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The Watershed-based Plan (WBP) for the Poplar Creek Planning Area
is a comprehensive overview of the water quality conditions in the watershed and measures
that need to be implemented to restore and protect water quality. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency have identified nine key
elements that need to be addressed in watershed plans to achieve improvements in water quality.
The following nine elements are addressed in the WBP:
An identification of the causes and sources
or groups of similar sources that will need to be controlled to achieve
the load reductions estimated in this watershed-based plan (and to
achieve any other watershed goals identified in the watershed-based
plan), as discussed in item (2) immediately below. Sources that need to
be controlled should be identified at the significant subcategory level
with estimates of the extent to which they are present in the watershed.
An estimate of the load reductions expected
for the management measures described under paragraph (3) below
(recognizing the natural variability and the difficulty in precisely
predicting the performance of management measures over time). Estimates
should be provided at the same level as in item (1) above.
A description of the NPS management measures
that will need to be implemented to achieve the load reductions
estimated under paragraph (2) above (as well as to achieve other
watershed goals identified in this watershed-based plan), and an
identification (using a map or a description) of the critical areas in
which those measures will be needed to implement this plan.
An estimate of the amounts of technical and
financial assistance needed, associated costs, and/or the sources and
authorities that will be relied upon, to implement this plan. Possible
sources of funding, include Section 319 project grants, the State
Revolving Fund, USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program and
Conservation Reserve Program, and other relevant federal, state, local
and private funds that may be available to assist in implementing this
plan.
An information/education component that will
be used to enhance public understanding of the project and encourage
their early and continued participation in selecting, designing, and
implementing the NPS management measures that will be implemented.
A schedule for implementing the NPS
management measures identified in this plan that is reasonably expeditious.
A description of interim, measurable
milestones for determining whether NPS management measures or other control
actions are being implemented.
A set of criteria that can be used
to determine whether loading reductions are being achieved over time and
substantial progress is being made towards attaining water quality standards
and, if not, the criteria for determining whether this watershed-based plan
needs to be revised or, if a NPS TMDL has been established, whether the NPS
TMDL needs to be revised.
A monitoring component to evaluate
the effectiveness of the implementation efforts over time, measured against
the criteria established under item (8) above.
The WBP is a supplement to the Metropolitan Water
Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Detailed Watershed Plan (DWP) for
the Poplar Creek. The
Poplar Creek DWP
focuses on flooding concerns in the watershed, and the Poplar Creek WBP
focuses on water quality. Poplar Creek WBP was
prepared by Metropolitan Planning Council.
Approval Letter Illinois Environmental Agency
Executive Summary
Poplar Creek Watershed-based Plan
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