OUR NATURAL RESOURCES                           

When Mason City resident Vic Wunderle won silver and bronze medals in this year's Olympics, the newspapers listed it as a "surprise" finish. But we knew this young man had Olympic potential a long time ago.

Since 1985, in fact. Outdoor Highlights, the forerunner of Outdoorlllinois, ran a story about the nine-year-old fourth grader who had taken a nice white-tailed buck and was already winning all kinds of archery competitions against much older competitors.

The silver and bronze medals he picked up in Australia are just a couple of the awards this 24-year-old archer has won. He also earned three golds and one silver at the 1995 Pan Am games, and one gold and one silver at the 1999 Pan Am games. Add to that 24 national and two world championships.

Olympic archer Vic Wunderle holds up a copy of a 1985 Outdoor Highlights, the forerunner of Outdoorlllinois magazine. The magazine included a story about Wunderle's archery skills when he was a 9-year-old.

With those numbers, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that the entire Wunderle family are renowned archers. Vic's sister Dawn has five national titles; his sister Sally has 17 national and three world championships; and father Terry has four nationals and one world title. Terry also won the first Illinois Sportsman of the Year competition. So why did the newspapers say his Sydney medals were a "surprise?" "I wasn't shooting well early in the year, so I'm sure some people discounted my chances of winning a medal," Wunderle said. "But I wasn't worried about shooting well early. I was setting my training schedule so I would peak at the Olympics." Wunderle said there are always 15 to 20 archers who are good enough to win the event at any Olympic or world class event, and that all the American contenders on the team always

50 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES                                                                

have a shot a winning.

But don't think it comes easy. An archer's training schedule leaves little time for other outside interests. Early in the year, Wunderle said he was shooting about four hours a day, then lifting weights and doing cardiovascular training. During peak training, he shoots eight to 10 hours a day, or about 400 arrows.

If you stop to figure it out, pulling a 50-pound pull re-curve bow 400 times is the equivalent of lifting about 20,000 pounds a day. That doesn't include the lifting and holding of the bow for several hours. Now add the 70 meters he has to walk to and from the target to retrieve his arrows, and you can see that archery can be a strenuous sport.

Wunderle began shooting a bow when he was just five and entered his first tournament when he was six. He started shooting using a compound bow, but switched to a re-curve, which is the standard competition bow. He shot a 1300 score when he was just 15 years old, the youngest archer to have accomplished that feat.

During this year's Olympic competition, Wunderle worked his way all the way through the competition before losing 113 to 106 in the gold medal round.

"During the competition, you shoot 12 arrows at a target 70 meters [about 77 yards] away," Wunderle said. "The archer with the high score moves on to the next round."

The 10 ring—or bulls eye—is about the size of a grapefruit. During an earlier round with an 18-arrow pass, Wunderle shot a 171, with about 50 percent of the arrows in the 10 ring and the other half in the nine.

During the final round of competition, there was a stiff wind. Archers were having to aim about two feet to the side of where they wanted to hit to compensate for the drift. You can imagine what a sudden gust of wind could do to an archer's score.

"Archery is a serious sport, but a friendly one, too," Wunderle said. "For the most part, you compete against the same people you have been competing against for years-a small group of very serious people. We all tend to stay in the same hotels and eat together. I've known the guy who won the gold medal for nine years, and the archer who won the bronze is a good friend whom I've known for six years."

Wunderle is a senior majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Texas A&M University, but he took all last year off to concentrate on the Olympics and plans to take this year off to participate in some upcoming archery competitions.

"The nice thing about this sport is that you can continue to compete long after most athletes have retired," Wunderle said. "One of my teammates at Sydney was 45 years old, so I could conceivably shoot in two or three more Olympics."

Wunderle currently is trying to make a few dollars to help offset some of the expenses associated with competition by doing speaking engagements and shooting demonstrations at school assemblies and sports clubs. He also hopes his two medals might attract some new sponsors to help subsidize his competition. His current sponsors include: Matthews Archery Co. (bows). Copper John Co. (sights), Nikon Corp. (optics), Sims Vibration Laboratories (limb savers) and the BCY String Co. "Archery is a run sport," Wunderle said. "I've been shooting for nearly 19 years now, and I plan to compete for some time to come. You can devote as much attention to the sport as you want to. And it's a great family sport. I'm sure its something I'll be doing for the rest of my life." •

Wunderle shows off the silver and bronze medals he won at the Summer Olympics in Sydney.

January/February 2001 / 51

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES                                                                

It may now be possible to take the material that has been killing the Illinois River and use it to breathe new life into waterways and other areas of the state.

Silt has been choking the Illinois River for a century. The river and backwaters have become much shallower with reduced value for recreational boating and fishing. The Department of Natural Resources currently is investigating dredging sediment from the Illinois River and using it for habitat development or landscaping soil. This project would have huge benefits for anyone who appreciates nature and enjoy fishing, hunting or boating.

The removed sediment could be used to restore habitats. Species of birds and fish could return to areas from which they have been missing in recent years. If it proves possible to transport this soil to other parts of the state, former strip mines and abandoned industrial sites near navigation channels could see a rebirth.

The administration of Gov. George H. Ryan and Lt. Gov. Corrine Wood has launched "Illinois Rivers 2020; the Illinois Rivers Restoration Program." This program could encompass 20 years and entail more than $1 billion.

Silt is along the banks of the Illinois River to dry. The process takes approximately 10 weeks.

State officials recognize that the Illinois River is critical to the economic vitality of Illinois, the Midwest and the nation. It represents revenue and employment from commercial navigation, harvest of natural resources, water supply, recreation and tourism. Illinois Rivers 2020 moves beyond studies and begins implementation of restoration and prevention throughout the river basin. The voluntary, incentive-based program was developed through a cooperative partnership among the Illinois River Coordinating Council

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES                                                                

and agricultural, environmental and natural resources agencies. A portion of the restoration involves determining if the sediment contains harmful chemicals, if the sediment can be removed in a cost-effective manner and whether there are beneficial uses for the sediment.

This portion of the project is being spearheaded by DNR and has utilized experts from the Illinois Waste Management and Research Center, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois State Water Survey. It has involved the Environmental Sciences programs of the University of Illinois, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a variety of local governments and organizations.

"The 60,000 acres of Illinois River backwaters have lost more than 70 percent of their capacity this century," said John Marlin of the Waste Management and Research Center. "Backwaters that were 6 to 8 feet deep now average less than 18 inches due to accumulated sediment. The lakes and sloughs have lost much of their value to fish, waterfowl and other plants and animals. Even shallow draft recreational boats frequently are unable to navigate these areas. The public has a huge investment in these backwaters, which are state and federal refuges and fish and wildlife areas. Unless depth is restored, these waters eventually will fill with sediment and be converted to willow-covered mudflats."

Most of the accelerated sedimentadon in the Illinois River has occurred since diversion of water from Lake Michigan began in 1900. Other dramatic changes over the century that impacted the river hydrology include navigation channels and dams, altered farm practices, channelization and urban runoff.

Hundreds of millions of cubic yards of sediment choke the river, its lakes and backwaters between Chicago and Grafton. This sediment, washed from fields and stream banks, is basically topsoil.

The filling of the backwaters is dramatically illustrated in the area between Chillicothe and Lacon. In this 7-mile stretch, the islands that separated Babbs Slough from the main channel in 1970 had become a long, wide peninsula by 1994. At normal pool, Babbs Slough now averages about 8 inches in depth. This area was once several feet deep and famous for waterfowl hunting. Today hunters have difficulty getting their boats into the slough. The shallowness of the backwaters lends a sense of urgency to finding a way to remove vast quantities of sediment. The present conversion of these areas from marginal aquatic habitat to largely barren mudflats will further stress regional populations of invertebrates, fish, mussels, waterfowl and other organisms. Sediment in shallow water also contributes to water quality problems since fish, waterfowl, waves and boats easily stir it up. Because the sediment comes from farm field runoff, many people felt it would contain unacceptable levels of chemicals. However, Marlin says that so far this has not proven to be true. Barring any unforeseen developments, this soil should prove to be suitable for a variety of uses.

Plants grown in dried silt at the Natural History Survey greenhouse showed no difference from plants grown in conventional soil.

DNR collected 900 pounds of sediment from the river bottom in April 1999. It was dried and used to grow five species of plants at a NHS greenhouse in Champaign. Results indicate no noticeable difference in plants grown in sediment and Champaign County topsoil. A University of Illinois soil lab is evaluating soil formed by sediment from previous dredging sites. The texture, mineralogy, organic matter content and nutrients contained in sediment are similar to that found in high-quality top-soil. The near-term sediment removal concept concentrates on restoring habitat diversity to some areas in the backwaters and on the flood-plain. Excavated sediment can be used to elevate floodplain areas to approximate the elevations and the soil moisture conditions that existed prior to 1900. This will allow the return of many plant species that cannot tolerate the current conditions. The concept calls for converting shallow, marginal aquatic habitat into higher-quality habitat. Areas of water almost 10 feet deep are essential for over-wintering fish. Deep water currently is found almost exclusively in the navigation channel, which is used year-round by barges. Building new islands in the river or enlarging existing ones is a likely use of some sediment. The islands would be long and narrow to minimize the impact on flood heights and could be built high enough to provide habitat for plants. They also would reduce wind and wave action and provide safe nesting and resting areas for numerous bird species.

Scientists collect sediment from the Illinois River to test fertility.

January/February 2001 / 53

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES                                                                

Additionally, there are indications that the soil can be used to improve former surface mine areas. Several truckloads of the soil have been placed on a surface mined parcel at Banner Marsh Fish and Wildlife Area, where it is expected to improve growth of plants on a dove field. Indications are that the sediment will prove useful for landscaping applications ranging from residential yards to highway projects and industrial site rehabilitation. If river sediment is used for this purpose, topsoil will not have to be taken from other locations, thus avoiding additional land degradation.

"Turning this ecological problem into a natural resource will take a few years, but if everything works out like we hope it will, there's no reason not to do it," Marlin said. "We would be solving two environmental problems simultaneously by getting the sediment out of the river where it's not needed and getting it somewhere it is needed."

To make collecting and using this soil efficient, the sediment needs to come out of the river with a minimum of water. Conventional dredging techniques add water to the sediment and pump the mixture out through pipes. The sediment then must be dried before it can be used, which takes huge areas of land. This mixture doesn't have the consistency needed to build islands for habitats.

New dredging techniques being developed in the Illinois River 2020 project do not add moisture. This means sediment can be used more quickly. These new techniques also allow for greater use of barges for transportation instead of trucks. This is more economical since one barge carries the load of 75 trucks. Barge transportation also would reduce the highway congestion and environmental disruption that would be caused by hundreds of trucks motoring through urban areas.

This project has implications far beyond the Illinois River. Lakes throughout Illinois are experiencing silting problems. Successful removal of this silt would create more drinking water storage for Illinoisans, increase the recreational use of these lakes and promote renewed habitat for many aquatic species. Marlin said that since the sediment problem developed over a century, it is reasonable to expect a restoration effort to take several decades. This would provide time to remove, dry and find uses for sediment and allow funding to be appropriated over many years. For now, the project is examining whether judicious dredging can preserve the Illinois River as aquatic habitat until society decides the long-term future of the river. • BOB IVERSON is the information Services Manager of the Waste Management and Research Center in Champaign. This article was reprinted with permission from the December 2000 issue of OutdoorIllinois publication of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Silt dredged from the river was placed at an old industrial site slated to become a park.

54 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES     NEWS BRIEF                                                         

The Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are joining forces to create an action plan to battle environmental degradation of the Illinois River.

During a signing ceremony in late November, DNR Director Brent Manning and Colonel William Bayles, Rock Island District Commander U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, formally signed an agreement to begin the feasibility phase of the Illinois River Ecosystem Restoration Study.

"On behalf of Governor George Ryan, I'm pleased to sign this agreement, which is further demonstration of the Governor's commitment to the Illinois River," Manning said. "The Illinois River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Project will provide a full tool box of activities to federal, state and local officials to implement a sound and successful basin-wide restoration effort."

Manning noted that the Illinois River and its backwater areas are choked with sediment and in need of environmental restoration. Many plant and animal species are declining from increasing sediment in what formerly were highly productive habitats in backwater, side and main channel areas of the river.

The State of Illinois and the Corps are splitting the cost of the $5.2 million, multi-year effort, with the state committing more than $1 million in the current fiscal year. The money will be used to investigate potential measures to reverse the negative impacts affecting the river, including flood impacts, sedimentation and soil erosion. Emphasis will be placed on identifying restoration projects that can repair critical fish and wildlife habitats.

The study will address four broad categories: watershed/tributary restoration, side channel and backwater restoration, water level management and floodplain restoration and protection.

The Illinois River is a vital part of the regions economy and is depended upon for navigation, recreation, water supply, irrigation, fish and wildlife habitat and many other uses. The action plan will explore opportunities to address sediment deposition and restore environmental conditions on this vital river and its tributaries. •

One nature preserve and three land and water reserves have been dedicated by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, providing protection for more than 337 acres of sensitive natural lands.

The new nature preserve is the Martin T. Snyder Memorial Nature Preserve in Clay County, a 93.5-acre fragile natural community supporting more than 375 species of plants and animals. Also known as Hanging Rock Sandstone Cliff Natural Area, it was donated to DNR last year.

The three new land and water reserves include: Edgewood Farm Land and Water Reserve, a 156.7-acre site along the Salt Fork River in Champaign and Vermilion counties; Sargent's Woods Land and Water Reserve, a 54-acre dry mesic upland forest in Coles County; and P&E Refuge Land and Water Reserve in Saline County, a 33-acre dry mesic upland forest, dry upland forest and dry barrens in Saline County.

Areas dedicated as nature preserves can be used for activities such as wildlife observation, hiking, nature photography and scientific research. Areas registered as land and water reserves can be used for activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, hiking and other uses that do not impact the natural features of the protected area.

Illinois now has 296 nature preserves in 78 counties totaling 39,040 acres, and 52 land and water reserves totaling 19,802.7 acres in 35 counties. •

You can get information regarding the number of geese in different parts of Illinois by calling 217.557.0659 or 618.351.8668. Sportsmen can also keep a running account of how the season is progressing by calling the DNR goose hotline at 877.249.3679. •

The Illinois Conservation Foundation has established its first grant program. Grants of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to projects that will match the ICF amount. Grants can be made to projects to preserve and/or enhance the state's natural resources, or to support ecological, educational or recreational programs.

Grant applications are due Feb. 1. Proposals are required to submit a line item budget showing total cost of the project to be funded, as well as other funding sources. Applications then will be reviewed by the ICF Board of Directors and awards will be announced in July. Up to $100,000 is available during the first grant cycle.

Guidelines for obtaining a grant are available by calling Shannon Dufy at 312.814.7237. •

January/February 2001 / 55