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Lake County committee adopts Manitou Creek–Fish Lake Drain watershed plan listing 700+ voluntary projects
Summary
The Planning, Building, Zoning & Environment Committee on April 29 adopted the Manitou Creek–Fish Lake Drain watershed-based plan as an amendment to the countywide stormwater plan; the plan lists over 700 voluntary projects, identifies water-quality impairments and flood-problem areas and includes a public-engagement record of more than 160 comments.
The Lake County Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee voted April 29 to adopt the Manitou Creek–Fish Lake Drain watershed-based plan, which the county's Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) prepared as an amendment to the countywide stormwater management plan.
Kurt Wolford, executive director of the Stormwater Management Commission, introduced the plan and acknowledged stakeholders who worked on a project that began in 2020. Watershed planning supervisor Mike Priscilla said the Manitou Creek–Fish Lake Drain watershed covers roughly 50 square miles, includes more than 20 units of local government and nearly half of the area is unincorporated.
Priscilla told the committee the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has identified 18 lakes in the planning area with some type of water-quality impairment; SMC staff and local jurisdictions identified 83 flood-problem areas and cited FEMA flood-hazard mapping that shows more than 1,000 structures within potential flood hazard zones.
The plan's action agenda groups recommendations into programmatic actions (watershed-wide policies such as phosphorus fertilizer limitations), basin-wide measures and site-specific projects. Priscilla said the plan includes over 700 site-specific projects, each with low-end and high-end cost estimates. Staff emphasized that implementation is voluntary and the plan is intended as a menu of options and a roadmap for stakeholders. The plan also includes a performance report-card mechanism and a proposed 10-year update cadence.
Committee members asked whether staff had metrics linking recent investments to reduced flood damage. Wolford and Priscilla offered qualitative field observations: staff and partners were able to travel to neighborhoods during recent high-water events that historically would have been cut off, and local officials reported reduced flooding in some locations. Wolford said staff will work on documenting quantitative metrics of reduced damage and access to better demonstrate return on investment.
Members asked about near-term priority actions; staff highlighted reducing nutrient loading in lakes (for example, lakeshore stabilization), a study of flood-reduction opportunities along the Round Lake Drain system, and continued emphasis on wetland restoration as a multi-benefit tool for flood mitigation and water-quality gains.
Member Schlick moved the motion to adopt the watershed plan; Member Wasek seconded. The committee approved the plan by voice vote. Wolford and Priscilla thanked stakeholders and said they will proceed with outreach to local partners and begin implementation steps following county-board adoption.
