Comments Sought on Prairie Grove, Crystal Lake, Oakwood Hills Stream Watersheds Before End of Year Plan Finalization
A press release from the Environment Defenders of McHenry County, but first a bit about what’s a plan do:
From Lynn Rotunno, Watershed Coordinator for Silver & Sleepy Hollow Creek:
“The watershed action plan includes an inventory of watershed resources, planning goals identified by community members, and priority project and planning recommendations to achieve these goals.
“Projects identified in the plan can become eligible for state and federal grants to help local groups and individuals implement these projects.”
Final Public Input Meeting
Community Members in the Silver Creek & Sleepy Hollow Creek Watersheds to Review Watershed Plan
Sleepy Hollow Watershed
Tuesday, December 20, 1:30p.m. – 3:30p.m.
City of Crystal Lake
Municipal Complex – P105/106 Training Room
100 W. Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake, IL
RSVP to watershedinfo@mcdefenders.net or 815-338-0393 by December 19
City of Crystal Lake – Community members in southeastern McHenry County will attend a final public input meeting on December 20 to review a draft watershed action plan developed to help protect water quality and watershed health in the Silver Creek and Sleepy Hollow Creek watersheds. Community members are encouraged to attend and provide final comments and input on the draft plan.
The plan is scheduled to be completed at the end of December, 2011.
A watershed is an area of land that drains water into a common place like a stream. Watershed planning is a voluntary, collaborative approach to protecting and improving water quality in lakes and streams, addressing groundwater protections, restoring healthy aquatic life, preventing community flooding, and other water resource concerns important to local communities.
A new community organization has formed to support implementation of the watershed action plan and continue watershed planning efforts beyond December.
Silver Creek Watershed
The organization, called the Silver & Sleepy Hollow Creeks Watershed Coalition, includes representatives of local government, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community residents. If you are interested in learning more or participating in upcoming meetings, contact the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County at mcdef@owc.net or 815-338-0393.
The Silver Creek and Sleepy Hollow Creek watersheds are located within Oakwood Hills, Prairie Grove, and portions of Bull Valley, Cary, Crystal Lake, and McHenry. The watersheds also include portions of unincorporated McHenry County and are within Nunda and Algonquin townships.
This meeting is coordinated by The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County (EDMC) with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Community members who live, work, or play in these watersheds are invited to attend and participate in this local planning opportunity. Community members that are not available to attend the meeting are encouraged to contact EDMC at watershedinfo@mcdefenders.net or 815-338-0393 to learn more and provide input. More information on this planning initiative is also available at http://foxriverecosystem.org/planning.htm .
Additional Information:
This planning project is funded by Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act by way of a grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Water, to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Watershed planning oversight is the responsibility of CMAP. Planning Partners include the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, Fox River Ecosystem Partnership, and the Fox River Study Group.
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a citizen-based, 501c3 not-for-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation and improvement of our natural environment. For information about programs and membership, visit www.mcdef.org or email to mcdef@owc.net.
