hatch, with a self-closing, freeze-proof potable water hydrant, were constructed, along with a concrete dumpster pad located near the dump station.  Landscaping was provided to help block direct visibility of the dump station as people visit the campground.

The new fish cleaning station was designed similar to the other fish cleaning stations located on the south end of the Park.  The design included an accessible vault for easy maintenance and cleaning.  The fish cleaning station includes a conservation tank with an evaporation system, ADA stainless steel fish cleaning table with a 1-inch thick poly cutting board, two basket drains, two spray wands with automatic shut–off, an 8-inch viscera chute, a roof-mounted centrifugal fan, and a self-contained sump pump.  All appurtenances associated with the fish cleaning station were installed within a precast concrete vault and housed under a prefabricated shelter.