Spring Lake wetland project completed
June 25th, 2005 by Administrator
Spring Lake wetland project completed ; state takes over June 30 SPRING LAKE — For decades, property owners sandwiched between Spring Lake and the Illinois River have drained their land of excess water so that it can be farmed.
Now, the process has been reversed on a portion of that land, returning it to its natural state.
Three years after Ducks Unlimited purchased 411 acres between the lake and the river northwest of Manito, the conservation organization has completed a $2 million wetland restoration project there.
The site, known as Spring Lake Bottoms, will be turned over to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on June 30, becoming part of the adjacent Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area.
“What we are trying to do is restore the natural wet and dry cycles that were here” before the land was cultivated, said Eric Schenck, regional biologist for Ducks Unlimited.
“We are going to have examples of every type of natural habitat that has occurred along the Illinois River,” Schenck said.
Ducks Unmited purchased the site from its former owners, Stuart Clark and Julia Clark Job, in 2002 after Clark and Job enrolled it in the federal Wetlands Reserve Program. The program encourages landowners to restore former wetlands that were drained to allow cultivation.
Just over a year ago, Ducks Unlimited began building the system of pipes, flow controls and other devices that now allow excess water from Spring Lake to flood about 267 acres.
The restored wetlands have been divided into four units. Each will be kept at a different water level to create diverse habitats for plants, animals and birds, some of which thrive in shallow water or mud while others live in deeper water.
“The whole idea is to manage the water level in a way that mimics the natural hydrology of those areas,” he said.
Water from Spring Lake will be released into the wetlands every spring and allowed to gradually recede during the summer.
“This is how wetlands along the Illinois River have functioned naturally,” Schenck said.
In one spot, an old drainage ditch is now brimming with water piped in from Spring Lake. The ditch was blocked with an earthen dam and long-buried field tiles were removed, allowing the ditch to hold water. The flooded ditch has since attracted several wood ducks and their young.
Some flowers and grasses nearby are lush and green, while others — not native to wetlands — are turning brown and wilting.
“The water has come up enough to kill out a lot of the non-wetland plants,” Schenck said.
Wetland plants and insects will provide “duck food” for native and migrating ducks and allow frogs, turtles and other amphibious creatures to thrive as well, he said.
Hunting to come
Duck hunting will begin next year at the site, according to Schenck. Hunting will not be allowed this year so that the waterfowl habitat can become established.
In addition to the wetland areas, more than 100 acres of higher ground have been set aside for replanting native trees and grass.
Schenck said many native trees such as pecan and oak have been killed in recent years by more frequent Illinois River flooding. The new trees, including oak, ash, pecan, hickory and Kentucky coffee trees, have been planted in areas protected from river flooding by a levee.
In addition to restoring waterfowl habitat and providing opportunities for sportsmen and bird watchers, Schenck said the Spring Lake Bottoms project also will demonstrate how wetlands and agricultural land can exist side by side.
“We designed everything so that it would not affect anyone who is continuing to farm, or any (private) property owners,” he said. Flood control measures will prevent private land from being flooded and insure that access roads stay open year-round, he added.
The $2 million cost estimate, according to Schenck, includes the cost of purchasing the property.
Funding for the project came from various sources, including an unrelated environmental settlement negotiated by the Illinois Attorney General’s office, the Wetlands Reserve Program, Caterpillar Inc. and other donors.
“This is one of our bigger flagship projects” along the Illinois River, Schenck said.
By Elaine Krewer Spencer
Times staff writer