Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan A Strategy for Protecting and Restoring Watershed Health Final Report Prepared for Woods Creek Watershed Committee OctoberJanuary 20132012 By Applied Ecological Services, Inc. WOODS CREEK WATERSHED-BASED PLAN McHenry and Kane Counties, Illinois A Strategy for Protecting and Restoring Watershed Health FINAL REPORT January 2013 (AES #10-0524) Prepared by: 120 West Main Street West Dundee, Illinois 60118 http://www.appliedeco.com Phone: (847) 844-9385 Fax: (847) 844-8759 for Woods Creek Watershed Committee Partners with the Village of Algonquin as fiscal agent Funding for this project provided, in part, by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (#3191105). Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan Final Report (January 2013) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Funding for the Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan was provided, in part, by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (#3191105). Additional funding was provided by the watershed partners: Village of Algonquin, Village of Lake in the Hills, City of Crystal Lake, and Crystal Lake Park District. Christine Davis acted as project manager for IEPA’s Bureau of Water while Katherine Parkhurst and Michele Zimmerman, representing the Village of Algonquin, acted as Watershed Coordinators for Woods Creek Watershed Committee (WCWC) and worked closely with IEPA and Applied Ecological Services, Inc. (AES) to produce the watershed planning document. Other duties performed by the coordinators included consultant contract administration, finance management, and WCWC meeting coordination. Woods Creek Watershed Committee (WCWC) consisting of representatives from Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Park District, homeowner associations, Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, McHenry County SWCD, Illinois DNR, McHenry County DOT, contractors, and residents played an important role in providing input on watershed goals & objectives, various planning approaches, and input on plan development. Applied Ecological Services, Inc. (AES) conducted analysis, summarized results, and authored the Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan. The following people attended and provided input at WCWC meetings: Abby Ridge Golf Course Woods Creek HOA: Julie Leffel, Lynda Potas Bakley Construction Company: Ken Bakley Cardo Entrix: Connor Kobeski; Jody Kubitz CITP II: Kathy Casassa City of Crystal Lake: Abby Wilgreen; Bill Peterhansen, Erik Morimoto Crystal Lake Park District: Ann Viger, John Fiorina Environmental Defenders of McHenry County: Cynthia Kanner Greenview Villa Association: Donna Thomas Illinois Department of Natural Resources: Nancy Williamson Kings Gate West HOA: Tom Dennison Lake in the Hills Lake Association: Ray Douglas Lake in the Hills Sanitary District: Rick Forner Land Conservancy of McHenry County: Lisa Haderlein McHenry County DOT: Wynnyth Adair, Wally Dittrich McHenry County Government: Cassandra McKinney McHenry County SWCD: Tom Mattingly, Spring Duffey Plote Homes, LLC: Ryan Trottier Residents: Al Wilson, Bob Day, Ed Laumbacher, Rich Zacragni, Dave Roberts Students: Emily Donaldson, Shane Laekoic Trustee: Jerry Glogowski Village of Algonquin: Michele Zimmerman, Katherine Parkhurst, Bob Mitchard, Russ Farnum Village of Lake in the Hills: Rick Trudy Wakeman, Fred Mullard, Guy Fehrman *All photos taken by AES unless otherwise noted Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan Final Report (January 2013) TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Woods Creek Watershed Setting ............................................................................ 1 1.2 Project Scope & Purpose ......................................................................................... 3 1.3 USEPA Watershed-Based Plan Requirements ..................................................... 3 1.4 Planning Process ....................................................................................................... 4 1.5 Using the Watershed-Based Plan ........................................................................... 6 1.6 Prior Studies & Projects ........................................................................................... 8 2.0 MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES........................................................................ 10 2.1 Woods Creek Watershed Committee Mission ...................................................... 10 2.2 Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................ 10 3.0 WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS, PROBLEMS, AND OPPORTUNITIES .. 14 3.1 Geology, Climate, & Soils ........................................................................................ 14 3.2 Pre-European Settlement Ecological Communities & Changes ....................... 20 3.3 Topography, Watershed Boundary & Subwatershed Management Units........ 25 3.4 Jurisdictions, Roles & Responsibilities ................................................................. 29 3.5 Demographics ........................................................................................................... 33 3.6 Existing and Future Land Use/Land Cover ......................................................... 36 3.7 Transportation Network .......................................................................................... 42 3.8 Impervious Cover Impacts ...................................................................................... 44 3.9 Open Space Inventory, Prioritization, & Green Infrastructure Network ........ 53 3.10 Ecologically Significant Areas ............................................................................... 63 3.11 Watershed Drainage System ................................................................................. 67 3.11.1 Woods Creek & Tributaries.......................................................................... 67 3.11.2 Detention Basins ............................................................................................ 78 3.11.3 Woods Creek Lake ....................................................................................... 81 3.11.4 Wetlands & Potential Wetland Restoration Sites .......................................... 85 3.11.5 Floodplain & Flood Problem Areas .............................................................. 92 3.12 Groundwater Aquifer Recharge & Public Water Supply .................................. 95 3.13 Water Quality Assessment ..................................................................................... 99 3.14 Pollutant Loading Analysis .................................................................................... 110 4.0 CAUSES & SOURCES OF WATERSHED IMPAIRMENT ........................................ 113 4.1 Causes & Sources of Impairment ........................................................................... 113 4.2 Critical Areas, Management Measures & Estimated Impairment Reductions 114 4.3 Impairment Reduction Targets ............................................................................... 119 5.0 MANAGEMENT MEASURES ACTION PLAN .......................................................... 123 5.1 Programmatic Management Measures Action Plan ............................................. 124 5.2 Site Specific Management Measures Action Plan ................................................ 133 5.2.1 Detention Basin Retrofits & Maintenance ....................................................... 136 Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan Final Report (January 2013) 5.2.2 Wetland Restoration ........................................................................................ 141 5.2.3 Streambank & Channel Restoration ............................................................... 143 5.2.4 Riparian Area Restoration & Maintenance ..................................................... 145 5.2.5 Lake Shoreline Restoration .............................................................................. 147 5.2.6 Priority Green Infrastructure Protection Areas .................................................. 148 5.2.7 Other Management Measures ........................................................................... 150 6.0 INFORMATION & EDUCATION PLAN ..................................................................... 171 7.0 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .............................................................................................. 177 7.1 Plan Implementation Roles and Coordination/Responsibilities ........................ 177 7.2 Implementation Schedule ......................................................................................... 178 7.3 Funding Sources ......................................................................................................... 178 8.0 MEASURING PLAN PROGRESS & SUCCESS ........................................................... 180 8.1 Water Quality Monitoring Plan & Evaluation Criteria ......................................... 180 8.2 Goal Milestones/Implementation & Progress Evaluation “Report Cards” ..... 190 9.0 LITERATURE CITED ....................................................................................................... 198 10.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS .................................................................................................... 201 Woods Creek Watershed-Based Plan Final Report