Bateman Estate Purchase, Mackinaw River Project

In 1996, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) purchased 663 acres of the William Bateman Estate. The acres purchased included 1 ¾ mile of Macinaw River frontage, river bottomland prone to flooding, timber and rolling farmland. The River Project wanted TNC’s use of the land to positively impact water quality, preserve the… Continue reading

Critical Trends Assessment Report, 2002

This is a compilation of research papers created to inform policymakers about the state of Illinois’ ecosystems. The papers score the water quality based on both the habitat and biological properties, and the streams were ranked based on the score. They also look at bird and wildlife censusing to look… Continue reading

Little Mackinaw River Subwatershed Plan

The Little Mackinaw River subwatershed has a lot of agriculture and farming in the area. Farm operators are generally knowledgeable about some of the causes of river problems. Most farm operators agreed that conservation measures could be beneficial. However, farm operators generally support structural measures such as channelization and streambank… Continue reading

Panther Creek Management Plan

Panther Creek is a subwatershed of Mackinaw river and they hope to have better management of agricultural practices, restore wetlands, stabilize stream banks, restore natural plants, and control storm water runoff. They have presented objectives and goals that they will hope to accomplish to protect the water quality. Panther Creek… Continue reading

Upper Mackinaw Management Plan 1998

The Upper Mackinaw River Subwatershed wants to improve storm water run off, reduce levels of chemical runoff, and to increase awareness and participation in water management practices. It is found in an area with lots of agriculture, so one of the main focuses is on restoring wetlands and biological diversity… Continue reading