Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Plan January, 2004 Prepared by Tri-County Regional Planning Commission With funding from Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Conservation 2000 Program Executive Summary Tenmile Creek and it’s tributaries deliver approximately 23,5000 tons of sediment to Upper Peoria Lake on an annual basis (Windhorn, 2003). This sediment fills the navigable channels of the Illinois River, depletes deep water habitat, and creates polluted, murky water that suffocates fish and prevents sunlight from reaching aquatic plants, a necessary start to the food chain of the Illinois River. According to a recent study of the United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resource Conservation Service, much of this sediment originates in the gullies formed from uncontrolled stormwater runoff from forested, urban, and agricultural land uses. This stormwater and resulting erosion can only be controlled through proper forest management, strategic/low impact development of urban areas, and the adoption of a tri- county unified stormwater ordinance that further restricts post development stormwater runoff. While individual streambanks can be stabilized and pockets of wetlands restored, it will take a great deal of political action and commitment to create the necessary ordinances and proper urban planning to truly reverse the declining trend of local water quality. While soil erosion and sedimentation are the main focus of this report, other water quality and natural resource concerns are addressed. Individual homeowners can have a large collective impact on water quality by reducing fertilizer application on lawns, directing downspouts to pervious surfaces, disposing household chemical pollutants properly, etc. There is also potential for landowners of large and small tracts of land to aid in the preservation of biodiversity of the Tenmile Creek Watersheds by utilizing such informational resources as Creating Habitats and Homes for Illinois Wildlife by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. When the action items identified in this plan are engaged, the Tenmile Creek Planning Committee expects a dramatic decline in the sediment produced in the Tenmile Creek Watershed, an improvement in the fresh water species diversity, and an overall heightened awareness of the natural resources that Tenmile Creek Watershed has to offer. Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Plan January, 2004 Table of Contents Mission Statement 1 Acknowledgments/Biographies Planning Committee 3 Technical Advisory Committee 4 Watershed Description 9 Watershed Activities Tenmile Creek Watershed Planning Committee 11 Illinois River Bluffs Ecosystem Partnership Illinois River Basin Restoration Spring Creek Preserve Restoration Committee Problem Statements & Objectives 13 Action Items Urban Stormwater 17 Wildlife & Ecology 27 Soil Erosion and Sediment Delivery 33 Education 47 Funding 55 Cost Summary 57 Timeline for Watershed Plan Implementation 59 Measuring Progress and Success 61 Natural Resources Inventory Waterbodies 65 Designated Uses 67 Impairments 68 Groundwater Irrigation 72 Drainage 73 Floodplain Boundaries Table of Contents (continued) Municipal/Industrial 75 Riparian Corridor Hydrologic Modifications 77 Stormwater Management Wetlands 79 Soil Classification 82 Soil Erosion 83 Geology 86 Topography 87 Land Use 90 Air Quality 96 Fish/Aquatic Invertebrates 102 Wildlife 107 Socio-Economic/Human Resources 110 Bibliography 113 Appendixes A – City of Peoria’s Model Stream Buffer Ordinance B – Tri-County Unified Stormwater Model Ordinance (created by the Tenmile Creek Watershed Technical Advisory Committee) C – Conservation Funding List by The Nature Conservancy’s Volunteer Stewardship Network Mission Statement The mission of the Tenmile Creek Watershed Planning Committee is to develop and promote, through education, the implementation of the Tenmile Creek Watershed Management Plan. We seek to: • Reduce erosion and sediment load to the Illinois River • Protect natural resources in the watershed • Identify funding sources for implementation Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Plan 1 Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Plan 2 Acknowledgments The creation of this watershed plan was truly a partnership. Citizens, public officials, interest group members, and natural resource professionals from public and private bodies worked together on a volunteer basis to create a watershed plan that empowers all the citizens of the Tenmile Creek Watershed to begin the process of restoring the environmental integrity of our land and water. The amount of time spent by these volunteers is valued at $3,500 (350hrs x $10/hr) by the granting agency, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, but to the citizens of the watershed, their time is priceless. As the reader will see in the Committee members’ autobiographies, the technical advisors that helped create this plan are some of the most knowledgeable in the State of Illinois on the subjects of hydrology, ecosystem management and restoration, ordinance development, and wildlife protection. In addition to the technical knowledge and expertise brought to the table, it is well recognized by all partners that a successful plan could not be created without the input of local citizens that understand the history and problems witnessed on a daily basis in the watershed. A very special thank you to all that contributed time and vehicles as we toured the watershed, collected data, and hashed through appropriate actions to restore the Tenmile Creek Watershed. Biographies Planning Committee Members Mr. Bob Jordon received a builder’s certificate for building design specification and estimating in 1955 from Bradley University. He then started an excavating business in the Peoria area, doing foundations, basements, grading, water and sewer installation, and cutting in streets. For commercial sites, Mr. Jordon installed water retention ponds, dams and seeding for erosion control. Mr. Jordon also has built 70 golf courses across the United States. This work involved earthmoving, shaping, irrigation, drainage, runoff control, and seeding as well as complying with environmental regulations in a number of states including the Chesapeake Bay area. Mr. Jordan is also an appointed official on the East Peoria Zoning Board. Roger Barry is the Facility Support Services Section Supervisor and Facility Engineer at Caterpillar, Inc.’s Peoria Proving Ground located in the Tenmile Creek Watershed in Tazewell and Woodford Counties. Mr. Barry represents Caterpillar, Inc. as an interested property owner on the Tenmile Creek Watershed Planning Committee. Angelo Zerbonia, graduated from Bradley University in 1963 with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He worked with the Corps of Engineers from 1963 to 1992 and was the Chief Engineer at the Illinois Waterway Crop Office from 1972 to 1992 covering the operation and maintenance of the Illinois waterway from Chicago, IL to the LaGrange lock and dam. He now serves as chairman of Tri-County Riverfront Action Forum, a group dedicated to preserving the Illinois River. Mr. Zerbonia is also a member of the Peoria Lakes Basin Alliance. Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Plan 3 Mr. Wayne Ingram is a water resource engineer and professional engineer in Illinois, with Mactec Engineering and Consulting. Mr. Ingram is also a member of the Natural Resources and Your Development Taskforce, a volunteer organization that works to promote, educate, and assist with implementation of economically and environmentally sound development in the tri-county area. See also “Technical Advisory Committee” Roseann Grosse-Tomko is a program supervisor for Fon Du Lac Park District in East Peoria, Illinois, where she designs programs in horticulture and conservation. For the past three years Roseann has served as a mentor for East Peoria High Schools Senior project with students who worked on the topics of Loosestrife, Garlic Mustard, and Wetlands Restoration. She is on the Board of Directors for Peoria Academy of Science and a member of the Clean Water Celebration, a statewide conference held every March at the Peoria Civic Center. Ms. Grosse-Tomko has a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Eastern Illinois University and a Masters Degree in Fine Arts Photography from Illinois State University and is currently working on her associate’s degree in Horticulture from Illinois Central College. Tim Malone is the District Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources in Tazewell County. He is responsible for providing technical assistance to landowners in Tazewell County through the Tazewell County Soil & Water Conservation District. Technical Advisory Committee Wildlife & Ecology Subcommittee Illinois Department of Natural Resources Thomas Lerczak is a Natural Area Preservation Specialist with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. His main focus is the protection and management of Illinois Natural Area Inventory (INAI) Sites located on non-IDNR-owned properties. Mr. Lerczak also collects base-line biological data and develops restoration management plans on non-INAI sites and determines if such lands qualify for the designation. Trees Forever Tom Miller is a Field Coordinator and has been involved in conservation issues for over fifteen years in the Illinois River Watershed. He works with landowners to plant riparian buffers along streams in Illinois to improve water quality. Mr. Miller also is a naturalist at Wildlife Prairie State Park teaching natural resources Boy Scout merit badges. The Illinois Chapter of The Nature