30 Illinois Parks and Recreation

SPECIAL FOCUS

Best management practices improve water quality in
stormwater flows and, ultimately, the watershed

Is there a river or stream that flows through your community? More than likely there is at least one. Whether it is a large river or a small tributary, how we manage our land can seriously affect our aquatic resources. These resources provide many amenities to our communities including canoeing, fishing, bird watching or just relaxing and listening to the water flow. Yet 40 percent of rivers and streams in the United States are unsuitable for such basic uses as swimming and fishing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Many of these impairments are attributed to polluted stormwater run-off, also called "nonpoint source pollution." Fertilizers, pesticides, soil, road salt, oil and antifreeze are only a few of the pollutants that hitch a ride as stormwater flows across the landscape and into rivers and streams.

So, why is this important to park districts or forest preserves? Many such agencies own and manage land along rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and wetlands. They are stewards of the land and have great opportunities to help improve water quality, wildlife habitat, community aesthetics and quality of life. More and more park districts now see the value of having passive recreational areas that can provide opportunities for residents who don't play soccer and baseball.

Another reason to be interested in water quality and stormwater management is the fact that all public entities in identified small MS4 communities will be required to apply for a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Stormwater Permit in March of 2003. Small MS4 refers to Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems that discharge into the waters of the United States, in communities less than 100,000 or not covered by the Phase I stormwater program. This includes nearly all communities in the six-county area around Chicago and the Springfield, Champaign and St. Louis areas. A complete list of identified communities can be requested from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

How can your agency help protect our water resources? By working with local watershed groups or soil and water conservation districts you can determine which management practices currently used by your agency may negatively impact water quality and how they could be altered to reduce the impact. Some examples include creating native vegetated buffers along water bodies to filter sediment, fertilizers and pesticides from storm water; creating wetlands to filter run-off from facility parking lots before it enters the stream or detention pond; or utilizing vegetated swales to convey stormwater instead of pipes.

If there is a watershed management plan for the watershed you are located in, find out if it has any specific recommendations for stream or pond management. Practices that clean or reduce the amount of stormwater should, at the very least, be incorporated into all new site designs of recreational areas.

Funding for Watershed Management

There are many funding sources available to install or utilize best management practices to improve water quality and create or enhance wildlife habitat.

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If landowners are encouraged to utilize buffers along streams instead of mowing to the edge, water quality as well as streambank erosion issues can be rectified.

• Section 319 of the Clean Water Act provides 60 percent of funds for approved projects that focus on reducing nonpoint source pollution. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency administers these funds.

• The Illinois Department of Natural Resources offers matching grants to help landowners improve wildlife habitat through the Conservation 2000 Ecosystem Partnership Program and the Open Space Lands and Development (OSLAD) fund. This program also funds the development of passive recreational areas.

• Many private foundations have an interest in this area and are willing to help fund these types of projects.

Besides the benefits of improved water quality, wildlife habitat and passive recreational opportunities, many best management practices have reduced maintenance and installation costs as compared to installing pipes and other traditional management practices.

An organization that promotes management of water resources is the Conservation Foundation, a local nonprofit conservation organization working in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Northeastern Illinois. The foundation has been working with park districts and forest preserves for 30 years to assist them in purchasing and restoring land. The majority of its work has been within the Upper DuPage River Watershed for which it facilitated the development of a watershed management plan for the river and its tributaries in 1999. The plan was completed with the help of nearly 100 stake holders, including five park districts and one forest preserve. Since its completion, all of the park districts and the forest preserve district in the watershed have passed resolutions in support of the watershed plan. Work has now been started in the lower watershed to expand the management plan.

Several park districts and forest preserve districts have taken their support a step further and are planning or have completed projects that focus on the improvement of water quality and wildlife habitat, while also taking advantage of educating residents on the importance of these practices and the benefits they provide. Their example, hopefully, will encourage others to consider ways to participate in local watersheds.

Naperville Riverwalk

One of the first projects implemented, as a part of the Upper DuPage River Watershed Implementation plan, was a streambank stabilization project along the West Branch DuPage River at the Naperville Riverwalk. The Naperville Park District and Riverwalk Commission faced problems with an eroding streambank threatening a walking path along the river.

The Conservation Foundation worked with these agencies to develop an ecologically sensitive solution that incorporated engineered materials with native vegetation. A-Jacks, which are concrete jacks that fit together at the normal water level, and Lunker boxes (open recycled plastic or wood boxes installed under the water) were installed at the toe of the bank and native plants were planted above to provide structure and strength to the soil as well as a buffer along the stream. The Lunker boxes not only provided stability for the streambank but also provide habitat and refuge for fish. Another great aspect of this project was the opportunity to hold a hands-on workshop for park district and municipal staff to demonstrate how these practices were installed and where they should be used. This project was funded in part by the Illinois EPA through a Section 319 grant.

Twin Lakes Woods

The Westmont Park District has involved its residents in the restoration of Twin Lakes Woods along St. Joseph Creek, a tributary to the East Branch DuPage River. Volunteers helped clear brush and pick-up trash to open up the woodland to sunlight. Many beautiful spring wildflowers and other native vegetation have been planted to provide a functioning under-story that controls soil erosion and enhances wildlife habitat. A walking trail was installed for residents to enjoy the flowers and the birds.

The park district also has completed a detention basin retrofit project at the adjoining Twin Lakes Ponds park. The basin had severe shoreline erosion that contributed sediment to St. Joseph Creek. The Conservation Foundation worked with the park district to obtain a Section 319 grant to regrade the shoreline and establish a native wetland buffer around the pond to reduce the erosion and prove habitat for birds and fish.

St. Joseph Creek

The Conservation Foundation also has worked closely with the Downers

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Grove Park District on two streambank stabilization projects along St. Joseph Creek. Both projects received partial funding from a Section 319 grant. The restoration provides ecological benefits as well as a demonstration for adjacent landowners on how the stream corridor should be managed. If landowners are encouraged to utilize buffers along streams instead of mowing to the edge, water quality as well as streambank erosion issues can be rectified.

Carol Stream Partnership

The Carol Stream Park District has been working on a shoreline stabilization project with Evergreen Elementary School and surrounding land owners to create a buffer around a detention basin and increase awareness about citizen involvement in pondside management. The school has helped the park district organize annual trash clean ups and plant native vegetation along the shoreline. The park district also completed an inventory of all of the detention basins it manages and is starting to convert the mowed turf grass to the edge of the pond into native vegetated buffers. These buffers not only help filter polluted run-off, but also reduce the amount of mowing needed.

Ferry Creek

The Warrenville Park District completed a six-acre wetland creation in the spring of 2002. The district owns land along Ferry Creek, a tributary to the West Branch DuPage River, where it maintains several baseball and soccer fields. Most of the land is in the floodplain and is sometimes difficult to drain, mow and hold practice on. Some of the wettest area, which had been filled long before the park district obtained the land, has been excavated and planted to restore the long covered wetland. This wetland will provide stormwater filtering and storage as well as wildlife habitat. A walking trail will be installed along with interpretive signs so the adjacent school can utilize the wetland as an outdoor classroom later in 2002.

The Conservation Foundation also has worked extensively with the DuPage and Will County Forest Preserve Districts to complete several water quality related projects—from streambank stabilization to river corridor and wetland acquisition. This list of projects is by no means inclusive of all of the projects with a water quality and wildlife habitat focus occurring within the DuPage River Watershed. These park districts, as well as many others are taking an active stewardship role to help protect and enhance water quality within their community. They see the benefit of clean water and healthy ecosystems. We all have a part to play, big or small, and it all adds up and makes a difference.

Jennifer Hammer is the director of water shed protection for The Conservation Foundation.

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