Illinois River Integrated Management Plan Recommendations

Book excerpt: The Illinois River Coordinating Council resulted from the Illinois River Watershed Restoration Act, which called on the lieutenant governor to chair a council to coordinate programs to enhance the Illinois River Watershed. The move to protect and enhance the watershed began in 1994 when the Lieutenant Governor's Office launched the Illinois River Valley Partnership, bringing together a diverse array of public and private organizations to enhance the river's capacity as a recreation, transportation and wildlife habitat resource. The group was also charged with developing an ecosystem restoration plan for the river system. When Corinne Wood convened the Illinois River Strategy Team, the vision of the group was to create "a naturally diverse and productive Illinois River Valley that is sustained by natural ecological processes and managed to provide for compatible social and economic activities." The result was a 21-page report containing 34 recommendations. This document is a part of that report.