News Releases - 2003

Five Clean Lakes Projects Approved

Springfield, Ill. -- Five lake restoration projects are set to begin at lakes in Jackson, Marion, Cook, Coles and Vermilion counties, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Renee Cipriano announced today.

“Our lakes are among our most prized natural resources. The Illinois EPA takes pride in being able to partner with local groups and agencies to see they are protected and improved for continuing use both for recreation and as wholesome sources of drinking water,” Director Cipriano said.

The lakes, and the amounts they will receive are Lake Kinkaid, Jackson County, $61,500; Old Kinmundy Reservoir, Marion County, $40,560; Lake Sedgewick, Cook County, $300,000; Lake Paradise, Coles County, $300,000; and Lake Vermilion, Vermilion County, $135,950. The Lake Kinkaid and Old Kinmundy Reservoir grants will fund Phase I feasibility/diagnostic studies. Funding for the others will support Phase II implementation efforts.

Lake Kinkaid is a good quality lake in southern Illinois, highly used for recreation and also serving as a source for drinking water. Over the years it has suffered from increasing sedimentation.

The Old Kinmundy Reservoir is a small 13-acre lake that serves as a “wetland” pre-settling basin for the New Kinmundy Reservoir. The Old reservoir is both a secondary water supply and the primary recreational resource for the city of Kinmundy. Improvements to the old reservoir are expected to directly affect the new reservoir as well.

Lake Sedgewick is a relatively small (73-acre) park district lake on a site that had previously been mined for humus, decayed vegetable matter used for soil enrichment. It has been severely impacted by the surrounding urban watershed.

The Phase II project will include a public educational component on water quality, restoration of wetland and prairie habitat, shoreline stabilization, improvements in recreational access, and rehabilitation of the macrophyte population.

Lake Paradise is the smaller of two lakes at Mattoon and is the primary source of public water supply for the city. The Phase II project will include nonstructural shoreline enhancement, development of a lake septic system inspection and maintenance program, fishery enhancements, addition of a new destratifier or aeration system, and construction of a sediment retention basin at the northernmost end of the lake.

Lake Vermilion serves as the primary source of drinking water for the Danville. The ICLP Phase II project will focus chiefly on stabilization of 7,751 feet of shoreline that is moderately to severely eroded. There will also be some fisheries management and educational components.

The Illinois EPA Clean Lakes Program is part of the Illinois Conservation 2000 Program. This program provides needed dollars to communities for the protection and enhancement of water resources that would not otherwise be available.

Additional information can be obtained from Teri Holland, the program coordinator, at 217-782-3362.