The State of Illinois is currently undertaking a process to update the Illinois State Water Plan. The purpose of a state water plan is to provide policy and program guidance in water resources management. Decisions on agency action, funding, and legislation all flow from the state water plan, so it is a very important document. Illinois has not fully updated its state water plan since 1984. Nearly forty years ago!
Robert Hirschfeld discusses the Illinois State Water Plan.
After 40 Years, It’s Time for an Update
Much has changed in the intervening years. Populations have grown; infrastructure has aged; new threats to water quality and quantity have emerged. It is long past time that Illinois began thinking about how we protect and manage our precious water resources in the years to come. Ensuring that Illinois has abundant clean, affordable water is vital to our quality of life and economy.
The emergence of climate change as the defining issue of our future only underscores the need for serious, strategic planning about the state’s water resources. Increased floods and droughts and attending social instability would put tremendous strain on our food and water systems. We need to be planning NOW.
The Illinois State Water Plan is a tremendous opportunity to shape our future and ensure we are ready for the challenges it will present. Many of the issues critical that Prairie Rivers Network has been working on for decades will be addressed. Below is the current list of priority issues to be considered.
In addition to ensuring that each one of these priority issue areas reflects the values of Prairie Rivers Network, we want this plan to be dynamic and responsive to changing public needs. It should not take another 40 years to update this plan! Water plans shouldn’t be once-in-a-generation events; they should continuously evolve to keep pace with social, technological, and environmental changes.
Process Interrupted
Initially the state was planning to host public meetings over the spring and summer to allow for the public to influence the plan, with a goal for publishing a final plan in late 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has indefinitely delayed the process. The silver lining here is that it will allow Prairie Rivers Network and all of our partners to spend more time working on the plan to ensure that it is as strong and forward-looking as possible.
Once the planning process kicks back into gear, we will be reaching out to you for help. It is imperative that this plan reflect a diverse array of public opinion. We will want you to weigh in and tell the state what you expect and need. Once the new opportunities and dates for public participation are announced, we will let you know. Until then, stay tuned. And if you have any questions, please email rhirschfeld@prairierivers.org.
