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.