Problems
in the Indian Creek Watershed
(Portions taken from the Indian
Creek Watershed Plan/Produced by lake County Stormwater Management
Commission in Spring 2004)
What
is Nonpoint Source Pollution?
How
does Nonpoint Source Pollution Impact the Environment?
Flooding
and Loss of Wetlands
Declining
Conditions in Our Streams and Lakes
Stream
Channel Conditions
Hydraulic
Structures
Land
Use Pressure Along the Riparian Corridor
Our
Lakes Need Help
Invasive
Species
Who to Call if You Have Drainage Problems in Lake County
What
is Nonpoint Source Pollution?
Nonpoint
Source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage
treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. Rainfall or
snowmelt moving over and through the ground causes NPS pollution.
As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and
human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers,
wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of
drinking water. Imagine the path taken by a drop of rain from
the time it hits the ground to when it reaches a river, ground
water, or the ocean. Any pollutant it picks up on its journey
can become part of the NPS problem. NPS pollution also includes
adverse changes to the vegetation, shape, and flow of streams
and other aquatic systems.
NPS pollutants include:• Sediment
from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands,
and eroding streambanks;
• Oil,
grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production;
• Salt
from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines;
• Excess
fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands
and residential areas;
• Bacteria
and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septic systems.Atmospheric
deposition and hydromodification are also sources of nonpoint
source pollution.
Runoff pollution is that associated with rainwater
or melting snow that washes off roads, bridges, parking lots,
rooftops, and other impermeable surfaces. As it flows over these
surfaces, the water picks up dirt and dust, rubber and metal deposits
from tire wear, antifreeze and engine oil that has dripped onto
the pavement, pesticides and fertilizers, and discarded cups,
plastic bags, cigarette butts, pet waste and other litter. These
contaminants are carried into our lakes, rivers, streams and oceans. NPS
pollution is widespread because it can occur any time activities
disturb the land or water. Agriculture, forestry, grazing, septic
systems, recreational boating, urban runoff, construction, physical
changes to stream channels, and habitat degradation are potential
sources of NPS pollution. Careless or uninformed household management
also contributes to NPS pollution problems.
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How
does Nonpoint Source Pollution Impact the Environment?
States
report that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining
cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source
pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully
assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful
effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and
wildlife.
Sedimentation is produced when soil particles
are eroded from the land and transported to surface waters. Natural
erosion usually occurs gradually because vegetation protects the
ground. When land is cleared or disturbed to build a road or bridge,
for example, the rate of erosion increases. The vegetation is
removed and the soil is left exposed, to be quickly washed away
in the next rain and transported to a water body, such as a stream
or lake.
Excessive sedimentation clouds the water, which reduces
the amount of sunlight reaching aquatic plants; covers fish spawning
areas and food supplies; and clogs the gills of fish. In addition,
other pollutants like phosphorus, pathogens and heavy metals are
often attached to the soil particles and wind up in the water
bodies with the sediment. These pollutants degrade water quality
and can harm aquatic life by interfering with photosynthesis,
respiration, growth and reproduction.
Oils
and grease are leaked onto road surfaces from car and truck engines,
spilled at fueling stations, and discarded directly onto pavement
or into storm sewers instead of being taken to recycling stations.
Rain and snowmelt transport these pollutants directly to surface
waters.
Heavy metals come from some "natural" sources such as minerals
in rocks, vegetation, sand and salt. But they also come from car
and truck exhaust, worn tires and engine parts, brake linings,
weathered paint, and rust. Heavy metals are toxic to aquatic life
and can potentially contaminate ground water.
Grass
and shrub clippings, pet waste, food containers, and other household
wastes and litter can lead to unsightly and polluted waters. Pet
waste from urban areas can add enough nutrients to estuaries to
cause premature aging or "eutrophication".
Road
salts can be a major pollutant in both urban and rural areas.
Snow runoff can produce high sodium and chloride concentrations
in ponds, lakes and bays. This can cause unnecessary fish kills
and changes to water chemistry.
Nutrients such as phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium in the form of fertilizers, manure, sludge, irrigation water,
legumes and crop residues are applied to enhance production. When
they are applied in excess of plant needs, nutrients can wash
into aquatic ecosystems where they can cause excessive plant growth,
which reduces swimming and boating opportunities, creates a foul
taste and odor in drinking water, and kills fish.
Pesticides,
herbicides, and fungicides are used to kill pests and control
the growth of weeds and fungus. These chemicals can enter and
contaminate water through direct application, runoff, wind transport
and atmospheric deposition. They can kill fish and wildlife, poison
food sources, and destroy the habitat that animals use for protective
cover. Source: US EPA Office of Water
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Flooding
and Loss of Wetlands
Prior to European settlement, the Indian Creek Watershed contained
over 6,500 acres. European settlers to the region spent years
draining many of these wetlands in an attempt to farm the rich
soils. The 1850 Swamplands Act gave still unsold wetland parcels
to the state of Illinois. A clause to the Constitution in 1870
allowed the State to pass laws regarding drainage and the rights
of landowners to build additional drainage systems. The Farm Drainage
Act of 1885 along with the Levee Act of 1879 then formed a basis
for the organization, financing, and operation of drainage districts.
Today, approximately 2,957 wetland acres of the original 6,554
acres (45%) remain. The loss of wetlands is a direct result of
human alterations to the natural landscape and hydrology of the
watershed. Presently, many miles of storm sewers exist that accommodate
the drainage needs of the communities. Most storm sewer systems
are able to handle the runoff from low intensity rainfall events.
However, as more land is developed with impervious surfaces such
as houses, streets, and shopping centers, a greater amount of
runoff enters sewer and stream systems. Increased runoff to sewers
and streams can cause back up into low areas, basements, and underpasses.
As a result of flooding, homeowners and businesses suffer economic
losses.
According to the potential flood problem areas inventory, 348
structures and portions of 3,243 parcels are located in FEMA's
100-year floodplain. Houses (234), garages/sheds (34), and commercial
buildings (17) are the most common structures in the floodplain. B y this measure, most 100-year flood damage would occur in residential
and commercial areas clustered around lakes and stream branches.
Additionally, portions of 1,641 residential parcels, 695 wetland/water
parcels, 255 vacant forest parcels, and 177 recreational parcels
are most often subject to
100-year flood events.
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Figure 12. The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission
identifies 15 flood problem areas in the Indian Creek Watershed
where buildings, roads, or other structures exhibit flood damage.
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Declining Conditions
in Our Streams and Lakes
In the Indian Creek Watershed there are four primary stream branches
including Indian Creek mainstem, Kildeer Creek, Diamond Lake Drain,
and Seavey Ditch (see figure below). In total, over 40 miles of
primary streams and tributaries exist in the watershed. Eventually,
all streams converge and flow to the southeast portion of the
watershed before discharging into the Des Plaines River near Lincolnshire.
Additionally, the watershed contains approximately 644 lake acres.
Twelve lakes are online with stream branches, 11 of which are
human-made.
Diamond
Lake is the only natural lake in the Indian Creek Watershed.
Photo credit:Robin Johnson
The mainstem of Indian Creek extends through the central portion
of the watershed and has several smaller tributaries including
Forest Lake Drain, Sylvan Lake Drain, Countryside Lake Drain,
West Branch Indian Creek, and Manning Slough. Water is collected
from undeveloped and less densely developed areas in the northwestern
portion of the watershed including the municipalities of Hawthorn
Woods, Long Grove, southwestern Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, and
Lincolnshire. After Indian Creek joins with Kildeer Creek, Diamond
Lake Drain, and Seavey Ditch, it receives runoff from the Village
of Lincolnshire prior to discharging to the Des Plaines River.
Indian Creek has been highly channelized. The only stretch of
the 16-mile long stream length surveyed that was documented as
highly sinuous occurred between Route 83 and Kildeer Creek. Conveyance
within 64% of the reaches surveyed was severely limited by debris
accumulation. Hydraulic structures within Indian Creek occurred
every 8.13 miles, and 22% were considered problematic.
Kildeer Creek
drains the southern area of the watershed. This six-mile long
branch receives stormwater from Lake Zurich, Buffalo Grove, Kildeer,
and the southern area of Long Grove. Only the most westerly (Lake
Zurich) and easterly regions (Buffalo Grove) of the watershed
tributary to Kildeer Creek are extensively developed. Kildeer
Creek has been highly channelized except for a limited length
through the Reed Turner Nature Preserve, west of Old McHenry Road.
The branch also has a large number of hydraulic structures (10.8
structures per mile) with many (23%) needing maintenance. Conveyance
in 62% of the reaches surveyed was limited by debris accumulation.
Developed,
unincorporated areas around Diamond Lake and Countryside Lake
are tributary to Diamond Lake Drain. This 2-mile long stretch
drains Diamond Lake, and is both highly modified and eroded. Conveyance
in this channel is limited by the accumulation of debris (60%
of the reaches are severely impacted by debris), and the large
number of drainage structures (19.5 hydraulic structures per mile),
of which well over a third are in need of maintenance.
The northern
and eastern areas of the watershed drain into Seavey (Hawthorn)
Ditch. This five-mile-long branch collects runoff from areas within
Mundelein, Libertyville and Vernon Hills. Several stretches of Seavey
Ditch have been widened and straightened to increase conveyance
capacity. A large portion of the watershed tributary to the northern
reaches of Seavey Ditch is highly developed and not detained. Conveyance
in this channel is generally adequate.
Figure 17. The Indian Creek Watershed is comprised of 644
lake acres and nearly 40 miles of streams and tributaries that flow
into the Indian Creek mainstem towards the Des Plaines River.
Source: Northern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC)
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Stream Channel Conditions
In general, a survey conducted by the Lake Co. Stormwater Management
Commission found that 51 inventory reaches comprising the four primary
stream branches are channelized, have eroded streambanks, accumulate
sediment and debris loads, exhibit poor riffle-pool complexes, and
have many hydraulic structures and discharge points. Only two successive
inventory reaches located on Indian Creek mainstem remain highly
sinuous. These two reaches stretch from the confluence with Kildeer
Creek to IL 83. Much of Kildeer Creek is channelized through agricultural
or residential land except in the Reed Turner Nature Preserve. The
land surrounding Diamond Lake Drain is developed primarily for commercial
and residential use. As a result of these land uses, channelization,
hydraulic structures, erosion, and trash are prevalent throughout
the drain. Seavey Ditch was primarily an agricultural drain until
commercial and residential development began in the area. Today,
Seavey Ditch exists mainly as a channelized stream.
Natural and
human-made debris loads refer to debris accumulation and blockages,
both instream and overbank, that can alter the natural flow regime
in streams and contribute to streambank erosion and sediment accumulation
downstream. Debris loads were prevalent in 27 of 51 inventory
reaches. Indian Creek mainstem, Kildeer Creek, and Diamond Lake
Drain all had the most significant debris load problems. Comparatively,
Seavey Ditch had no debris load problems because the Village of
Vernon Hills recently removed debris. Debris jams trap sediment
and cause erosion by forcing water to flow laterally into the
bank. They can also cause upstream flooding where they force the
river to back-up and major erosion when blown out.
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Hydraulic Structures
Hydraulic structures including bridges, culverts, dams, or weirs
often cause flooding, negatively impact aquatic fauna, and contribute
to streambank erosion in a watershed. Diamond Lake Drain contains
the highest density of hydraulic structures per mile with 19.5.
All other stream branches had between 8 and 11 structures per
mile. Most hydraulic structures include bridges and culverts.
Land Use Pressure Along the Riparian Corridor
Riparian corridors buffer waterbodies while benefiting wildlife.
Land use within 100 feet of either side of the stream channel
was assessed by summarizing the percentage of land falling under
six land use categories including agricultural, recreational,
residential, vacant/open space, commercial/ industrial, and other.
In general vacant/open space (40%), residential (21%), and recreational
land (23%) uses comprised most of the land surrounding stream
reaches. In addition to land use, streambank vegetation within
10 feet of each bank was recorded. Non-native grasses, lawn, trees,
and shrubs were most abundant. In general the substrate types
in the watershed were determined to provide poor habitat for aquatic
fauna.
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Our
Lakes Need Help
The
Lake County Health Department (LCHD)-Lake Management Unit collected
lake data from 1997 to 2002 for the 12 online lakes as well as
three additional offline lakes. These studies were completed primarily
to assess the shoreline, water quality, plants, and available
wildlife habitat. Reports completed by LCHD from 1997 through
2002 indicate that in general the lakes of the Indian Creek Watershed
are in poor to average condition. Many lakes exhibit problems
including high nutrient (phosphorus) levels, eroded, developed,
and poor natural shorelines, and the presence of invasive species.
Total
phosphorus (TP) is a significant problem throughout the lakes
of the watershed. Documented algae blooms associated with high
phosphorus levels are common in many lakes including Countryside
Lake, Sylvan Lake, Harvey Lake, Lake Naomi, Bresen Lake, Forest
Lake, Central Slough, and Salem Lake. Minimizing fertilizer and
using phosphate free products while discouraging geese on lakes
can help to combat the phosphorus problem.
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Invasive Species
Non-native plants (also called non-indigenous plants, invasive
plants, exotic species, or weeds) are plants that have been introduced
into an environment in which they did not evolve. Introduction
of non-native plants into our landscape has been both accidental
and deliberate. Purple Loosestrife, for example, was introduced
from Europe in the 1800's in ship ballast and as a medicinal herb
and ornamental plant. It quickly spread and can now be found in
48 states.
As
humans remove native plant species from lake shorelines for development
purposes, invasive, non-native species often move in and alter
the original landscape. Most often, non-native, pioneer species
such as buckthorn or reed-canary grass are the first to occupy
disturbed areas. Harvey Lake, Big Bear Lake, Lake Leo, and Lake
Naomi contain more than 50% invasive species surrounding the lake.
Purple loosestrife is invading the watershed more each year. Cutting
and herbiciding the invasive plants with watersafe products will
help to control invasions. Limiting salt use will also help to
improve winter conditions in the watershed.
Carp and other
nuisance species also need to be controlled. This picture was
taken after Salem Lake's Carp-O-Rama annual fishing contest.
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Who to Call if You Have Drainage Problems in Lake County
