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Environmental Progress - Summer 2001

A Walk Through The Watershed

New interactive watershed park area debuts at 2001 Illinois State Fair

Watershed Park Logo

Complete with a flowing stream, a wetland and a lake, there was a whole new attraction to view on the grounds of the Illinois State Fair this year.

Photo: depicts construction of the 1 acre watershed park Visitors to the 2001 State Fair in Springfield were able to stroll through a 13 station miniature "watershed" built with nearly $400,000 in grants to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Approximately one acre in size, the watershed park is located not far inside the Fair's main gates, behind and below the Department of Agriculture headquarters. Its stream, wetland and lake are all designed to provide fun and relaxation along with information about different land uses and environments in Illinois.

A mix of static, hands-on and electronic displays was offered. Ilustrating such diverse topics as urban stormwater runoff, geology, mined land and beneficial bugs, Watershed Park offers fair visitors benches, drinking water and a waterdrop mascot named "Splash." Recognizing the Fair's historic role as an agriculture exposition, there were stations illustrating farm and home safety, Illinois soil types, soil conservation and pasture management.

Funding for Watershed Park came from the U.S. EPA under the Clean Water Act section 319 financial assistance grant program, administered by the Illinois EPA. Separate 319 grants have been made through the IEPA to the Department of Agriculture for $200,000 and $192,143 for the project.

Plans call for the Park to be open for other major events, such as Earth Stewardship Day, and to be available for groups which may make reservations through the Department of Agriculture.

Additional information about Watershed Park can be found at the Department of Agriculture's website at www.agr.state.il.us/watershedpark.html