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Peoria Lakes Comprehensive Conservation Plan

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P EORIA L AKE S C OMPREHENSIVE CO NSERVATION PLAN OCTOBER 2018 Planning Team: Peoria Lakes Comprehensive Conservation Plan Planning Team Heartland Water Resources Council The Nature Conservancy Tri-County Regional Planning Commission United States Army Corps of Engineers Authors Reema Abi-Akar Michael Bruner Chuck Theiling, Ph.D. This project was made possible by a 50-50 cost share through the United States Army Corps of Engineers Planning Assistance to States program. Tri-County Regional Planning Commission 456 Fulton Street ▪ Suite 401 ▪ Peoria, Illinois 61602 Telephone: (309)679-9330 ▪ Fax: (309)673-9802 E-mail: [email protected] Website: tricountyrpc.org i | P a g e P a g e | ii Abstract The Peoria Lakes, which refer to the widened portion of the Illinois River in the Peoria area, are natural riverine lakes that were formed by tributary deltas that narrow the valley and pinch the river to form two broad basins. The Lakes are Greater Peoria’s most precious natural resource and are a significant landmark that have defined the region for thousands of years. However, over time, water quality has declined, habitat has been lost and degraded, and sedimentation has steadily filled in the Lakes due to urbanization, industrialization, and the conversion of prairie lands to agriculture. Today, the majority of the Peoria Lakes is less than three feet deep. The purpose of this planning process was to reach a regional consensus on how to conserve the Lakes for current and future generations. Additionally, the planning team wanted to document the process to make a model that other organizations and entities can adapt to use for their own bodies of water. The planning team held two open houses, formed a Project Review Committee, and connected with numerous regional stakeholders to develop 18 recommended conservation measures and grouped into four conservation alternatives. This document is a stepping stone towards a future implementation plan. It does outline what an implementation plan may consist of, including a multi-generational plan that provides a potential project timeline. The completion of this planning process, including the building of a solid regional network of stakeholders, is a crucial beginning for conserving the Peoria Lakes. More detailed analyses and planning will be needed prior to implementation. Peoria Lakes Comprehensive Conservation Plan Acknowledgements This report was prepared as part of United States Army Corps of Engineers Planning Assistance to States program and the authors’ regular duties at Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and USACE. A special thank you to all the active members of the Peoria Lakes Basin Alliance that were collaborators for the Peoria Lakes Comprehensive Conservation Plan. The Active Peoria Lakes Basin Alliance members are as follows: Heartland Water Resources Council D. Wayne Ingram Tom Tincher Steve Van Winkle The Nature Conservancy Jason Beverlin Doug Blodgett Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Roy Bockler Russ Crawford Eric Miller The planning team recognizes United States Army Corps of Engineers Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program Manager Marshall Plumley and former USACE staff member Dr. Jackie Veninger for their efforts in the planning process and presenting at the first public open house. A special acknowledgment for USACE Research Aquatic Ecologist Dr. Chuck Theiling for his time, expertise, passion, and enthusiasm. This report would not be at this level without Dr. Theiling’s contributions. In addition, the planning team wants to give a special acknowledgement to former Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Senior Planner Nick Hayward for spearheading this effort through his help in developing the scope of work and applying for the PAS program. Mackenzie Clauss, former TCRPC Communication Intern, was extremely helpful in planning for the first public open house and co-authoring an article on the planning process for InterBusiness Issues magazine. Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Planning Program Manager Ray Lees contributed significant time building a network of regional stakeholders and scheduling educational site visits for the planning team. Thank you to all who attended our open houses and responded to our surveys and to the City of Peoria for supplying a room at no cost for the second public open house. A special thank you to the individuals who took time out of their busy schedules and agreed to participate on the Project Review Committee. The input received from the public and Project Review Committee was invaluable and assisted the PLBA in developing this conservation plan. Success couldn’t have been achieved without their participation. The planning team also appreciates the help of Amanda Bruner for photographing both public open houses and the Peoria Lakes and retired Caterpillar Economist Dr. Eng Seng Loh for his time and advice throughout this process. Thank you to all the news agencies that covered this planning process, and a special thank you to H. Wayne Wilson for hosting an At Issue segment, iBi for publishing an article in their October 2017 edition, and Steve Tarter for covering this topic more than once for the Peoria Journal Star. iii | P a g e P a g e | iv Executive Summary The Issue of Section 22 of the Water Resources The Peoria Lakes are Greater Peoria’s most Development Act of 1974, as amended. precious natural resource, and they are a significant landmark in a glacial landscape that The Planning Process: Key Aspects defined the region for thousands of years. The The goal of the planning process, whose Peoria Lakes are the two natural riverine Lakes in geographical scope spans from blufftop to the widened portion of the Illinois River in the Tri- blufftop, is to reach a regional consensus on future County area of Peoria, Woodford, and Tazewell Peoria Lakes conservation strategies. counties. The Lakes were formed by tributary Concurrently, the collaborative also gathered deltas that narrowed the valley and pinched the regional support to take needed action on river to form two shallow broad basins. The natural conservation efforts. In the long run, the Greater beauty of the 16,000-acre Lakes and their bluffs Peoria area will be well-positioned to move continue to attract people to Greater Peoria, just forward to conserve its iconic Lakes. as they have for centuries. The PLBA developed a vision statement Historically, Peoria Lakes were to help guide potential conservation projects and remarkably productive, which attracted Native studies that would help achieve the following: Americans and European settlers who benefited A vibrant body of clean water with mixed water from abundant, river-derived resources, such as depths to sustain healthy natural habitats fish and wildlife, pristine water, and expansive supporting abundant and diverse native plants wetlands. However, as increasing urban and animals which contributes to our quality of development, conversion of prairie lands to life by providing increased opportunity for safe agricultural fields, and industrialization occurred recreation, education, compatible over time, water quality declined, habitat was lost transportation and economic development, and degraded, and sedimentation has steadily and enjoyment by divergent constituent filled in the Lakes. Today, most areas of the Peoria interests. Lakes are less than three feet deep. To further help guide the planning The Planning Team process, the planning team developed a set of The Peoria Lakes Basin Alliance (PLBA), objectives. Please note that these objectives are comprised of Heartland Water Resources Council, in no specific order. The Nature Conservancy, and Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC), led an Objective 1: Reduce total sediment delivery to the effort to develop a Comprehensive Conservation Peoria Lakes. Plan in conjunction with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). On behalf of the PLBA, Objective 2: Increase the acreage of aquatic TCRPC applied for and received funding from the vegetation in the Peoria Lakes. USACE Planning Assistance to States (PAS) program, which is authorized under the provision Peoria Lakes Comprehensive Conservation Plan Objective 3: Improve Peoria Lakes water implementation). The PRC included stakeholders quality. representing Peoria Lakes interest groups including: economic development organizations, environmental advocacy groups, government Objective 4: Improve and protect wetland entities, landowners, recreation and tourism acres, floodplain acres, and streambank miles in the Peoria organizations, river transportation businesses, Lakes. and subject matter experts. PRC members attended their first Objective 5: Improve and protect river bluff meeting on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 in the and steep slope areas along TCRPC offices. The purpose of this meeting was Peoria Lakes. to bring the newly formed PRC up to speed on the planning process, discuss their role, and ensure Objective 6: Improve and diversify deepwater that all members understood the process to habitat and increasing number of develop conservation measures and alternatives native fishes in Peoria Lakes. (logical groupings of conservation measures). Multiple stakeholders developed fact sheets, or two-page overviews, to outline Objective 7: Improve the quality of life in suggested conservation measures. Each fact the region. sheet included a description, possible location, status, history, new relevant information, benefits, Public Outreach constraints, and operation and maintenance Multiple advertising
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