The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) was established in 2015 and designed to reduce the nutrient loads in Illinois waterways and its negative impacts. The Illinois NLRS fosters a partnership to improve water quality within and downstream of Illinois to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.  PDF [1.91 MB]

Public Water Supply (PWS) at least 15 service connections or serves an average of 25 people for at least 60 days a year. Community Water System (CWS): A public water system that supplies water to the same population year-round. Public or privately owned. PDF [2.23 MB]

IEPA’s mission - safeguard environmental quality, consistent with the social and economic needs of the State, to protect health, welfare, property and the quality of life. • Watersheds draining to rivers, lakes, and streams impact local water quality. PDF [6.18 MB]

Data Collection Identify the problem: Water quality, Nutrients, & Oxygen. Aquatic plant surveys: Native, Invasive, Public input, Management planning, & Put systems in place for success. PDF [1.46 MB]

Why Manage Invasive Aquatic Plants? • Native Aquatic Plants = Healthy Lake • Invasive plants can take over a lake • Excessive herbicide application can lead to a lake with no plants and severe algae bloom • It can be challenging to reverse a lake from algae dominated to plant dominated system. PDF [4.7 MB]

Objectives: Data Sources, Data Types, Data Compiling/Organizing, & Data Quality. Water Quality Goals: Water Quality Standards and Thresholds, Data context, Trends & Example-data download and analysis. PDF [4.12MB]

Project Goals: Hydrologic Connection/Restoration, Flood Reduction, Fish Passage, Water Level Management, Invasive Species Management, Nature Preserve Enhancement, T&E Habitat Improvements, & Community Investment. PDF [4.59 MB]

Impact of urbanization on chloride and stream invertebrates: A 10 year citizen science field study of road salt in stormwater runoff. PDF [4.04MB]

Next Generation Watershed Observing System (NGWOS) and the Illinois River Basin (ILRB) What is a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)? HABs are overgrowths of algae in water. Some produce dangerous toxins in fresh or marine water, but even nontoxic blooms hurt the environment and local economies. PDF [1.19 MB]

City of Crystal Lake concerned with managing lake water levels. History of fluctuating lake levels*, Recent flooding events north and south of the lake, City’s Goal: to control lake levels under various climate ranges (lowering the outlet weir by 1 ft) PDF [1.86 MB]