ISWS RI-56 copy 1 Dawes, Julius H. loan POTENTIAL SURFACE WATER SWS1128 RESERVOIRS OF NORTHERN CENTRAL ILLINOIS ILLINOIS STATE WATER SURVEY LIBRAS 2204 GRIFFITH DRIVE CHAMPAIGN, IL 61820 DEMCO REPORT OF INVESTIGATION 56 Potential Surface Water Reservoirs of North-Central Illinois by JULIUS H. DAWES and MICHAEL L. TERSTRIEP Printed by authority of the State of Illinois—Ch. 127, IBS, Par. 58.29 STATE OF ILLINOIS HON. OTTO KERNER, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION JOHN C. WATSON, Director BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION JOHN C. WATSON, Chairman ROGER ADAMS, Ph.D., D.Sc, LL.D., Chemistry ROBERT H. ANDERSON, B.S., Engineering THOMAS PARK, Ph.D., Biology CHARLES E. OLMSTED, Ph.D., Geology LAURENCE L. SLOSS, Ph.D., Botany WILLIAM L. EVERITT. E.E., Ph.D., University of Illinois DELYTE W. MORRIS. Ph.D., President, Southern Illinois University STATE WATER SURVEY DIVISION WILLIAM C. ACKERMANN, Chief URBANA 1966 FOREWORD In many parts of Illinois, reservoir storage of water is an important means of increasing usable water supplies to enable community growth and develop• ment. Because of this significance for water resources of the future, the Illinois State Water Survey initiated a reconnaissance investigation to identify potential sites within the state where surface storage of water is physically feasible. This report provides information on potential and existing reservoirs in 33 counties of north-central Illinois. Publications containing similar data for 17 southern and 29 south-central counties have been published as Reports of Investi• gation 31 and 54, respectively. Data are being tabulated in preparation for a report on 23 northern counties. The division of the state was based primarily on drainage systems. These publications are intended to bring about greater understanding of surface water storage potential. It is hoped that the information will be of value in rural, urban, and regional planning for development of industry, agriculture, and recreation. CONTENTS PAGE Summary 1 Introduction 1 Objectives and scope 1 Acknowledgments 2 Part 1. Hydrology 3 Study criteria and procedures 3 Climatological elements 4 Precipitation 4 Snowfall 6 Cold air and soil temperatures 7 Geology 8 Streamflow and water yields 9 Municipal surface water supplies 13 Eeferences 13 Part 2. Potential reservoir sites 14 Adams County 15 Brown County 21 Cass County 25 Champaign County 29 Christian County 32 DeWitt County 36 Ford County 39 Fulton County 42 Hancock County 48 Henderson County 55 Iroquois County 59 Kankakee County 62 Knox County 64 Livingston County 68 Logan County 71 Macon County 72 Marshall County 77 Mason County 80 McDonough County 84 McLean County 87 Menard County 91 Morgan County 94 Peoria County 99 Piatt County 104 Pike County 107 Sangamon County 112 Schuyler County 117 Scott County 123 Stark County 126 Tazewell County 129 Vermilion County 133 Warren County 136 Woodford County 140 ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE PAGE 1 Capacity-watershed area criteria extracted from sedimentation curves 4 2 Average annual precipitation, in inches, 1900-1944 period 5 3 Average colder half-year precipitation, in inches, 1900-1944 period 5 4 Average warmer half-year precipitation, in inches, 1900-1944 period 5 5 Maximum rainfall amounts equalled or exceeded for various recurrence intervals and durations at any point in north-central area 6 6 Areal frequency distribution of maximum 24-hour amounts equalled or exceeded at various recurrence intervals in the north-central area 6 7 Minimum 6-month precipitation amounts, in inches, expected once every 5 and every 25 years, for colder and warmer half-years 7 8 Minimum 24- and 60-month precipitation amounts, in inches, expected at varying recurrence intervals 8 9 Average annual snowfall, in inches, 1920-1955 period 9 10 Stream gaging stations and numbers 10 PLATE 1 Surface water resources of north-central Illinois In pocket TABLES TABLE PAGE 1 Average number of days with varying weather conditions per month 6 2 Summary of discharge records at stream gaging stations 11 3 Data on public surface water supplies 12 Potential Surface Water Reservoirs of North-Central Illinois by Julius H. Dawes and Michael L. Terstriep SUMMARY The north-central portion of Illinois comprises 33 counties having a total area of 20,907 square miles. The physical potential for development of surface water reservoirs is favorable in much of this area because the rainfall and resulting runoff is adequate and the topography is suitable for reservoir construction. The counties included in the north-central section are Adams, Brown, Cass, Champaign, Christian, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Iroquois, Kankakee, Knox, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, and Woodford. Within these counties 340 potential surface water reservoir sites have been identified. Potential sites are generally abundant in the north-central section of the state. However, sites suitable for reservoir development are scarce in Champaign, Ford, Kankakee, Livingston, Logan, Mason, Piatt, and Stark Counties. Some of these counties have a limited number of sites because of the lack of topographic relief. A few counties have geologic conditions that indicate leakage and stability problems. Ground-water contribution to streamflow causes continuous flow in many of the streams on which potential reservoir sites have been located. The normal runoff out of the north- central area from streams such as the Kankakee, Vermilion, Mackinaw, Sangamon, Spoon, La Moine, and The Sny Rivers, and tributaries to the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers is estimated at 8.64 billion gallons per day (bgd). Rainfall in the area averages 35.5 inches per year, or 35.35 bgd. The normal runoff is estimated at 24.4 percent of the normal rainfall. The north-central area inventory consists of 340 sites which have 175,340 surface area acres, 3,041,000 acre-feet of storage, a combined drainage area of 6,523 square miles, and 4,616 miles of shoreline. Hydrologie data indicate that from these selected sites 786 million gallons of water would be available daily during a drought that could be expected once in 25 years. INTRODUCTION It has become increasingly apparent that water defi• sites of the 33 north-central counties. The sites are po• ciencies can and do exist in the 33 north-central Illinois tential reservoir areas insofar as they have 1) the phys• counties. This region is bordered by the Mississippi ical characteristics necessary to impound water, 2) run• River on the west and by the Indiana state line on the off from the watershed in sufficient quantities to provide east. Internally the area is drained by the Vermilion storage for beneficial use plus anticipated losses, and River, The Sny, and the Illinois River with its tributaries 3) relative freedom from man-made or natural obstruc• which include the Kankakee, Mackinaw, Sangamon, tions. Although a large potential for reservoir storage Spoon, and La Moine Rivers. There are several develop• is present in the north-central counties, the distribution ments of surface water impoundments, exemplified by over the area is poor. the Jacksonville, Springfield, Decatur, Vermilion, Chau• tauqua, Bloomington, Argyle, Canton, and Spring Lakes. A complete evaluation of the potential reservoir sites There are 340 potential reservoir sites capable of de• for water resource development involves far more than velopment within the 33 counties. This section of the physical availability of sites such as considered here. It state supports a population of 1,570,294 or 15.6 percent is important to consider water developments in relation of the state population, and extends over 20,907 square to other natural resources, social and political environ• miles which represents 37.4 percent of the area of Illinois. ment, and the economy of a region. Cost of development must be balanced by benefits. These are all critical fac• Objectives and Scope tors that must be dealt with before a comprehensive This report is primarily an inventory of potential report can be made. The surface water impoundment reservoir sites, plus a partial list of presently developed potential is dependent upon rainfall, topography, run- 1 off, geology, and man's occupancy as determined from Acknowledgments an analysis of physiographic and hydrographic data. This inventory of potential reservoir sites was selected This study has been completed by the authors under from a map study of U. S. Geological Survey quad• the guidance of H. F. Smith, Head of the Hydrology rangles. Each site was then visited by an engineer and Section, and William C. Ackermann, Chief, Illinois State a geologist for a feasibility study. These studies were Water Survey. A number of Water Survey personnel reconnaissance in nature, and only surficial site exami• have aided in the preparation of this report. John B. nations using manual equipment could be conducted. Stall, Engineer, provided the streamflow analysis and Thus, these studies do not take the place of the indi• furnished counsel during the development of a computer vidual, and far more detailed, engineering survey in program used in watershed yield analysis. W. J. Roberts, establishing the feasibility of any particular project. Engineer, made available previous reservoir studies and Detailed economic studies were not made, but studies of evaporation data. Wayne Neibel and Roger Corinth relative land cost, favorable topography, and runoff in• provided sedimentation data and assisted in the prepara• dicate the general feasibility of the selected sites. Cost tion of that section. The section on Climatological Ele• considerations are described by the terms high, moder• ments was prepared by Stanley A. Changnon, Jr., Cli- ately high, normal, moderately low, or low. matologist. William Motherway, Jr., Assistant Drafts• From these studies it can be said with assurance that man, and John W. Brother, Jr., Drafting Supervisor, the physical potential exists for water resource develop• prepared the illustrations.