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Thank you, Rob Linke, for hosting a beautiful FREP Winter Solstice Hike and Bonfire on December 21st. It was a lovely evening. Thank you Josh Nelson for serving as tour guide of Campton HIlls' Gray Willows, and walking backward, in the dark, the whole way, without skipping a beat - or tripping! The bonfire was a wonderful way to end the evening. |
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FREP Membership Meeting, Annual Elections & Program
Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 1 - 2:30 PM
**We have moved this to a Zoom Format**
Program: Local Government’s Approach to Meeting the Evolving Stormwater Requirements in the State’s NPDES / MS4 Program – A Panel Discussion
Panelists Include:
Rob Linke, P.E., Kane County Dept of Environmental & Water Resources;
Scott Kuykendall,LEED AP BD+C, McHenry County Water Resources,
Mark Phipps, P.E. City of Aurora Public Works Department
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The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Program, is a nationwide mandate intended to preserve, protect and improve the nation’s surface waters from stormwater pollution. The program is administered in Illinois by the IEPA and is designed to reduce impacts to surface water resources by requiring local jurisdictions within urbanized areas of the state to implement six minimum control measures.
These six minimum control measures are 1. Public education and Outreach, 2. Public Involvement & Participation, 3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, 4. Construction Site Stormwater Control, 5. Post-construction Stormwater Management and 6. Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operators. Counties, municipalities, and townships in Northeastern Illinois have established NPDES Phase II programs and maintain permit compliance with the IEPA through permits which are renewed every 5 years. The IEPA is currently revising the NPDES Phase II permit requirements and will likely issue new permit requirements in early 2022, which each agency will have to meet.
With many local government agencies having limited funding for stormwater quality programs and activities, they face ever increasing demands to find creative ways to meet the challenges posed by new and changing NPDES Phase II requirements with limited budgets.
This FREP program will provide a brief overview of the State of Illinois NPDES Phase II requirements and conduct a panel discussion with county and municipal staff from the watershed who are tasked with coordinating their agency’s programs to address the mandates in the NPDES Phase II Program.
FREP Executive Committee will meet at 11 AM
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FREP Annual Elections to be held at our January 12, 2022 meeting
via Zoom
Our current proposed Slate of Officers is:
Jeff Mengler, President
Nancy Williamson, Vice President
Elizabeth Hagen-Moeller, Treasurer
Lucas King, Secretary
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One Earth Film Festival
March 4-13, 2022
FREP plans to co-sponsor a film again this year. Watch for details soon.
Information about all the films scheduled will be on their website HERE
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Fox River Summit, Burlington, Wisconsin
Thursday, March 17, 2022
Details to Come
FREP will not be holding a Membership meeting in March, so that we can encourage participation in this annual Summit.
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Well, here we are beginning another new year in our Fox River watershed. I’m sure none of us thought that the COVID pandemic would still be raging as we begin 2022, but here we are. I think it all comes down learning to take better care of each other and taking better care of our planet to address the challenges we face.
FREP will begin 2022 with our programs going remote again to be most protective and respectful of people’s health. It may also allow more to attend, since they won’t have to factor in travel time and winter weather. Hopefully my Zoom hosting skills are still up to the task!
In January we’ll have a panel discussion about new water quality permits in Illinois and how various communities are addressing new permit requirements within their already thin budgets. All municipalities and anyone interested in how we’ll take a next step in water quality improvements for our watershed will want to join this one on Zoom.
Then in February, we’ll hear about the latest in legislative initiatives and issues in Springfield. Jack Darin of the Sierra Club has been an annual presenter on this for FREP over the years and always has great insights. This year he will be joined by Eliot Clay of the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC). IEC was a key partner with Sierra Club on the Clean Energy Jobs Act this past year, and has become a prominent environmental advocate in Illinois. If you want to get the latest on where things are at in Illinois regarding environmental protections, fighting climate change, and related issues, you won’t want to miss this via Zoom.
Then heading into March, we will again participate in the One Earth Film Festival remotely – which allows a much broader audience to participate, even if it lacks the face-to-face interactions.
Stay safe, take care of each other, and take care of our earth.
Jeff Mengler
FREP President
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We are pleased to provide the link below for our 11/10/21 FREP Presentation
by Art Malm:
Freeing Our Fox! - a discussion of dams on the Fox River in Illinois
Thank you to Art Malm for this excellent presentation.
Art is with Friends of the Fox River and the Fox River Study Group.
Video filmed and prepared by KBHMedia.
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We truly appreciate your support and are grateful to all who have sent in their dues for 2021-22. If you aren't on our website's FREP Membership Roll (LINK) we hope you will respond by renewing your membership or joining FREP.
Membership can be initiated or renewed online and dues paid via PayPal at:
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Thank You!
Membership Dues received since
our last Downstream Dec. 14th:
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Forest Preserve Dist. of Kane County
Village of Carpentersville
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If you would like more information or learn how to get involved, please contact
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Fox River Subwatershed News |
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Indian Creek
Watershed-based Planning
Update for early January 2022
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The field assessments to round out the watershed resource inventory (WRI) are almost done. With hopes for some relatively snow-free days in early January, CMAP staff plans to assess three remaining Indian Creek sections, evaluate the approximately four miles of Fox River shoreline within the planning area, and complete the detention basin inventory and assessment. Results of the field assessments, including maps and tables, will be included in the final WRI due to Illinois EPA in mid-February. |
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Selmarten Creek (above), an Indian Creek tributary, flows westward downstream of Poss Lake through Big Woods Forest Preserve in DuPage County. While invasive Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea, bottom right) are abundant throughout the Indian Creek watershed stream network (as they are throughout Illinois), it has been positive to find several native Giant Floater (Pyganodon grandis, lower left) shells throughout the stream network as well.
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In early 2022, the development of the watershed-based action plan will move into high gear. Data gathered during the field assessments along with input from watershed stakeholders through various public engagement activities will identify opportunities to protect and improve water and aquatic habitat quality throughout the Indian Creek planning area. Guided by this input, the plan will outline water quality related on-the-ground projects, outreach and education activities, and planning and policy recommendations, which then become eligible for federal grant assistance as well as other local and state funding and technical assistance opportunities. Keep an eye on this space and through special announcements for information about participating in the public engagement opportunities and sharing your knowledge and vision for the watershed!
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Soil Erosion and Stormwater Webinars
January 13 & 14, 2022 8:30 am - 12 pm FREE
Co-sponsored by Kane-DuPage SWCD
This webinar series is intended for stormwater and construction professionals. The goal of this annual event is to promote soil health and water conservation. Different topics will be covered each day. Jan 13 will focus on water quality while the Jan 14 will focus on soil erosion and sediment control.
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Kick-off meeting on January 19, 2022 10 am
To start a review of the Spring Creek Watershed Plan
Information and Zoom link HERE
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March 16-19, 2022 - Champaign, IL
Joint Illinois Lakes Management Association and Illinois American Fisheries Society Conference
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Becky Hoag, Communications Manager
Fox River Ecosystem Partnership
Please email Becky if you have an email to add to our mailing list or content to add to the next monthly Downstream.
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