Prairie Rivers Network Works with Water Commission to Preserve Wetlands
As reported in our Spring 2011 newsletter, the villages of Chatham and New Berlin are building a drinking water plant in the Sangamon River Valley. Because we were concerned about the new plant causing increased sediment pollution in the Sangamon River, we asked the South Sangamon Water Commission to incorporate innovative green infrastructure features in the plant design to help prevent sediment and other pollution from running into the river. The Commission readily agreed.
Shortly thereafter, we learned that the Commission was planning to construct well fields, water pipelines and access roads within a mature forested wetland in the Sangamon River floodplain in order to supply water to the new plant. As proposed, the construction would have damaged the wetlands. Forested wetlands like these are invaluable, because they perform a variety of vital environmental functions such as storing floodwaters, filtering pollution and providing habitat for fish and wildlife. Once destroyed, they are difficult to replace, as it takes many years for a forest to mature. Historically, wetland destruction has occurred at alarming rates. Illinois has lost more than 85% of its original wetland acreage.
Prairie Rivers Network joined with the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club to prevent the destruction of these important wetlands. We wrote a letter of objection and also asked the South Sangamon Water Commission to build its well fields outside of the forested wetland. In response to our objections, the Commission worked with its consultants to find a new location that avoided the wetlands entirely.
We are grateful to the Commission for its willingness to be both innovative and adaptable in reducing water pollution and in preserving Illinois wetlands.