Supported by a Clean Water Act Section 604(b) planning grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), CMAP has partnered with Kane County’s Division of Environmental and Water Resources and Development and Community Services Department along with the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership and Fox River Study Group to develop a watershed-based plan for the Mill Creek Watershed. The watershed is a 31 square mile area that drains to Mill Creek -- a tributary of the Fox River -- and includes the majority of four municipalities (Batavia, Campton Hills, Geneva, and St. Charles) and five townships within east-central Kane County. Originating in a Campton Hills subdivision approximately a half mile west of the Campton Forest Preserve, Mill Creek meanders in a south-southeast direction for nearly 15 miles and junctures at the Fox River in an unincorporated area of Batavia.

The purpose of this plan is to work with local stakeholders to develop planning, policy, and on-the-ground project recommendations that upon implementation will help improve and protect the water quality in Mill Creek, its tributaries, and the numerous wetlands, lakes, and ponds within this agricultural and urbanized area. The plan will follow watershed-based planning guidelines established by the U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA in order for implementation projects to be eligible for Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant funding. The full plan is scheduled for completion in September 2019.

The public will have several opportunities to participate in the watershed plan development process throughout 2018 and 2019. A project steering committee, which consists of a broad group of stakeholders, will provide guidance and feedback throughout the planning process. Public informational and input gathering open house meetings will be scheduled at key junctures at locations throughout the planning area. Additionally, a series of outreach meetings with local organizations will be held to solicit further input for the plan. The Fox River Ecosystem Partnership will host a webpage where project news, meeting announcements and materials, and plan documents will be posted.  

If you would like to receive information on future meetings, please send your contact information to Holly Hudson (hhudson@cmap.illinois.gov) to be placed on the project email list.  

Current outreach - Summer 2019

Meetings with interested stakeholder organizations and groups are being scheduled through mid-August 2019 to gather best management practice (BMP) ideas to include in the Mill Creek Watershed-based Plan. BMPs can include water quality related on-the-ground projects, policy and planning updates, monitoring programs, and public information/education/outreach products or activities.

If you would like to schedule an in-person meeting or phone conversation with CMAP staff, please contact Holly Hudson by August 10, 2019.

Public open house - September 2018

A public open house will be held at the Geneva Park District’s Peck Farm Park on September 27, 2018, between the hours of 4:30 and 7:00 p.m. Attendees can learn more about the Mill Creek watershed planning process as well as provide information and contribute ideas about the strengths of and challenges in the Mill Creek watershed. All input that is gathered will help inform the plan. See the open house poster for more information.

Watershed-based Plan

A first draft of the Mill Creek Watershed-based Plan was submitted to the Illinois EPA on July 1, 2019. In addition to the watershed resource inventory, the plan includes sections outlining recommended watershed protection activities and monitoring success towards achieving plan goals. Over the next two months, details associated with site-specific best management practices (BMPs) submitted by stakeholders will be added to the plan, along with estimated pollutant load reductions and planning level costs. Interim milestones and criteria for determining progress will also be specified following further steering committee input. The final plan is scheduled for completion in September 2019.

Comments on the draft plan and BMP ideas – including on-the-ground projects, policy and planning updates, monitoring activities, and public information/education/outreach ideas – should be submitted to Holly Hudson at CMAP by August 20, 2019.

• Watershed-based Plan

Watershed Resource Inventory

The draft of the watershed resource inventory was submitted to the Illinois EPA on July 12, 2018. The inventory includes an overview of the planning area's population and demographics, physical and natural features, land use, water resource conditions, pollutant sources, and land management practices. The full plan is scheduled for completion in September 2019. 

• Water Resource Inventory

Holly Hudson, CMAP Project Manager (hhudson@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-836-8700)

Kelsey Pudlock, CMAP Assistant Planner (kpudlock@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-836-8631)

Rob Linke, P.E., CFM, Water Resources Engineer, Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources (linkerobert@co.kane.il.us or 630-232-3498)

Karen Miller, Executive Planner, Kane County Planning and Development Department (millerkaren@co.kane.il.us or 630-232-3418)