The draft watershed plan includes a detailed assessment of current conditions such as water quality, pollution loading and existing practices, and notable features and attributes including land use, geology, hydrology, and soils. It is informed by current and historical data and provides strategic recommendations or projects. Click the link below to view the draft plan.

• Draft Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake Watershed Management Plan

Staff held two public meetings in August and requested public comments for a 30-day period ending on September 20. The City of Bloomington will request authorization from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to finalize the plan. The City of Bloomington, McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Northwater Consulting developed the draft Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake Watershed Management Plan with funding provided by the City of Bloomington, Illinois Farm Bureau, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s 319(h) Grant.

Executive Summary

The draft Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake Watershed Plan encompasses 69,512 acres from three
Hydrologic Unit Code-12 watersheds. The draft plan provides a road map to achieve water quality targets
and stakeholder goals established under previous plans; nutrient and sediment water quality goals are in
alignment with the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and the Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake Total Maximum Daily Load. This draft plan is intended to be adopted and updated as cost-effective implementation activities continue to achieve the highest load reductions. Priority or critical areas identified should serve as a starting point to guide implementation and outreach efforts by watershed managers and partners.

Examples of watershed projects.

Many people and groups in both watersheds have been working diligently to improve water quality in the lakes and protect this important water supply. The City of Bloomington and the McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) have led efforts over the years, supported by local stakeholders such as farmers, lake and community residents, state, local and federal agency staff, and non-profit groups which will support the execution of this draft plan. Projects underway during plan development include cost-share from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and SWCD for priority Best Management Practices, robust water quality monitoring through the City and Illinois State University and in-lake treatments, specifically, shoreline protection. The City also regulates septic systems and conducts related education and outreach. These initiatives and actions have resulted in measurable improvements to water quality, strengthened stakeholder engagement and expanded key partnerships. This lake and watershed track record has laid the critical groundwork needed to accelerate implementation activities detailed in the draft watershed plan.

Previous stakeholder goals developed by the Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake Steering and Technical Committees in 2008 include:

1. Reduce streambank erosion, lakeshore erosion and internal loading.
2. Reduce upland cropland erosion.
3. Reduce erosion from urban areas.
4. Replace failing septic systems.
5. Reduce phosphorus from animal waste and urban runoff.
6. Promote voluntary nutrient management on crop ground, livestock management and tile
   drainage treatment.
7. Control nuisance wildlife.
8. Conduct water quality monitoring.

This draft watershed plan includes a detailed assessment of current conditions such as water quality, pollution
loading and existing practices, and notable features and attributes including land use, geology, hydrology, and soils. It is informed by current and historical data and provides strategic recommendations or projects.

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