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Facts
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What's the problem?
Sediment from the Farm Creek Watershed causes many problems for the Illinois River.
- Sediment fills in the bottom of the Illinois River, blocking the channels used by barges.
- It depletes deep water habitat.
- It creates polluted, murky water that suffocates fish and prevents sunlight from reaching aquatic plants. These plants are a necessary start to the food chain in the river, so their death means the death of fish, birds, and other animals.
What are the problems around Farm Creek Watershed?
The Peoria Lakes Watersheds face many challenges. Thankfully, there are opportunities for residents, governments, and landowners to use many basic and innovative solutions.
What can I do?
Much of this sediment comes from gullies that are formed by water that runs off of forested, urban, and agricultural land. This stormwater runoff and resulting erosion can be controlled in many ways by many groups of people. It will take a great deal of political action and commitment to truly reverse the declining trend of local water quality.
...as an elected official or government staff?
...as a farmer?
...as a landowner in the bluffs?
- Forest Management in Residential Areas
- Plant a Rain Garden
- Forest Management on the Illinois River Bluffs
...as an urban or rural landowner?
- Forest Management in Residential Areas
- Plant a Rain Garden
- Landscape with Native Plants
- Facts about using native plants in your garden
- Myths about using native plants in your garden
- Plant a prairie garden
- Plant a wetland garden
- Plant a woodland garden
- Plant a buffer strip on a slope
- Plant a swale
- Add border plantings
- Use shrubs
...as a concerned citizen?
- Help Educate Our Youth
- Educational Materials
- Redirect downspouts onto the grass and off the pavement.
- Use fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides as recommended by the manufacturer. Overuse will damage vegetation and increase stormwater pollutants.
- Keep lawn chemicals off hard surfaces (driveways, sidewalks) and store indoors (preferably in the garage) when possible.
- Pick up pet waste.
- Mulch yard clippings and bag leaves.
- Clean up litter in your neighborhood.
- Keep hard surfaces clear of dirt and debris.
- Prevent motor oil and gas from spilling. One quart of oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of water.
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