Illinois River Basin Restoration Proposal

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Illinois Department of Natural Resources Unveil Illinois River Basin Restoration Proposal

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Rock Island District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently released their proposed 50-year plan to restore the Illinois River Basin.

The goals of the Illinois River Basin Restoration project include reducing sediment delivery, restoring backwaters, side-channels and islands on the Illinois River mainstem, restore floodplain and enhance riparian areas and aquatic habitat, improve connectivity by providing fish passage on mainstem and tributary dams (including all Fox River mainstem dams), stabilizing hydrology and water levels, and improving water and sediment quality.

A detailed proposal for the project can be accessed at:  www.mvr.usace.army.mil/ILRiverEco/default.htm

Public meetings will be held where the plan will be presented and representatives from the USACE and IDNR will be on hand to receive comments and answer questions.

The meeting dates and locations of public meetings in and near the Fox River watershed include:

  • Tuesday, March 7
  • Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center
  • LaSalle Room
  • Starved Rock State Park
  • Route 178 and Route 71
  • Utica, Illinois
  • (815) 932-4444
  • Thursday, March 9
  • Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
  • Meeting Room
  • 2055 Weisbrook Drive
  • Oswego, Illinois
  • (630) 844-4700

Doors will open at both sites at 2:00pm with a formal presentation beginning at 2:30 followed by a question and answer session until 4:00pm. Doors will open again at 6:00pm with a formal presentation beginning at 6:30pm followed by a question and answer session until 8:00pm.

Members of Friends of the Fox River are urged to visit the Illinois River Basin Restoration website and to attend one of the informational meetings. This project is a comprehensive, long-term project that would enhance the ecological integrity of the Illinois River basin. Please show your support!

Posted: 3/3/06

Critical Restoration Projects Site Specific Projects – Several
  site-specific investigations were initiated under the Ecosystem
  Study and will be implemented under the Illinois River
  Basin Restoration. The initial eight sites and eight new sites
  are shown on the map above.

  • Peoria Riverfront (Upper Island)
  • Pekin Lake (North)
  • Pekin Lake (South)
  • Waubonsie Creek
  • McKee Creek
  • Kankakee River
  • Blackberry Creek
  • Iroquois River
  • Alton Pool Side Channels & Islands
  • LaGrange Pool Side Channels & Islands
  • Tenmile Creek
  • Yellow River
  • Senachwine Creek
  • Crow Creek West
  • Starved Rock Pool Side Channels & Islands
  • Fox River Fish Passage