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Partners for Conservation 
Conservation 2000
Overview
Introduction
 Illinois' 3,000 inland lakes and 84,000 ponds greatly benefited from the passage of Conservation 2000, (now known as Partners for Conservation), as one of its major components was the funding of a six-year, $7.0 million program for implementation of the recommendations contained in a report called the Illinois Lake Management Program Act (ILMPA) - Administrative Framework Plan (Plan). Administered by the Illinois EPA, the Illinois Clean Lakes Program expanded efforts in the four major areas of comprehensive lake management, including: Technical Assistance, Educational Assistance, Monitoring and Research, and Financial Incentives.
Illinois' Inland Lake Lake Resources
Lakes are important to Illinois. Our 3,000 inland lakes provide over 90 million visitor days of recreational use each year, generating an estimated $1.78 billion to the state's economy. Lakes serve the water supply needs of nearly one million residents; other lakes serve as flood control reservoirs or as cooling lakes for power plants. Unfortunately, many lakes are impacted by excessive weed growth, algae, siltation, and other forms of pollution. Municipalities and other local governments need to study the causes and sources of pollution impacting their lakes so that lake restoration/protection initiatives, which are often expensive, are successfully implemented. Prior to Conservation 2000, Illinois EPA relied solely on federal funds provided through the Federal Clean Lakes Program (Section 314 of the Clean Water Act) to fund lake study and implementation projects and conduct education and technical assistance activities. This program has always been inadequately funded, and since federal fiscal year 1996, funding for the program has been totally eliminated.
 History
of the ILMPA
The General Assembly enacted the ILMPA in November 1989. As mandated by the Act, the Illinois EPA was responsible for developing a plan that would act as a blueprint for the implementation of future comprehensive lake management strategies. The plan was forwarded to the Governor in June 1992. The contents of the Plan were incorporated by the Governor's Water Resources and Land Use Priorities Task Force into the proposed overall Conservation 2000 initiative.
Summary
With the passage of Conservation 2000, Illinois can boast it has one of only a handful of state-funded, comprehensive lake management programs in the country. Other states now recognize Illinois and the Illinois EPA as leaders in the lake and watershed management field.
Partners for Conservation
In 2008, House Bill 1780 was signed into law as Public Act 95-0139, extending the program to 2021 as Partners for Conservation.
The Partners for Conservation Program funds programs at IDNR, Illinois Department of Agriculture, and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
For More Information Contact:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Bureau of Water - Surface Water Section
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
Telephone: (217)782-3362
Fax: (217)785-1225
Related Information
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