DOCSLIB.ORG

Wetland Resources of Illinois an Analysis and Atlas

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Wetland Resources of Illinois an Analysis and Atlas Wetland Resources of Illinois An Analysis and Atlas Liane Suloway Marvin Hubbell Illinois Natural History Survey, Lorin I. Nevling, Chief 607 East Peabody Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 (217) 333-6880 A Division of the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources Printed by authority of the State of Illinois 572444-3M-7-94 US ISSN 0888-9546 Editor : John Ballenot Cover design : Michael Jeffords Cover photo : Volo Bog, Lake County, Illinois, by Michael Jeffords Suggested citation : Suloway, L., and M. Hubbell. 1994 . Wetland resources of Illinois : an analysis and atlas. Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication 15 . 88 pp . Printed on recycled paper Wetland Resources of Illinois An Analysis and Atlas Liane Suloway Illinois Natural History Survey Champaign Marvin Hubbell Illinois Department of Conservation Springfield Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication 15 July 1994 CONTENTS 1 Introduction 3 Methods and Procedures 9 Results 16 Acknowledgments 16 References 17 Appendix A. Distribution of Illinois wetlands and deepwater habitats by 7.5-minute quadrangle, 1980-1987 25 Appendix B. Distribution of Illinois wetlands and deepwater habitats by county, 1980-1987 33 Appendix C. Distribution of Illinois wetlands and deepwater habitats by hydrologic basin, 1980-1987 41 Appendix D . Summary of data for Illinois wetlands by 7.5-minute quadrangle, 1980-1987 59 Appendix E. Summary of data for Illinois wetlands and deepwater habitats by county, 1980-1987 79 Appendix F. Summary of data for Illinois wetlands and deepwater habitats by hydrologic basin, 1980-1987 distribution of wetlands in Illinois, 1980-1987 The INTRODUCTION Wetlands once covered more than 8 million acres in wetlands and deepwater habitats of Illinois based on IWI Illinois, or 23% of the land (Havera 1985). As a result of data. This publication is intended to serve as a reference human modification of the environment, an estimated 90% for resource planners, managers, environmental scientists, of these wetlands have been destroyed (Figure 1). policy makers, and others interested in wetland resources. Dramatic declines in the amount of wetlands have been It also provides valuable baseline data for future analyses. accompanied by changes in their distribution (Figure 2) . In Wetlands encompass a variety of areas commonly Illinois, wetlands have been affected principally by known as marshes, bogs, wet meadows, swamps, shallow conversion of the land for agricultural purposes and to a ponds, and bottomland forests . These areas are usually lesser extent by development pressure caused by human associated with deepwater habitats or occupy depressions population growth . surrounded by upland . In recent years, recognition of the functions and USFWS definitions of wetlands and deepwater habitats values of wetlands has spawned efforts to stop or reverse were used for the NWI . The USFWS defined wetlands as wetland loss . Management of wetland resources requires a "lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems knowledge of the location, extent, and character of the where the water table is usually at or near the surface or remaining wetlands . the land is covered by shallow water. For purposes of this The wetlands of Illinois were inventoried in the 1980s classification, wetlands must have one or more of the as part of the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), an effort following three attributes : (1) at least periodically, the land by the U.S . Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to locate supports predominantly hydrophytes ; (2) the substrate is and classify all surface water-that is, wetlands and predominantly undrained hydric soil ; and (3) the substrate deepwater habitats (such as rivers and lakes) . The Illinois is nonsoil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow Wetlands Inventory (IWI) is an enhanced version of the water at some time during the growing season of each original NWI data, developed through joint efforts of the year" (Cowardin et al. 1979, p. 3) . Permanent water bodies Illinois Department of Conservation, the Illinois Natural greater than 6.6 ft (2 m) deep at low water are called History Survey, and the USFWS . "deepwater habitat" in the NWI (Cowardin et al. 1979) . The primary purpose of this document is to provide Numerous definitions of wetlands have been devel- information on the character, extent, and distribution of oped in recent years. The term "wetland" describes a dynamic natural system for which exact boundaries are sometimes difficult to establish . Three key characteristics are emphasized in an ecological approach to a wetlands Remaining soils original wetlands definition: hydrology, vegetation, and hydric (Cowardin et al . 1979). Hydrology refers to the distribution and movement of water on or below the earth's surface . All wetlands are periodically saturated or inundated by shallow water during the growing season . Wetlands must have water for a sufficient period of time to stress plants and animals not adapted for life in soils covered by or saturated with water (Tiner 1989). Hydrophytes, plants Presettlement which are able to survive in water or wet soils, have nonwetlands adapted to the lack of free oxygen available to the roots (Tiner 1989). Hydric soils lack free oxygen in their upper portion for a significant period during the growing season because of saturation or inundation with water (Tiner Figure 1 . Theproportion ofIllinois that used to be wetlands 1989). Drained hydric soils retain many of their original ofthe original wetland acreage that and the proportion characteristics and, therefore, can be used to estimate remained by the 1980s. Ofthe approximately 8 million acreages prior to settlement (Cashin et al. 1992, acres of wetlands in Illinois during presetlement times, less wetland than 1 million acres remain . Dahl 1990, Tiner 1990). Wetland Resources of Illinois B. Present of County of County 4-9 4-9 10-19 10-19 7 20-29 20-29 30-39 30-39 40-61 40-61 C . Present D. Loss of Wetlands of County Loss 0-1 .9 40-69 2-3.9 70-79 u 4-5.9 80-89 6-15 90-99 Figure 2. Presettlement andpresent extent of wetlands and percent loss of wetlands in Illinois counties. Presettlement wetlands were determinedfrom data on hydric soils (Havera 1985). Present wetlands were determined using natural wetlands from the Illinois Wetlands Inventory (1980-1987) . Parts A and B use the same legend, which allows direct compari- son between the two maps . The legendforpart C is adjusted to better depict the present distribution . Methods and Procedures METHODS AND PROCEDURES were supervised by the same person . Field investigations were conducted to verify accurate identification and interpretation, The IWI is a spatial database that stores location, shape, classification of wetlands through photo wetland signatures and descriptive information about wetlands and deepwater particularly for areas with problematic Regional NWI habitats using ARC/INFO software in a geographic or classifications (e .g., farmed wetlands). information system (GIS) environment . Every wetland and staff reviewed the photography for correct delineations deepwater habitat feature mapped in the IWI is described and classifications, and the national NWI staff in St. spot-checked photos to ensure by spatial parameters such as area and perimeter, as well Petersburg, Florida, quality control standards . as ecological and physical descriptors such as dominant adherence to the national :24,000 were produced using vegetative type, substrate type, duration of saturation or Draft maps at a scale of 1 . Draft maps were inundation, and human modification. In the IWI, descrip- Bausch and Lomb zoom transfer scopes USFWS, U.S. Army tive cedes assigned to each wetland and deepwater habitat sent for review and comment to the Service, U.S. feature include both an NWI code and an IWI classification Corps of Engineers, Soil Conservation Department of code . Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Conservation, and the 98 soil and water conservation districts in Illinois . The USFWS NWI staff conducted field checks and examined draft maps to ensure proper INVENTORY METHODS placement of wetland polygons and accurate classification . In a program unique to Illinois, public input was The NWI used high-altitude aerial photography supple- sought to improve the accuracy of the maps and to create mented with other sources of data for identification and public awareness of the mapping effort. Through a mapping of wetlands and deepwater habitats. Information contract with the Illinois Department of Conservation, a was transcribed to U.S Geological Survey 7.5-minute series of 37 public meetings was organized by soil and quadrangle base maps (1 :24,000 scale) . The standard final water conservation districts . More than 1,000 people NWI product is a hardcopy map showing the location, attended these meetings throughout the state. Attendees configuration, and NWI codes of wetlands and deepwater were asked to verify the NWI description of lands with habitats (Figure 3). A cooperative agreement between the which they were familiar; there was at least a 95% State of Illinois and the USFWS resulted in the creation of a concurrence with the NWI description . digital database from the NWI maps for Illinois . Digitization of the data was performed from the The primary source for mapping Illinois' wetlands was 1 :24,000 maps by a contractor under the supervision of the 1:58,000 color infrared photographs taken as part of the USFWS. Digital data files were sent by the USFWS to the National High Altitude Photography Program. The photo Illinois Natural History Survey in MOSS format and graphs were taken from the spring of 1980 through the converted to ARC/INFO format via a program developed spring of 1987. Photo interpretation was conducted using in house. Hardcopy maps were produced from the mirror stereoscopes . Collateral data sources used to aid in database at the 1:24,000 scale, overlaid on the NWI wetland detection and classification included 7.5-minute hardcopy maps, and checked for errors . The digital topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey and soil database includes wetlands and deepwater habitats down surveys by the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • River Mileages and Drainage Areas for Illinois Streams—Volume 2, Illinois River Basin
    RIVER MILEAGES AND DRAINAGE AREAS FOR ILLINOIS STREAMS—VOLUME 2, ILLINOIS RIVER BASIN U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 79-111 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS RIVER MILEAGES AND DRAINAGE AREAS FOR ILLINOIS STREAMS—VOLUME 2, ILLINOIS RIVER BASIN By R. W. Healy U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 79-111 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 1979 CONTENTS Conversion Table . .iv Abstract . .1 Introduction . .1 Methods . .2 Explanation of tables . .2 References . .3 Index . .291 ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Map showing Illinois counties . .4 2. Map showing stream systems, hydrologic units, and major cities in Illinois. .6 TABLE Table 1. River mileages and drainage areas for Illinois streams . .8 i CONVERSION TABLE Multiply inch-pound unit By To obtain SI (metric) unit mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) iv RIVER MILEAGES AND DRAINAGE FOR ILLINOIS STREAMS— Volume 2, Illinois River Basin By R. W. Healy ABSTRACT River mileages are presented for points of interest on Illinois streams draining 10 square miles or more. Points of interest include bridges, dams, gaging stations, county lines, hydrologic unit boundaries, and major tributaries. Drainage areas are presented for selected sites, including total drainage area for any streams draining at least 100 square miles. INTRODUCTION Expansion of water-resource investigations within the State of Illinois has amplified the need for a common index to locations on streams. A common index would aid in the coordination of various stream-related activities by facilitating data collection and interpretation.
    [Show full text]
  • Perry County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
    Perry County, Illinois Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan A 2015 Update of the 2009 Countywide MHMP Perry County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Perry County, Illinois Adoption Date: -- _______________________ -- Primary Point of Contact Secondary Point of Contact David H. Searby, Jr. Raymond D. Clark EMA Coordinator ESDA Coordinator Perry County Emergency Management Agency Du Quoin ESDA Perry County Courthouse – Room #15 P.O. Box Pinckneyville, IL 62274 Du Quoin, IL 62832 Phone: (618) 357-6221 Phone: (618) 542-3841 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Perry County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Acknowledgements The Perry County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan would not have been possible without the incredible feedback, input, and expertise provided by the County leadership, citizens, staff, federal and state agencies, and volunteers. We would like to give special thank you to the citizens not mentioned below who freely gave their time and input in hopes of building a stronger, more progressive County. Perry County gratefully acknowledges the following people for the time, energy and resources given to create the Perry County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. Perry County Board of Commissioners Robert D. Kelly, Chairman Sam Robb James Epplin 2014 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Steering Committee David Searby, EMA Coordinator, Perry County Emergency Management Agency Raymond Clark, ESDA Coordinator, Du Quoin Emergency Services and Disaster Agency Joyce Rheal, EMA Staff, Perry County Emergency Management Agency Shane Malawy, Administrator, Pinckneyville Ambulance Service Steve Behm, Lieutenant, Perry County Sheriff Bruce Reppert, EMA Staff, Perry County Emergency Management Agency Sandra Webster, Director, American Red Cross Little Egypt Network James Gielow, Chief, Pinckneyville Fire Department / Pinckneyville Rural Fire Protection District Krista Mulholland, Perry County Health Department ii Perry County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Table of Contents Section 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Big Muddy River Bottoms Habitat Improvement
    Environmental Assessment BIG MUDDY RIVER BOTTOMS HABITAT IMPROVEMENT United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service April 2005 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For Information Contact: National Environmental Policy Act Coordinator The Shawnee National Forest 50 Hwy 145 South, Harrisburg, IL 62946 (618) 253-7114 This document can be accessed on the Shawnee National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/shawnee. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. SUMMARY…………………………………………………………….. ……. 4 II. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………… 5 Document Structure………………………………………………………………. 5 Purpose of and Need for Action………………………………………………….. 7 Proposed Action………………………………………………………………….. 8 Decision Framework……………………………………………………………… 8 Public Involvement……………………………………………………………….. 8 Issues and Scope of the Environmental Assessment………………………………
    [Show full text]
  • Sugar Camp Energy, LLC Mine No. 1 Expansion - Revision 6 EIS
    Document Type: EIS-Administrative Record Index Field: Final EIS Project Name: Sugar Camp Mine No. 1 Project Number: 2019-28 SUGAR CAMP ENERGY, LLC MINE NUMBER 1 – BOUNDARY REVISION 6 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Franklin and Hamilton Counties, Illinois Lead Agency: TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Knoxville, Tennessee Cooperating Agency: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Chicago, Illinois October 2020 This page intentionally left blank COVER SHEET Sugar Camp Energy, LLC Mine No. 1 Expansion - Revision 6 EIS Proposed action: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) proposes to authorize the mining of TVA-owned coal, currently leased to Sugar Camp Energy, LLC, underlying approximately 12,125 acres in southern Illinois. Associated actions include the planned subsidence of much of the mined area, the construction of five Bleeder Shaft Facilities, and the processing of the coal at an existing Coal Preparation Plant. Type of document: Final Environmental Impact Statement Lead agency: Tennessee Valley Authority Cooperating agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency To request information, contact: Elizabeth Smith Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT11B Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1499 E-Mail: [email protected] Abstract: TVA evaluates a No Action and Action Alternative in this EIS. The Action Alternative consists of TVA approving the extraction of TVA-owned coal from an area of approximately 12,125 acres, the construction and operation of five Bleeder Shaft Facilities, and the planned subsidence of the ground surface above the extracted coal. Connected actions include processing, storing, and transporting the extracted coal via existing and proposed facilities. Under the No Action Alternative, TVA would not approve the extraction of the TVA-owned coal, and extracting, processing, storing, and transporting other coal in the area would continue.
    [Show full text]
  • Spring Lake Watershed Plan July 2008
    Spring Lake Watershed Plan July 2008 Spring Lake Watershed Committee Members: Lee Calvert, Chairman Jon Bowman, Vice-Chairman Alice Henry, Secretary Jim Bessler Walter Burnett Chuck Ehlschlaeger Scott McConnell Dana Walker Mike Ward Travis Weaver Plan Writer / Watershed Coordinator: Daniel Moorehouse McDonough County SWCD Resource Conservationist: Duane Mansir McDonough County NRCS District Conservationist: Gregory Jackson Sr. Funding for this project provided, in part, by the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through section 319 of the Clean Water Act. Table of Contents Mission Statement............................................................................................................................3 Introduction......................................................................................................................................3 Watershed Description.....................................................................................................................5 General Overview........................................................................................................................5 Human Use...................................................................................................................................7 Construction of Spring Lake........................................................................................................8 Watershed History.......................................................................................................................9
    [Show full text]
  • A Floristic Study of a Southern Illinois Swampy Area
    No. 2 NEW SPECIES OF CTENICERA 89 A FLORISTIC STUDY OF A SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SWAMPY AREA ROBERT H. MOHLENBROCK Department of Botany, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois In the western part of Union County in southwestern Illinois is a unique area of swamps and woodlands of low ground. This paper is an endeavor to discuss floristic relationships of the species of vascular plants which occur in this area. These swamps of Union County occur in the following sections of T 11 S, R 3 W: 9, 16, 17, 21, 28, and 33. * A small portion of T 12 S, R 3 W, sections 3 and 4 is also included (fig. 1). Within this area, numerous habitat types are found. This study deals only with the floristics of the swamp-inhabiting plants. A high range of hills forms the eastern border of the swamp. At the western limits of these hills, massive limestone bluffs which once bordered the Mississippi River are exposed. These often nearly vertical bluffs are in places almost 350 feet high. They are dissected by numerous east-west ravines which are covered with dense vegetation. Hill prairies are located along the western-facing edges of many of these bluffs. These treeless areas are minute replicas of prairies to the west. The swamp vegetation is found in an area from one-eighth of a mile to nearly a mile wide and for a length of about six miles. The southern end of the area is occupied by a finger-shaped lake known as Wolf Lake. The lake extends for nearly two miles, becoming shallower at its northern end where it gives rise to a deep swamp.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 3: Affected Environment
    Chapter 3:Affected Environment Chapter 3: Affected Environment 3.1 Introduction Chapter 3 provides an overview of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and the resources it pro- vides in terms of habitat, wildlife and people. 3.2 Physical Environment 3.2.1 Physiography The physiography of the northern and southern portions of the Refuge is quite different. The terrain of the northern portion of the Refuge is character- ized by low relief, broad valleys, and relatively well- developed drainage systems while the southern por- tion of the Refuge is uplands with narrow ridges dis- sected by deep, narrow valleys with steep slopes and numerous sandstone outcrops. The northern portion of the Refuge is covered with a heterogeneous mixture of rock fragments ranging in size from clay to boulders deposited by glaciers on bedrock. Generally the slopes in the area are less than 3 percent. The southern portion of the Refuge is part of a continuous ridge extending from Prairie restoration, Crab Orchard NWR Battery Rock on the Ohio River to Horseshoe Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The hills are highly dissected uplands with little flat land and 3.2.2 Geology nearly all of the area has steep slopes, most in The bedrock underlying the Refuge is of Pennsyl- excess of 10 percent slope. vanian age. In the northern part of the Refuge, the The Refuge's elevation ranges from less than 380 bedrock is covered by a thin layer of glacial till of feet above mean sea level at Crab Orchard Creek in Illinoian age. During the Wisconsin glacial age, the Jackson County to over 740 feet at the southeast weathered Illinoian glacial till was covered by the corner of the Refuge in Union County.
    [Show full text]
  • Illinois Prairies 101
    Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Education One Natural Resources Way Springfield, IL 62702 ENTICE – Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education Illinois Prairies 101 Part I Geology Many factors interact to determine the vegetation of any site, regardless of size. Bedrock geology, glacial history, soils, moisture, climate, grazing animals, and fire have combined to directly influence the distribution of prairies and forests within Illinois. With a different climate, glacial history or fire history, the vegetation of Illinois would have been vastly different from that observed and described by the French explorers when they arrived in the late 1600s. Some of these factors, such as bedrock, are largely obscured in Illinois by a thick layer of till deposited by the action of glaciers many thousands of years ago. The only places where bedrock is exposed are along the deeply incised valleys of the Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash rivers and their tributaries, or along fault lines at various locations throughout the state. The bedrock of Illinois resulted from the deposition of marine organisms during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras in the period 65 to 570 million years ago. Bedrock from these two geologic time periods differs not just in age, but also in location and thickness. Paleozoic bedrock, the most widely distributed, is present throughout much of Illinois. Its maximum thickness is approximately 14,000 feet compared to the maximum thickness of only 500 feet for Mesozoic era bedrock present in southern Illinois. The most common and probably best-known type of bedrock in Illinois is limestone, a sedimentary rock formed at the bottom of ancient seas mostly by the deposition of shells, coral skeletons, and secretions from certain types of algae.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Register/Vol. 73, No. 11/Wednesday, January
    Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 16, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 2835 * Elevation in feet (NGVD) + Elevation in feet Flooding source(s) Location of referenced elevation (NAVD) Communities # Depth in feet affected above ground Modified At the intersection of Marlin Avenue and Southeast Dog- +125 wood Drive. * National Geodetic Vertical Datum. + North American Vertical Datum. # Depth in feet above ground. ADDRESSES City of Damascus Maps are available for inspection at Damascus City Hall, 19920 Highway 212, Damascus, OR 97089. City of Happy Valley Maps are available for inspection at Michael Walter Planning Services Manager, 12915 SE King Road, Happy Valley, OR 97086. City of Lake Oswego Maps are available for inspection at Rob D. Amsberry Surface Water Management, 380 A Avenue, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. City of Rivergrove Maps are available for inspection at Larry Barrett City Manager, 5311 Childs Road, Lake Oswego, OR 97035. City of West Linn Maps are available for inspection at City Hall, 22500 Salamo Road, West Linn, OR 97068. Clackamas County (Unincorporated Areas) Maps are available for inspection at Steve F. Hanschka Floodplain Administrator Sunnybrook Service Center, 9101 SE Sannybrook Boulevard, Clackamas, OR 97015. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. community. This date may be obtained communities listed below. Elevations at 97.022, ‘‘Flood Insurance.’’) by contacting the office where the maps selected locations in each community Dated: January 3, 2008. are available for inspection as indicated are shown. David I. Maurstad, on the table below. National Environmental Policy Act. Federal Insurance Administrator of the ADDRESSES: The final BFEs for each This final rule is categorically excluded National Flood Insurance Program, community are available for inspection from the requirements of 44 CFR part Department of Homeland Security, Federal at the office of the Chief Executive 10, Environmental Consideration.
    [Show full text]
  • Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) of the La Moine and Spoon Rivers, Illinois
    Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science received 2/23/13 (2013) Volume 106, pp. 27-34 accepted 8/27/13 Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) of the La Moine and Spoon Rivers, Illinois Joshua L. Sherwood¹*, Alison Price Stodola¹, Sarah A. Bales¹, and Timothy W. Spier² ¹Illinois Natural History Survey – Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, 1816 South Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820 ²Department of Biological Sciences, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455 *Correspondence: [email protected] ABSTRACT Understanding the distribution of current mussel communities within a basin is the initial step towards conserving these imperiled an- imals. Two basins in which little were known of the current mussel communities are the La Moine and Spoon Rivers in western Illinois. The mussel communities were sampled at 87 locations within these two basins between 2009-2011 and historical mussel communities served as a comparison within these basins. The current samples produced 1,171 live mussels representing 21 species from the La Moine River basin and 1,291 live individuals representing 21 species from the Spoon River basin. Forty-three species have been collected from the Spoon River basin since 1892. The La Moine River basin has not been sampled as thoroughly as the Spoon and only 25 species have been documented from this basin since the first samples in the late 1980’s. INTRODUCTION ened or as a species of special concern (Ti- the western forest-prairie natural division, Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) emann et al., 2007; Cummings and Mayer, although the headwaters of the Spoon Riv- are a crucial component of freshwater 1997; Illinois Endangered Species Protec- er rise in the western section of the Grand ecosystems (Howard and Cuffey, 2006; tion Board, 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Longwall MINING UNDER a PUBLIC LAKE and WILDLIFE REFUGE: PLANNING for SUBSIDENCE IMPACTS
    LoNGWALL MINING UNDER A PUBLIC LAKE AND WILDLIFE REFUGE: PLANNING FOR SUBSIDENCE IMPACTS by Daniel Barkley' Abstract: Rend Lake is a man-made water body in south central Illinois completed by the Corps of Engineers in 1972. Approximately 18,900 acres of water and 20,000 acres of managed land encompass the project. The lake serves as a significant public water supply for the region and also provides outdoor recreation opportunities such as camping, swimming, boating, fishing and hunting. Over the past two decades, several coal companies have conducted both high extraction retreat and longwall mining operations under and adjacent to Rend Lake. The resulting surface subsidence has altered shoreline locations and increased water depths. Mitigation of subsidence impacts has been achieved by a combination ofland acquisition to expand the project as well as site specific mitigation techniques to restore existing capabilities and uses. The last surviving company is currently conducting longwall operations under a State of Illinois managed wildlife refuge located on the Nason Point Peninsula. The longwall operations will inundate a portion of the peninsula's land surface and could potentially impact the existing habitats of the refuge. Issues at stake are potential impacts to shore birds and the migratory Canada goose. Several state and federal agencies have come together to work with the coal company to develop an acceptable mitigation plan. This paper provides an overview of the permitting process, public concerns raised and the efforts to arrive at an acceptable mitigation plan. Modeled changes in topography and potential impacts on the management of the refuge are examined.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to the Geology of the Mt. Vernon Area, Jefferson County
    557 IL6gui 1989-D Guide to the Geology of the Mt. Vernon Area, Jefferson County David L. Reinertsen Stephen T. Whitaker Leon R. Follmer NOV 2 2 1989 Field Trip Guide Leaflet 1989D November 4, 1989 Department of Energy and Natural Resources "« ^TBTF GEOLOfilHAI ^''W ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Champaign, IL 61820 Cover photo: Geological Science Field Trip participants at the Nuxall Sand Pit northeast of Mt. Vernon. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois/1989/300 OOICAL SURVEY II I INOm STATF OFOI I '''^'^>2 3 3051 /. ' Guide to the Geology of the Mt. Vernon Area, Jefferson County David L. Reinertsen Stephen T. Whitaker Leon R. Follmer GEOLOGICAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIPS are free tours conducted by the Educational Extension Unit of the Illinois State Geological Survey to acquaint the public with the geology, landscape, and mineral resources of Illinois. Each is an all-day excursion through one or more Illinois counties; frequent stops are made for explorations, explanations, and collection of rocks and fossils. People of all ages and interests are welcome. The trips are especially helpful to teachers in preparing earth science units. Grade school students are welcome, but each must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. High school science classes should be supervised by at least one adult for every 10 students. A list of available guide leaflets for earlier trips, which can be used for planning class tours and private outings, may be obtained by contacting the Illinois State Geological Survey, Natural Resources Building, 615 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820. (217) 244-2407 or 333-7372.
    [Show full text]