20120403192158_lake-bloomington-watershed-based-plan

              DRAFT
Lake Bloomington Watershed Plan
Natural
Resources
Conservation
Service
McLean County
Soil and Water
Conservation District
Prepared by:
Lake Bloomington Watershed Planning
Committee
Association of Illinois Soil & Water
Conservation Districts
Funding for this project provided, in part, by the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 1
June 12, 2008
1
2 Table of Contents
3
4 Mission Statement ..................................................................................................... 3
5 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3
6 Watershed Description .............................................................................................. 6
7 General Overview ...................................................................................................... 6
8 Watershed History..................................................................................................... 9
9 Geological ............................................................................................................... 9
10 Human Use ............................................................................................................... 17
11 Construction of Lake Bloomington ............................................................................. 19
12 Recent issues............................................................................................................ 20
13 Pending Pipeline Construction ............................................................................... 20
14 East Side Highway and Other Roads .................................................................... 20
15 Watershed Activities ................................................................................................ 24
16 Watershed Resource Inventory ............................................................................... 26
17 Land Uses ................................................................................................................. 26
18 Lake Bloomington Community Survey ................................................................... 34
19 Lake Bloomington Shoreline Erosion ..................................................................... 35
20 Streambank Erosion Study .................................................................................... 39
21 RAP-M Watershed Study ...................................................................................... 45
22 Water Uses ............................................................................................................... 48
23 Conservation ............................................................................................................. 49
24 Conservation Practices .......................................................................................... 49
25 Nature Preserves in the Watershed ....................................................................... 50
26 1. Parklands Foundation ........................................................................................ 50
27 2. Indian Creek Homeowners Association ............................................................. 51
28 Problem Statements ................................................................................................ 53
29 Goals/Objectives ..................................................................................................... 60
30 Best Management Practices .................................................................................... 64
31 Riparian Practices ..................................................................................................... 64
32 Lakeshore Erosion Control .................................................................................... 64
33 Streambank Erosion Control .................................................................................. 66
34 Destratification....................................................................................................... 68
35 Agricultural Practices ................................................................................................. 69
36 Urban practices ......................................................................................................... 69
37 Lawn Chemical Application ................................................................................... 69
38 Implementation strategies/Alternatives .................................................................... 71
39 Riparian Implementation: .......................................................................................... 71
40 Lakeshore developed areas implementation strategies ......................................... 71
41 Lakeshore Erosion Implementation ....................................................................... 73
42 Streambank Erosion Implementation ..................................................................... 74
43 Destratification....................................................................................................... 77
44 Wetlands ............................................................................................................... 79
45 Agricultural Implementation: ...................................................................................... 82
46 Urban Implementation: .............................................................................................. 84
47 Monitoring System ................................................................................................. 84
48 Education and public awareness ........................................................................... 84
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Public Participation/Involvement ............................................................................ 1 86
2 Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination .................................................................... 86
3 Construction Site Runoff Control ........................................................................... 87
4 Post Construction Runoff Control .......................................................................... 87
5 Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping ............................................................. 88
6 Septic System Improvements ................................................................................ 88
7 Cost Summary ........................................................................................................ 91
8 Riparian Erosion Control Costs ................................................................................. 91
9 Priority Shoreline Protection Areas: ....................................................................... 91
10 Streambank Stabilization Cost Estimates .............................................................. 93
11 Agricultural BMP Costs ............................................................................................. 93
12 Urban Cost ............................................................................................................ 95
13 Urban Program Costs ............................................................................................ 95
14 Selection of Implementation Strategies/Alternatives ................................................ 97
15 Riparian Area : .......................................................................................................... 97
16 Urban Area: ............................................................................................................... 97
17 Agricultural Area: ....................................................................................................... 98
18 Measuring Progress/Success ................................................................................ 100
19 Appendix I- Committee members .......................................................................... 101
20 Appendix II- References ........................................................................................ 103
21 Appendix III- RAP-M .............................................................................................. 105
22 Appendix IV- Stormwater Ordinance ................................................................... 106
23 Appendix V- Lake Bloomington Sewage Management Report............................... 107
24 Appendiv VI- Manual of Practice of the Subdivision Ordinance ............................. 108
25 Appendix VII- Public Comments .......................................................................... 109
2276
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1
2 Mission Statement
3 We the people of the watershed of Lake Bloomington will address water quality
4 impairments using proactive strategies that maximize local control in order to improve
5 and protect water quality and the sustainable use of our watershed resources.
6
7 Introduction
8 Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the U.S. Environmental
9 Protection Agency (USEPA) Water Quality Planning and Management Regulations (40
10 CFR Part 130) require states to identify water bodies that do not meet water quality
11 standards and to determine the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for pollutants
12 causing the impairment. A TMDL is the total amount of pollutant load that a water body
13 can receive and still meet the water quality standards. It is the sum of the individual
14 waste load allocation for point sources, load allocations for nonpoint sources, natural
15 background, and a margin of
16 safety that addresses the uncertainty in the analysis. The CWA establishes the
17 process for completing TMDLs to provide more stringent, water-quality based controls
18 when technology-based controls are not sufficient to achieve state water quality
19 standards. The overall goals and objectives in developing the TMDLs include:
20 • Assess the water quality of the impaired waterbodies and identify key issues
21 associated with the
22 impairments and potential pollutant sources.
23 • Use the best available science and available data to determine the
24 maximum load the
25 waterbodies can receive and fully support all of their designated uses.
26 • Use the best available science and available data to determine current
27 loads of pollutants to the
28 impaired waterbodies.
29 • If current loads exceed the maximum allowable load, determine the load
30 reduction that is
31 needed.
4 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
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• Identify feasible and cost-effective actions that can 1 be taken to reduce
2 loads.
3 • Inform and involve the public throughout the project to ensure that key
4 concerns are addressed
5 and the best available information is used.
6 • Submit a final TMDL report to USEPA for review and approval.
7 The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) only requires a TMDL be
8 developed for the chemical parameters with numeric water quality standards. Under
9 Section 303(d) of the CWA, the State of Illinois prepares a list of waters that are not
10 meeting state water quality standards (hereafter referred to as the “303(d) list”) in each
11 2-year cycle. Lake Bloomington (waterbody ID RDO) is listed as impaired because of
12 excessive nitrate and phosphorus in the water (IEPA, 2006).
13 IEPA implements its TMDL Program in three stages. Stage One was completed
14 in November 2006 and involved the characterization of the watershed, an assessment of
15 the available water quality data, and an identification of potential technical approaches
16 (Tetra Tech, 2006 ) Stage Two involves additional data collection which was not required
17 for Lake Bloomington. Stage Three involves model development and calibration, TMDL
18 scenarios, and implementation planning. The TMDL Stage Three Report documents the
19 modeling and TMDL components of Stage Three and briefly describes the
20 implementation plan.(Tetra Tech Phase 3, 2007). THE USEPA approved the Lake
21 Bloomington TMDL for Total Phosphorus and Nitrate in September 2007.
22 In the IEPA report, Chapter 1 discusses the rationale for beneficial use
23 designations and impairments for Lake Bloomington which is located in central Illinois.
24 Chapter 2 describes the characteristics of the watershed and water bodies. Chapter 3
25 describes the water quality standards and water quality assessment of existing data.
26 Chapter 4 summarizes the nonpoint and point sources in Lake Bloomington. Chapter 5
27 describes the technical approach used for the TMDL development including modeling
28 approach and calibration. Chapter 6 presents the TMDL components including load
29 allocations. Finally, Chapter 7 briefly describes the implementation plan.
30 A review of the available water quality data from the TMDL Stage One report
31 confirms the causes of impairments in Lake Bloomington. Of the pollutants impairing
32 Lake Bloomington, total phosphorus and nitrate are the only parameter with numeric
33 water quality standards. The water quality data also
34 verified that total phosphorus is a limiting nutrient in the lake and frequently
35 exceeded the 0.05 mg/L water quality standard. The nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen
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June 12, 2008
1 concentration data is used to verify the exceedance because nitrite nitrogen seldom
2 appears in concentration greater than 1 mg/L and tends to
3 transform to nitrate. The maximum observed nitrate plus nitrite concentration
4 exceeded the standard of 10mg/L in Lake Bloomington.
5 All Illinois waters must meet general use water quality standards unless they are
6 subject to another specific designation (CWA Section 302.201). The general use
7 standards protect the state’s water for aquatic life (except as provided in Illinois Water
8 Quality Standard Section 302.213), wildlife, agricultural
9 use, secondary contact use, aesthetics quality, and most industrial uses.
10 In December 2006, the McLean County Soil and Water Conservation Districts
11 (SWCD) and the McLean County Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
12 invited landowners, representatives of local governments, local experts, and concerned
13 citizens to meet to address the issue of elevated levels of phosphorus, nitrates and
14 sediment in Lake Bloomington. From that initial group a Planning Committee was
15 formed, which then developed a list of action points that needed to be investigated. The
16 Planning Committee then appointed a Technical Committee to address the individual
17 problem statements, investigate existing data of Best Management Practices to address
18 the problems, inventory resources in the watershed and develop alternatives. The
19 Technical Committee divided into several areas of expertise: the Biological/Streams
20 Committee, the Urban Committee, a Homeowners Committee, a Drinking Water Quality
21 Committee, an Educational Committee, and the Agriculture Committee. Funding for
22 the entire Lake Bloomington Watershed Plan development was through grants by the
23 Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, while implementation funding will be from
24 IEPA, Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD), SWCD,
25 Sand County Foundation, and NRCS, as well as other local and private funding.
26 The committee started the planning process under the guidance of NRCS
27 and used a three phase planning approach.
6 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
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1
2
3 Stakeholders were invited to committee meetings and provided with plan drafts.
4 Their input was integrated into the final plan. Members of the Planning and Technical
5 Committees are in Appendix I.
6
7
8
9 Watershed Description
10
11 General Overview
12 Lake Bloomington (572 acres) watershed consists of 43,100 acres in the central
13 part of McLean County, Illinois. It is located in central Illinois about 160 miles northeast
14 of St. Louis and approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago. It is in the Mackinaw
15 River Basin, (Hydrologic Unit Code) HUC #07130004, sub-basin code 030. The
16 watershed encompasses hydrologic unit 16, Upper Money Creek and the majority
17 (upstream of the dam) of hydrologic unit 09, Lower Money Creek. The communities of
18 Towanda and Merna are located entirely within the watershed. The City of Bloomington
19 and Incorporated Town of Normal are expanding into the southwestern edge of the
20 watershed.
Implement Plan
Phase I
Phase III
Phase II
The Resource Planning Process
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Know the Planning Area
1. Identify resource concerns
2. Determine objectives
3. Conduct inventories
4. Analyze resource data
Make Decisions
5. Develop alternatives
6. Evaluate alternatives
7. Make decisions
Implement & Evaluate
8. Implement the plan
9. Evaluate the plan
USDA-NRCS Champaign, Illinois. September 1999.
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June 12, 2008
1 Lake Bloomington is located in the northern part of the watershed. It was
2 constructed in 1929 by the impoundment of Money Creek. Hickory Creek is a tributary
3 of Money Creek which empties into Lake Bloomington. Only two of the tributaries have
4 IEPA identification numbers at this time: RDO (Bloomington) and DKP-20 (Money
5 Creek). The lake was constructed to expand the water supply for the City of
6 Bloomington. To fully utilize the lake’s potential, recreation and residential development
7 were established as second and third priority uses respectively. Water use is for
8 domestic, commercial industrial, public and agricultural uses. The Lake Bloomington
9 watershed is immediately adjacent to the Evergreen Lake watershed. Lakes
10 Bloomington and Evergreen were both constructed for a water source for Bloomington,
11 and have similar geology and land use. The similarities between the two lakes allows
12 for studies and inventories on one lake to be applied to both lakes. The watershed
13 plans for both watersheds, as well as any other watersheds contained entirely within
14 McLean County, will be implemented and coordinated by the same oversite committee.
15
16 There are five water, multiple, and/or waste point sources in the watershed as
17 identified by the EPA. Myers, Inc (Hazardous waste), East Bay Camp (multi), Ni-Cor
18 Gas (multi), American Disposal Services ( water), Vineyards Subdivision ( water), and
19 Myers, Inc. ( Hazardous waste).
20
21
8 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
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1
2
3
4
Vineyards Subdivision, Myers, Inc., and American Disposal Locations
East Bay Camp and NiCor location
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June 12, 2008
1 Watershed History
2 Geological
3 The uppermost bedrock within the Lake Bloomington watershed is mostly
4 Pennsylvanian age, 286-320 million years ago. The Pennsylvanian formations are
5 made of cyclic beds of sandstone, shale, siltstone, limestone, coal, and clay. These
6 rocks contain 1-2% coal by volume. Much of the Pennsylvanian bedrock is covered by
7 Quarternary deposits up to 500 feet thick.
8 McLean County is mostly on a loess-covered till plain. Glacial movements,
9 running water, and windblown deposits have contributed to the formation of the land
10 within the county. McLean County also consists of a series of glacial deposits formed
11 about 15,000 to 20,000 years ago by the Wisconsonian glacial movements. As the ice
12 sheets moved south, they began to melt and recede, leaving moraines and ridges lying
13 northwest to southeast. The Bloomington Moraine is one of the largest, which runs
14 immediately south of the watershed. The land north of the Bloomington Moraine is gently
15 sloping (1-4% slope), except for steeper slopes (4-10%) near the Mackinaw River to the
16 north of the watershed.
17 Soils data and GIS files from the Natural Resources Conservation Service
18 (NRCS) were used to characterize soils in the Lake Bloomington watershed. General
19 soils data and map unit delineations for the country are provided as part of the Soil
20 Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database. Field mapping methods using national
21 standards are used to construct the soils maps in the SSURGO database. Mapping
22 scales generally range from 1:12,000 to 1:63,360; SSURGO is the most detailed level of
23 soil mapping done by the NRCS. A map unit is composed of several soil series having
24 similar properties. Identification fields in the GIS coverage can be linked to the
25 database that provides information on chemical and physical soil characteristics. The
26 SSURGO database contains many soil characteristics associated with each map until.
27 Of particular interest are the hydrologic soil group and the K-factor of the Universal Soil
28 Loss Equation (USLE).
29 The hydrologic soil groups have similar infiltration and runoff characteristics
30 during periods of prolonged wetting. Typically, clay soils that are poorly drained have
31 lower infiltration rates, while well-drained sandy soils have the greatest infiltration rates.
32 USDA has defined four hydrologic groups for soils listed below:
33 Soil Group A-34
Soils with high infiltration rates.
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Usually deep, well drained 1 sands or gravels.
2 Soil Group B-3
Soils with moderate infiltration rates.
4 Usually moderately deep, moderately well drained soils.
5 Soil Group C-6
Soils with slow infiltration rates.
7 Soils with finer texture and slow water movement.
8 Soil Group D-9
Soils with very slow infiltration rates.
10 Soils with high clay content and poor drainage.
11 High amounts of runoff.
12 Soils may be assigned to dual groups if drainage is feasible and practical. Dual
13 hydrologic groups, A/D, B/D, and C/D, are given for certain wet soils that can be
14 adequately drained. The first letter applies to the drained condition, and the second to
15 the undrained. Only soils that are rated D in their natural condition are assigned to
16 dual classes. For the Lake Bloomington watershed, Hydrologic Soil Group B covers
17 38.7% and dominates the south-eastern portion of the watershed and is found adjacent
18 to Lake Bloomington and the middle and northern sections of Money Creek. Group B/D
19 accounts for 59.8% and is evenly spaced throughout the watershed and found adjacent
20 to the southern section of Money Creek. Group C covers 0.6% and is found in small
21 areas surrounding Lake Bloomington the the northern section of Money Creek upstream
22 from the lake. Group C/D accounts for 0.9% and is found sparingly throughout the
23 watershed.
24 The Lake Bloomington watershed is heavily tiled (7,500 acres or 18%) to
25 promote agricultural drainage. The draining tile system increases the possibility for
26 soluble nitrogen to reach surface water. In addition, some private septic systems may
27 be connected with the drain tile system and provide a direct load to the streams,
28 especially under low flow conditions.
29
30 BIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF LAKE BLOOMINGTON WATERSHED
31
32 The Lake Bloomington watershed lies within the Grand Prairie Natural Division of
33 Illinois. Prior to settlement, watershed plant communities consisted of upland prairie
34 (85%), wet prairie (3%), upland forest (10%) and bottomland forest (2%). Existing
35 areas of these plant communities are currently limited in the watershed, with virtually no
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June 12, 2008
1 remaining upland or wet prairie. Present vegetative cover includes cropland (corn and
2 soybeans), pasture, farmsteads, forest, and typical urban landscaping.
3
4 Grasslands and Prairie:
5 Although tallgrass prairie was the dominant ecosystem in the watershed, no
6 original prairie remains. A few prairie plantings exist as a part of nature preserves and
7 CRP lands, but except in the case of the Moon Tract of ParkLands, such plantings are of
8 low diversity. Some prairie grassland animal species were able to shift to non-native
9 grassy crops and pasture, but much of this habitat has been replaced by intensive row
10 crop agriculture. Where non-native grassy habitat remains, outside of CRP acreage,
11 much is made an ecological trap because of the timing of mowing interferes with
12 migratory bird breeding. Prairie is an ideal vegetation type to control soil erosion, and
13 encouraging of more acreage in such vegetation would confer great benefit to streams
14 and wildlife.
15
16 Forest:
17 The forested area around Lake Bloomington is one of the larger remaining tracts
18 in McLean County. Like many areas, it suffers from habitat fragmentation and both
19 invasive non-native and aggressive native species. No botanical surveys have been
20 done to assess the significance of the remaining fragments. Ecological restoration is
21 critically needed to preserve remnant habitats, and special attention needs to be focused
22 on preserving the oak and hickory species that are under threat from deer browse
23 pressure, invading maple trees, and fire suppression.
24
25 Wetlands:
26 Wetlands were an important feature of the pre-settlement watershed, both in the
27 floodplain of the streams and in the uplands. Wet prairies and riparian woodlands were
28 important habitat for diverse species. There are approximately 1,100 acres of wetlands
29 in the Lake Bloomington watershed. The National Wetland Inventory indicates that
30 approximately 75 acres of wetlands are located around the lake where the tributaries
31 approach the normal pool elevation of the lake. These are mostly palustrine areas with
32 emergent and woody vegetation that are temporarily or seasonally flooded during the
33 growing season.
12 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
Interestingly, the mud flats that form during dry years at the 1 southern end of the
2 Lake regularly attract migrating shorebirds. These are the most significant mud flats in
3 the county, and attract enthusiastic birdwatchers from around Central Illinois.
4
5 Biota (Plants and Wildlife):
6
7 1. General
8 Our knowledge of the wildlife of the watershed consists of anecdotal information
9 and, in the case of native fish and mussels, focused surveys. It is clear that much more
10 work is needed to determine the species of plants, invertebrates (other than mussels), and
11 vertebrates (other than fishes) that inhabit the watershed. A special focus is needed to
12 determine the presence of organisms that are Species in Greatest Need of Conservation
13 (Illinois Wildlife Action Plan: dnr.state.il.us/ORC/WildlifeResources/theplan/species.htm) or
14 officially listed as state or federal Threatened and Endangered Species
15 (dnr.state.il.us/espb/datelist.htm). Despite the lack of comprehensive surveys, there are a
16 few of the latter known from McLean County (dnr.state.il.us/ORC/list_tande_bycounty.pdf),
17 although their presence in this watershed is not known.
18 Additionally, there is enough forest surrounding Lake Bloomington that a
19 breeding bird survey is likely to find some area sensitive forest species (Herkert et al.
20 1993). The forest does serve as a migratory stopover site for neotropical migratory
21 songbirds and other species.
22
23 2. Mussels:
24 Although found worldwide, freshwater mussels reach their highest diversity in
25 eastern North America. Unfortunately, due to degradation of our waterways, they are
26 among the most imperiled group of Midwestern animals. Since 1987, four surveys of
27 the mussels of Money Creek have been performed by the Illinois Department of Natural
28 Resources, all at one site (the area around the County Road 1975E bridge) with the last
29 being in 2005. Due to the physical barrier to dispersal of mussels resulting from the
30 dam for Lake Bloomington, the degradation of water quality in Money Creek, and the
31 loss of native fishes that may have been key to the dispersal of certain species, the
32 original complement of mussel species is likely to be no longer present. However, a
33 cumulative total of 11 species were found in the fours surveys, including two species that
34 are on the list of Illinois Species in Greatest Need of Conservation. Those two species
35 are the Pondhorn (Uniomerus tetralasmus) and Ellipse (Venustaconcha ellipsiformis).
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 13
June 12, 2008
1
2 3 FISH:
3
4 In 1953 the first Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) fish survey on Lake
5 Bloomington was completed and resulted in the collection of only 6 species. These
6 same species are still collected in the lake today. The second fish survey was
7 conducted in 1958 and consisted of 18 species. In the report for the second survey it
8 was noted that siltation can be readily observed in the areas of Hickory and Money
9 Creeks entering the lake. The biologist also stated that reproduction of smallmouth
10 bass in this type of habitat with the presence of so many other species is not typical and
11 therefore doubtful if smallmouth bass can be successfully managed. In the 1958 survey
12 they collected 26 smallmouth bass. In the 2007 fish survey they collected zero
13 smallmouth bass. Smallmouth are still present in the lake, but at a very low density.
14 In 1960 a fish survey report stated that a complete watershed conservation
15 program would improve the game fish habitat of the lake. The biologist suggested
16 using BMPs of the day for all farmland in the watershed. The survey report also stated
17 that shoreline bank erosion should be controlled by grading back the high eroded banks,
18 vegetative plantings and rock rip-rapping. Wave action was noted to be causing a large
19 amount of shoreline erosion. In a 1952 State Water Survey Report, the lake was losing
20 0.5 percent of its storage capacity per year. Even though some BMPs have been used
21 in the watershed, Lake Bloomington still faces the same issues as it did in 1960. (ISWS
22 1952)
23 Since 1960, there has been over 30 fish surveys completed on Lake Bloomington
24 by IDNR personnel. These surveys have been used to set fishing regulations,
25 recommend fish stockings, and document changes in the fish community. The first fish
26 stocking was in 1940 and consisted of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, bullhead
27 catfish, and striped bass. Since 1984 the IDNR has stocked almost 127,000
28 largemouth bass fingerlings, 575,000 walleye fingerlings, and 25,000 hybrid striped bass
29 fingerlings. There have been stockings of smallmouth bass, northern pike, and white
30 bass over the years.
31 The game fish populations in Lake Bloomington still have difficulties producing
32 strong year classes and this can be attributed to the lack of quality habitat. As the water
33 levels change so does the amount of suitable habitat for young fish. The erosion of
34 shorelines and deposition of silt also hamper fish reproduction. Recent surveys suggest
35 that bass and crappie are having a difficult time reproducing in the lake. The stocking of
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largemouth bass failed to increase the number of bass in the lake. 1 Suitable littoral
2 habitat is needed to bolster game fish populations in Lake Bloomington.
3 Fishing regulations have been used to regulate fishing pressure and the number
4 and size of fish harvested. Lake Bloomington currently has fishing regulations for bass,
5 bluegill, hybrid striped bass, white bass, and crappie. Fishing pressure can be
6 determined from creel surveys and these were conducted in 1996 and 2003. Almost
7 every major game fish showed an increase in catch rates and harvest rates from 1996 to
8 2003. Even though catch rates improved for anglers during the creel surveys, catch
9 rates during the 2007 fish survey did not meet management objectives for most game
10 fish. Only the catch rate for largemouth bass met the management objective.
11 Money Creek was surveyed by IDNR during intensive basin surveys four times
12 between 1987 and 2005 (Table 1). The number of fish species collected ranged from
13 13 in 2000 to 19 in 2005. Carp, quillback, and bluegill were collected in 2005 and not
14 during the previous surveys. These species are found in Lake Bloomington and will
15 move from the lake upstream into Money Creek. Catch rates for spotfin shiner,
16 orangethroat darter, and fantail darter have declined over the 4 surveys. These species
17 are indicators of good habitat and water quality.
18 The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) was developed to assess the quality of streams
19 using fish species collected during surveys (Smogor 2000). The IBI score is based on
20 10 matrices that were developed for different regions across Illinois. With each region
21 comprising a unique set of matrices, the IBI score better reflects the effect of human
22 disturbance on fish. The IBI scores obtained during the intensive basin surveys ranged
23 from 24 to 30 (Table 1). The highest score obtainable is 60. The score of 60
24 represents a stream that has characteristics of the benchmark conditions set to develop
25 the IBI. The benchmark conditions reflect the biological conditions expected in Illinois
26 streams least disturbed by human impacts. Therefore, the degree to which an IBI score
27 deviates from the maximum score reflects the relative amount of human impact
28 additional to that already represented by the reference conditions. The developers of
29 the Illinois IBI suggested that a score difference of 10 or less should not be interpreted
30 as a meaningful difference in biotic integrity (Smogor 2003). The IBI scores of 24 to 30
31 put Money Creek into the low category of biotic integrity (Table 2). Only minor changes
32 in a few fish species can be seen from 1987 to 2005, which has kept the biotic integrity
33 of Money Creek low.
Table 2: IBI score description
IBI-Score Biotic Description of Typical Biological, Physical, and
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June 12, 2008
Subrange Integrity
Class
Chemical Conditions.
56-60 Moderatel
y High
Values of fish metrics are very similar to values
expected in Illinois streams where levels of human impact
appear to be least in the state.
46-55 Moderate Number of native fish species is reduced primarily due
to loss of intolerant species. Reduced abundances of
mineral-substrate spawners indicates disruption of
reproductive functional structure.
31-45 Moderatel
y Low
Number of native fish species is reduced further
primarily due to further loss of intolerant species, but also
due to loss of sucker species and benthic-invertivore
species. Reduced abundances of specialist benthic
invertivores and increased abundances of generalist
feeders, indicate imbalance in trophic functional structure.
16-30 Low Number of native species is reduced further due to
near-complete loss of intolerant species and further
pronounced loss of sucker species and benthic-invertivore
species. Disruption of fish-community structure is
evidenced as indiscriminate loss of species across major
families (minnows, suckers, sunfish). Further reductions in
abundances of specialist benthic invertivores and mineral-substrate
spawners indicates disruption of trophic and
reproductive functional structure.
0-15 Very Low Number of native species is reduced further due to
pronounced, indiscriminate loss of species across major
families (minnows, suckers, sunfish) with a concurrent
increase in the proportion of tolerant species. Intolerant
species are absent; benthic-invertivore species are nearly
absent. Pronounced reductions in abundances of
specialist benthic invertivores ans mineral-substrate
spawners indicate further disruption of trophic and
reproductive functional structure.
1
2 No threatened or endangered fish species were collected from Money Creek
3 during these surveys, nor is there evidence to suggest the presence of threatened and
4 endangered fish species in Money Creek
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
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June 12, 2008
Table 1. Fish collected during four basin surveyed conducted on Money
Creek, Mackinaw River Watershed between 1987 and 2005.
Mon
ey
Mo
ney
Mo
ney
Money
Cre
ek
Cr
eek
Cr
eek
Creek
07/2
9/87
09/
08/94
07/
20/00
07/11/05
Common name Scientific name DKP
-02
DK
P-02
DK
P-02
DKP-02
Carp Cyprinus carpio 1
Creek chub Semotilus
atromaculatus
205 81 22 39
Hornyhead chub Nocomis biguttatus 77 54 6 88
Central stoneroller Campostoma
anomalum
15 6 6 12
Suckermouth minnow Phenacobius
mirabilis
7 4
Striped shiner Luxilus
chrysocephalus
29 52 8 164
Redfin shiner Lythrurus
umbratilus
15 4 12 31
Spotfin shiner Cyprinella
spiloptera
18
Red shiner Cyprinella lutrensis 41 5 83 117
Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus 336 10
3
17 311
Bigmouth shiner Notropis dorsalis 163 2 311
Sand shiner Notropis ludibundus 73 10 45 194
Quillback Carpiodes cyprinus 9
Smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus 2
White sucker Catostomus
commersoni
2 83 7 45
Golden redhorse Moxostoma
erythrurum
16
Yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis 16 6 5
Stonecat Noturus flavus 1 1 1
Blackstripe topminnow Fundulus notatus 1 5
Bluegill Lepomis
macrochirus
2
Johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum 32 15 10 37
Orangethroat darter Etheostoma
spectabile
2 6 4
Fantail darter Etheostoma
flabellare
7 3
Total fish 103
2
43
8
22
3
1081
Total species 16 16 13 18
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 17
June 12, 2008
Table 1. Fish collected during four basin surveyed conducted on Money
Creek, Mackinaw River Watershed between 1987 and 2005.
Mon
ey
Mo
ney
Mo
ney
Money
Cre
ek
Cr
eek
Cr
eek
Creek
07/2
9/87
09/
08/94
07/
20/00
07/11/05
Common name Scientific name DKP
-02
DK
P-02
DK
P-02
DKP-02
Electrode minutes 30 35.
73
30 27.5
Kilograms of fish 1.38 1.9
77
18.635
Native fish species .
16 (3)
.
16 (3)
.
13 (2)
. 17
(3)
Native minnow species .
10 (6)
.
9 (5)
.
9 (5)
. 9
(5)
Native sucker species .
1 (2)
.
2 (3)
.
1 (2)
. 3
(3)
Native sunfish species .
0 (0)
.
0 (0)
.
0 (0)
. 1
(1)
Benthic invertivore species .
5 (3)
.
6 (4)
.
3 (2)
. 4
(2)
Intolerant species .
1 (2)
.
1 (2)
.
1 (2)
. 1
(1)
Prop. specialist benthic
invertivores
.
0.04 (2)
.
0.05 (2)
.
0.06 (2)
. 0.05 (2)
Prop. geneneralist feeders .
0.87 (2)
.
0.79 (3)
.
0.88 (2)
. 0.85 (2)
Prop. mineral-substrate
spawners
.
0.13 (2)
.
0.29 (3)
.
0.16 (2)
. 0.29 (3)
Prop. tolerant species .
0.31 (5)
.
0.31 (5)
.
0.31 (5)
. 0.35 (4)
Extrapolated IBI 27 30 24 26
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 Human Use
9
10 Social and Economic Characteristics
11
12 The population of McLean County is 161,202. The two largest communities in
13 McLean County are the City of Bloomington (pop. 74,975) and the Town of Normal (pop.
18 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
50,519). Both of these municipalities are in the southern part of the watershed. 1 In 2007,
2 the McLean County labor force was 91,382 with 87,926 employed and 3,456
3 unemployed or a 3.8% unemployment rate. The largest employer is State Farm
4 Insurance Company with 15,297 employees. The median income for McLean County for
5 FY 2008 is $70,900. (EDC, 2008)
6
7
8 East Bay Camp
9 East Bay Camp started in 1929 when Lester Martin, an attorney from the
10 Bloomington Water Company, approached the Reverend Frank Breen. According to
11 Breen, Martin said, "...since our first plan for the lake, we decided to raise it five feet and
12 we had to buy an extra 40 acres. There'll be a lot of ground back in here and I think it
13 would be wonderful for a camp. Do you think you could start a camp here?"
14 Today, East Bay Camp lies on 146 acres and has 87 buildings. The most recent
15 major addition is the Seager-Denham recreation center. The indoor pool is used by
16 campers in the summer and by Lake residents year-round for water exercise classes.
17 (LBA 2007)
18 East Bay Camp was given a WLA for their discharge into Lake Bloomington for
19 both phosphorus and nitrates. This is based on the facility’s Design Average Flow (0.03
20 mgd) multiplied by an assumed concentration of 3.5 mg/L total phosphorus. While the
21 concentration is a best guess, it is known, through reporting requirements, that this
22 facility has always discharged less than their Design Average Flow (average discharge
23 of 0.018). There is potential that during the reissuance of their NPDES permit (expires
24 Dec 31, 2009) they could be required to report their monthly phosphorus concentrations.
25 Once this is known, a more accurate determination of their phosphorus load can be
26 made.
27
28 Timber Pointe Outdoor Center
29 The camp now known as the Timber Pointe Outdoor Center was founded over 60
30 years ago, soon after the Lake was built. The camp has 170 acres of woods and four
31 miles of shore line.
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 19
June 12, 2008
1 It served as the Corn Belt Council Boy Scout Camp until 1989, when it was
2 purchased by the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center, Inc. In 2005, 1700 children with
3 special needs attended the camp.
4 In 2006, The Lodge at Timber Pointe was completed as a joint project between
5 the four Bloomington-Normal Rotary groups and the Timber Pointe Charitable
6 Foundation. The complex has a kitchen and dining areas, a medical facility and lodging
7 for the medical staff, a storm shelter, program and assembly areas, and camp
8 administration and support services.(LBA 2007)
9 Camp Peairs
10 Camp Peairs was built as a camp for Girl Scouts in early 1940. It has been
11 improved over the years, and in a recent summer, over 1300 Girl Scounts attended the
12 camp. (LBA 2007)
13 Construction of Lake Bloomington
14 The Lake Bloomington watershed consists of approximately 43,100 acres (~ 70
15 square miles) in the central part of McLean County, Illinois. The watershed
16 encompasses hydrologic unit 16, Upper Money Creek and the majority of hydrologic unit
17 09, Lower Money Creek. Money Creek flows from the southeast to the northwest in the
18 watershed and is a tributary of the Mackinaw River (Mackinaw River Basin, Hydrologic
19 Unit Code 07130004). Portions of the City of Bloomington, Town of Normal, Merna,
20 Towanda and unincorporated rural subdivisions also are located in the watershed.
21 Lake Bloomington is located in the northern part of the watershed. It was
22 constructed in 1929 by the impoundment of Money Creek. Hickory Creek is a tributary of
23 Money Creek which also empties into Lake Bloomington. The lake was constructed to
24 expand the water supply for the City of Bloomington. A secondary use for Lake
25 Bloomington is recreation activities.
26 In 1958 the City of Bloomington raised the dam to increase the normal pool
27 elevation by 5 feet resulting in a 56% increase in storage capacity. The increase in pool
28 elevation resulted in a volume increase from 4710 acre feet to 7380 acre feet. A 1999
29 Hanson Engineering sedimentation survey yielded a volume of 6798 acre feet. Lake
30 Bloomington, as of 2007, has a surface area of 572 acres, 9.5 miles of shoreline, a
31 maximum depth of 35 feet, a mean depth of 12.9 feet, and a storage volume of 6768
32 acre feet.
33
20 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1 Recent issues
2 Pending Pipeline Construction
3
4 One of the recent topics is a proposed crude oil pipeline. This pipe would be a
5 36” in diameter pipe capable of transporting 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. In the
6 future it could be increased to 800,000 barrels per day by adding pumping stations to the
7 route and increasing the pressure of the liquid. The proposed corridor is 60’ in width to
8 allow for additional pipes to transport refined petroleum products, additional crude or any
9 other products. The proposed pipeline enters the watershed 3 miles east and 3.5 miles
10 south of the entrance to the lake. It continues south through the watershed for 6 miles,
11 at a depth of not less than 5 feet to the surface where practical.
12 The effects of this pipe could include:
13   Damage to tile that feed into the Money Creek.
14   Additional sedimentation until the ground has an opportunity to regain its
15 structure and cover.
16   Contamination of soil in the watershed from a leak.
17   Contamination of subsurface aquifers and surface streams.
18 East Side Highway and Other Roads
19
20 Introduction.
21
22 Land use changes within a watershed can have significant effects, positive or
23 negative, on the ability to: 1) predict the future delivery of TMDL pollutants into impaired
24 streams and lakes, 2) evaluate the choice and likely effectiveness of Best Management
25 Practices (BMPs) to reduce TMDL pollutants, and 3) assess the future overall ecological
26 health of a watershed. One category of land use change that can alter significantly a
27 watershed, through both direct and indirect effects, are roads (Forman and Alexander
28 1998, Forman et al. 2003).
29 Interstate-type roads often have the largest impacts due to the size of their direct
30 and indirect ecological footprints, and due to their magnet effect on future growth. In the
31 context of the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek watershed, an important direct effect of a
32 major road is the potential increase in sedimentation and runoff, both of which can
33 contribute to sediment and other pollutant loading into Lake Bloomington. An indirect
34 effect of a major road would be the potential for conversion of agricultural to urbanized
35 land. This conversion would change the relative percentages of major land use and
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 21
June 12, 2008
1 thus would affect the current modeling of inputs of TMDL pollutants into Lake
2 Bloomington.
3
4 East Side Highway Corridor.
5
6 Currently, one interstate (I-55) traverses the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek
7 watershed, roughly through the middle portion. A second major road that would link I-55
8 to I-74 has been proposed for examination in various studies over the years and, if built,
9 would include part of the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek watershed.
10 The first recommendation for examining a "parallel freeway or expressway
11 between I-74 and I-55" was in 1994 (Long Range Transportation Plan for the
12 Bloomington-Normal Urbanized Area). Subsequent plans included the recommendation
13 for this examination in 1999 (2025 Long Range Transportation Plan) and 2000 (McLean
14 County Regional Comprehensive Plan).
15 These recommendations led to a cooperative effort by Bloomington, Downs,
16 Normal, Towanda, McLean County and the Illinois Department of Transportation,
17 administered by the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, to hire Bernardin,
18 Lochmueller & Associates, Inc. of Charleston, Illinois, for a study. They produced the
19 2002 East Side Corridor Feasibility Study Final Report which can be found at the
20 website www.mcplan.org/tran/eastside/ecfs.shtml. The project goals included the
21 evaluation of "the effectiveness of the build alternates relative to each other and the no
22 build alternative". For the evaluation of the build alternatives, they assumed "a four-23
lane rural freeway...that is typical of interstate facilities in McLean County as well as
24 throughout the State of Illinois".
25 Key conclusions of the 2002 study were that 1) there is a significant identified
26 need, and 2) the preferred corridor (of 5 examined) is Alternate C. Alternate C passes
27 through the central southwest portion of the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek
28 watershed. An environmental profile was performed and used to compare the
29 advantages and disadvantages of alternate corridors. The effect on TMDL pollutant
30 loading was not one of the impacts examined at that time.
31 A Phase 1 engineering study began in late 2006. This effort is a partnership
32 among Bloomington, Normal, McLean County, the Illinois Department of Transportation,
33 and the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and it is called the East Side Highway
34 Corridor Study (www.eastsidehighway.com/). The company, Clark Dietz, Inc. of
35 Champaign, Illinois, was hired to perform this study. The goal is to start afresh in
22 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
assessing three parameters: 1) the need for a transportation facility; 1 2) the type of
2 transportation facility, if it is determined that it is needed; and 3) the location within the
3 study area of a corridor of 300-500 feet in width, if it is determined that it is needed.
4 The study area for the Clark Dietz study has been expanded from the 2002 study
5 to include an area between I-55 and I-39 north of Normal and between I-74 and Highway
6 51 south of Bloomington (see map within the East Side Highway Corridor Study web
7 site:
8 www.eastsidehighway.com/index_files/pdfs/Corridor%20Study%20Limits.jpg).
9 This study area includes the entire central third of the Lake Bloomington/Money
10 Creek watershed and also extends into the Evergreen Lake watershed. The final report
11 from Clark Dietz is scheduled for Spring 2008.
12 The Clark Dietz study incorporates a new FHA standard called Context Sensitive
13 Solutions (CSS). This process allows for involvement of all stakeholders in all phases of
14 study design and data collection, although the final report and recommendations will be
15 the product of Clark Dietz. Although a full Environmental Impact Study will result should
16 a transportation corridor be recommended, the Clark Dietz CSS process has included
17 assembling comments from stakeholders regarding environmental issues that should be
18 considered, including potential impacts on TMDL pollutant loading into Lake
19 Bloomington.
20
21 Other Road Projects.
22
23 Of the major road projects listed in the draft Long Range Transportation Plan
24 2035 for the Bloomington-Normal Urbanized Area, the only one within the Lake
25 Bloomington/ Money Creek watershed is the widening and upgrade of Towanda-Barnes
26 Road north from Fort Jesse Road to the Village of Towanda. No evaluation has been
27 made of the direct or indirect effects of this project on the watershed. However, it is
28 likely to increase the conversion of the watershed from agricultural to urbanized land use
29 and may have other impacts as identified in the introduction to this section. This should
30 be included in any future modeling efforts of TMDL pollutant loads.
31 Smaller road projects, including bridge work, are likely on county roads
32 within the watershed. Examination should be done of the current and future
33 planned utilization of soil erosion BMPs in such projects. Also, proposals for
34 these and other road-related maintenance and upgrade projects should
35 include assessment of impacts on TMDL pollutants, both by the individual
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 23
June 12, 2008
1 project and in terms of the cumulative impacts when all projects are
2 considered together.
3 Twin Groves Wind Farm
4 Beginning in 2006, a noticeable land use change started in the southeasternmost
5 portion (south of Route 9) of the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek watershed with the
6 construction of the Horizon Wind Energy's Twin Groves Wind Farm. When completed
7 in 2008, the wind farm will consist of 240 turbines producing 400 megawatts of power,
8 making it the largest wind facility east of the Mississippi River. In addition to the
9 turbines, there will be access roads, operations facilities, and substations. Although it is
10 difficult to precisely determine the placement of all facilities within the irregular
11 boundaries of the watershed, maps indicate that approximately 40 turbines along with
12 supporting access roads, substation(s) and transmission lines will be in this watershed.
13 However, the majority of the wind farm will be located south and east of this watershed.
14 The placement of wind turbines will not change greatly the existing agricultural
15 land use of the watershed because each turbine + access road will replace only one-half
16 acre of farmed land. Some additional displacement of farmed land will occur with the
17 substation(s), transmission lines and other infrastructure support.
18 A temporary increase in sedimentation that can carry TMDL pollutants will result
19 from upgrading the county roads to handle movement of the large equipment as well as
20 construction of the turbine platform and graveled access road through each field. In
21 terms of the platform and access road construction, the company has an NPDES permit
22 and a SWPPP plan using best management practices for soil erosion control.
23 It is likely that the presence of these turbines will inhibit the conversion of this
24 portion of the watershed from agricultural to urbanized, thus keeping it under current
25 land use. This is because: 1) there is a minimum distance of 1,500 feet required from
26 the wind turbine to any residence, and 2) the stable farm income resulting from hosting a
27 wind turbine may reduce the pressure on landowners to sell farmland for urbanized
28 development. Therefore, it seems unlikely that there will be any direct long-term effects
29 on the delivery of TMDL pollutants to Lake Bloomington/Money Creek resulting from this
30 wind farm.
31
32
33
24 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
Watershed 1 Activities
2
3
4 In 2003, Both the City of Bloomington and the Town of Normal were required to
5 submit storm water management plans in accordance with United States Environmental
6 Protection Agency law. These documents were prepared jointly between the two
7 communities and outline programs to develop, implement and enforce storm water
8 management practices designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum
9 extent practicable, to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate requirements of
10 the Federal Clean Water Act in accordance with the USEPA Phase II program. These
11 plans address six minimum control measures as required by state regulations:
12
13   Public Education/Outreach
14   Public Participation/Involvement
15   Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination
16   Construction Site Runoff Control
17   Post Construction Runoff Control
18   Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping
19
20 These storm water management plans present a mix of best management
21 practices within each control measure to address erosion, sediment, fecal coliform,
22 grease and oil, household and lawn/garden chemicals that could potentially end up in
23 local streams.
24 Public awareness and educational activities in the watershed include:
  Earth Express- a county wide activity for 3rd and 4th 25 graders.
  Conservation Day- 3rd 26 graders
  Wilderness Camp- 5th through 8th 27 graders
28   Yard Smart- a county wide campaign to encourage pesticide free and wildlife
29 friendly yards
30   Wellness and Sustainability Fair at Illinois Wesleyan University
31   Ecology Action Center- provides ecology and recycling programs for all grade
32 levels and McLean County at large
33   Lake Fest- Family oriented single day special event providing presentations and
34 demonstrations of Fisheries Management, Aquatic Vegetation,
35 shoreline/streambank erosion control techniques, and lake related outdoor
36 activities.
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 25
June 12, 2008
1   Storm Drain Stenciling
2   Lake Smart activities:
3   Clean Water School Program at Hudson, Carlock and Towanda Elementary
4 schools
5   Lake Smart Workshops targeting residents
6   Raingarden Workshop
7   Yard Smart Walk
8   Lake Festival
9   Production of Living on the Lake Handbook and brochures
10   Production of watershed displays
11
12 Large management and research projects include:
13   Nutrient Management Programs
14   2000/01, 2001/02 Funded by IEPA
15   2005/06, 2006/07 Funded by Sand County Foundation
16   Lake Bloomington Sustainable Water Program- Tile research Hoffman/Troyer
17 farm- City of Bloomington sampled and Illinois State University compiled data
18 from 1998 to date
19   Wetlands Research- Dr. David Kovasic from the University of Illinois conducted
20 research on City of Bloomington property from 2000 to date
21   Nitrate Research on Money Creek- Recording and compiling data on tiles,
22 organic use, pond data done by the City of Bloomington and ISU from 1992 to
23 date
24   Rain Reporters- volunteers who collect data on rainfall in McLean
25 county 24/7 from 1997 to date
26
26 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1 Watershed Resource Inventory
2 Land Uses
3
4 The majority of land in the Lake Bloomington watershed is used to grow row
5 crops, with soybeans covering 50 percent of the land and corn covering 33 percent,
6 according to the McLean County SWCD transect survey in 2007. Rural grassland, high
7 density (urban), and surface water each cover less than ten percent of the total surface
8 area. The T- transect has been conducted by the McLean County Soil and Water
9 Conservation District for the whole county biannually since the mid 1990's to give a
10 statistically accurate gauge of the acres in conservation tillage for the primary crops in
11 the county. The same route is completed each time in early June with a determination
12 of which crop is growing, how much residue is left on the field and if no-till, strip till,
13 mulch till or minimum tillage is used to establish the growing crop. This information
Land Use and Cover Map
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 27
June 12, 2008
1 when combined with the soil types and slopes in each field gives an estimate for the field
2 if it is above or below the Tolerable soil loss or "T" hence the name T-transect.
3 In a 2007 inventory of the Lake Bloomington watershed conducted by the
4 McLean County SWCD there were 286 cattle and 128 other livestock animals in 25
5 operations in the area, a number likely to have declined over the years. This is a
6 relatively low livestock density and therefore does not represent a high priority source.
7
8
28 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
The entire watershed lies within the Till Plains Section 1 of the Central
2 Lowland Province physiographic area. It is specifically located in the Bloomington
3 Ridged Plain which is the unit that is more rolling and contains most of the Wisconsin
4 glacial moraines located in Illinois. The El Paso Moraine lies to the northeast of the lake
5 and this low ridge helps to funnel water into this watershed and direct it toward the
6 lake. In most areas, Peoria Loess overlies glacial till of the Delavan Member of the
7 Tiskilwa Formation of the Wedron Group (Wisconsin) that is generally loam or clay loam
8 in texture. The Delavan Member is a brownish gray till that is calcareous and contains
9 lenses of gravel, sand, silt and clay. The loess ranges from 4 to 6 feet in thickness
10 over the general area, but can be thicker along the broad ridge tops and thinner on the
11 eroded side slopes. Stream and gully dissection has exposed the underlying
12 calcareous glacial till in a few areas along Money Creek and the major drainage ways.
13 The major stream valley is composed of deposits of Cahokia Alluvium (old) that
14 is generally less than 20 feet thick. Sandy deposits of the Henry Formation can be
15 below the alluvium along Money Creek but glacial till is probably below the alluvium on
16 the upper reaches of the streams or where smaller tributaries join the main drains as
17 they exit from the surrounding uplands. On the steeper slopes, where erosion has been
18 more intense, the glacial till is occasionally exposed. Soils mapped in this watershed
19 reflect the parent material differences discussed above. The surface texture of the soils
20 in greater than 80% of the watershed is a silt loam, reflecting the characteristics of the
21 loess cover that blankets nearly the entire region. The loess is quite erosive and is
22 easily removed by running water. The alluvium in the stream banks can contain a
23 variety of materials with a variety of textures and grain size content. This is especially
24 noticeable where stones are present in the channel. Stability of the stream banks is
25 greatly dependent on the shear characteristics of the material, and on a watershed
26 scale, it is difficult to make “general” statements about overall conditions. Site specific
27 determinations are essential for future stream bank stabilization activities. (Windhorn-
28 Appendix III)
29 The most common soil type in the watershed is Sable silty clay loam, which is a
30 byproduct of the windblown silt, called loess, distributed during glacier retreat. This soil
31 has slow infiltration rates and a high clay content, as well as poor drainage with high
32 runoff levels. The second most common soil is Ipava silt loam.
33 Subsurface drainage, or tiling of fields, is practiced to remove excess water
34 from the soil. Drainage tiles are installed below the root zone and release the water into
35 a ditch or stream. In Illinois, tiles are usually installed at a depth of 3 to 4 feet and 80 to
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 29
June 12, 2008
1 120 feet apart. Based on the amount of soil classified as poorly drained, the McLean
2 County SWCD estimates that 7500 acres in the watershed are tiled.
3
4
5
6 Effects of Urban Development
7
8 The majority of non-agricultural use within the Lake Bloomington Watershed is
9 confined to far eastern edges of the Town of Normal and City of Bloomington. Other
10 significant pockets of non-agricultural land use include the Village of Towanda, northern
11 portions of 1800 East Road and long-established residences around Lake Bloomington.
12 Forested areas and natural grasslands are severely limited except around Lake
13 Bloomington itself and a small pocket that sits within the middle of the watershed.
14
15 Urban development within the watershed will continue as the Town of Normal
16 and the City of Bloomington continue to expand east and northeast toward the Village of
17 Towanda. Sanitary sewer extension along Pipeline Road may also encourage additional
18 development expansion that has already taken place near the Ironwood Development
19 and north.
30 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
There are approximately 1,490 dwellings in the Lake Bloomington 1 Watershed
2 as found in the 2006 aerial photo. There were approximately 976 dwellings in the
3 watershed as found in the 1994 aerial photo. This is an increase of 514 dwellings
4 (52.7%) over this twelve year period of which 416 of these additional dwellings were built
5 within the Bloomington/Normal urban area. Sanitary sewer effluent from these
6 Bloomington/Normal dwellings discharges to the Bloomington Normal Water
7 Reclamation District (BNWRD) through public sewer collection systems.
8
9 Lake Bloomington Community
10
11 There are approximately 206 dwellings located within 300 feet of Lake
12 Bloomington as shown in the 1994 aerial photo; there are 215 dwellings shown in the
13 2006 aerial photo. This is an increase of nine dwellings (4.4%) in this twelve year
14 period.
15 Existing development surrounding the Lake consists primarily of residential with a
16 few commercial establishments. Some of the main commercial establishments within
17 this Lake community include the City of Bloomington Water Treatment Plant, two
18 restaurants and Davis Lodge. The developed area is surrounded by agricultural land.
19 The City of Bloomington owns all lands adjacent to the lakeshore and leases lots to
20 homeowners.. Originally, homes were summer cottages but most have been remodeled
21 or rebuilt to permanent homes. The City of Bloomington provides water service via
22 publicly owned and operated water treatment and distribution system. Water services
23 are metered and customers are charged a rate for water according to usage.
24 (Farnsworth Group, December, 2003)
25 The Lake Bloomington area has no centralized sewer system or wastewater
26 treatment/transfer facility. Each home on the Lake is responsible for its own wastewater
27 treatment. Most homes have individual septic systems, which includes a septic tank
28 discharging into leaching fields, sand filters, existing field tiles, cisterns, and/or in a few
29 instances directly into Lake Bloomington. All septic systems ultimately discharge effluent
30 to Lake Bloomington either through direct surface discharge or seepage to groundwater
31 that reaches the Lake. Some homes have entire septic systems (septic tank and sand
32 filter/leach field) on their property. A number of homes, which are built close together
33 and/or have relatively small lots, have a septic tank on the property but have a leaching
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 31
June 12, 2008
1 field or sand filter on adjoining City-owned property (Farnsworth Group, December’,
2 2003)
3 The McLean County Environmental Health Department keeps a comprehensive
4 record of location, condition, and number of septic systems in the County, including Lake
5 Bloomington and the surrounding area. (Farnsworth Group, December, 2003)
6 A study conducted in 2003 by the City of Bloomington produced several
7 alternative methods for providing conveyance and treatment of the wastewater
8 generated by residences and public facilities surrounding the lake. The study presented
9 a pressure sewer collection/conveyance system as being the most cost effective at a
10 cost of $6,400,000 in 2003 dollars. Lagoons in two forms, aerated and covered with
11 aeration, were considered to be the most cost effective means of giving treatment with a
12 cost of an additional $3,400,000.
13 The second least costly option produced by the study was dependent upon
14 construction of a pumping station by the Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation
15 District. This option involved pumping wastewater from the Lake Bloomington pressure
16 collection system to a pump station owned by the Bloomington and Normal Water
17 Reclamation District. The wastewater would then be pumped to the District’s Southwest
18 Treatment Plant. The estimated cost for this addition to the collection system resulted
19 in a total cost of $10,900,000.
20
21 Rural Communities and Subdivisions
22
23 The County Comprehensive Plan does not show areas of medium to high density
24 for development in the Lake Bloomington Watershed except where adjacent to
25 Bloomington/Normal and Towanda. Erosion control regulation in the unincorporated
26 area of the county is triggered by the Subdivision Ordinance. The County is not likely to
27 approve subdivisions where such development is inconsistent with the Comprehensive
28 Plan.
29 In addition to the 416 dwellings in Bloomington/Normal and the nine dwellings
30 adjacent to Lake Bloomington, there was a net increase of 89 dwellings (9.1%) over the
31 remainder of the watershed over the same 12 year period.
32 As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge
33 Elimination System (NPDES) controls water pollution by regulating “point sources” that
34 discharge pollutants into water bodies. These include, but are not limited to, pipes and
35 man-made ditches or ravines. Residences that are connected to a municipal discharge
32 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
system, use a septic system or do not have surface discharge do 1 not need an NPDES
2 permit. However, industrial, municipal and other facilities must obtain permits if
3 discharges from the facilities are released directly into surface waters. By and large, the
4 NPDES program is administered by authorized states. Since its introduction in 1972, the
5 NPDES permitting program has resulted in significant improvements in water quality.
6 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Office of Wastewater Management, 2007)
7 The number of active NPDES permits is sometimes an indicator of growth. As of 2007,
8 more than 400 NPDES permits have been issued for McLean County, Illinois.
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 33
June 12, 2008
1
2
34 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
Bloomington and Normal 1 Urban Expansion
2 Approximately 993 acres or 2.2% of the total watershed area has been annexed
3 either to the City of Bloomington or the Town of Normal and has been developed or is
4 currently under development. Current comprehensive planning studies for both
5 communities project that the total urban area within the watershed will increase to 1620
6 acres or 3.6% of the total watershed area by the year 2035. (See Map Above)
7 Lake Bloomington Community Survey
8 On August 30, 2007 a survey was conducted at the annual dinner meeting of the
9 Lake Bloomington Homeowners Association. The members were surveyed on their
10 personal lawn fertilizer use. Out of 200 households, 70 responded. Results as follows:
11 Occupancy:
12   54 were full time residents
13   10 were part time
14   6 did not indicate
15 Lawn fertilizer use:
16   19 (27%) do not fertilize
17   21 (30%) fertilize less than once per year
18   35 (50%) fertilize at most once per year
19   17 (24%) fertilize 3 or 4 times per year
20 Water Usage:
21 Even though lake residents can pump water from the lake for no charge:
22   14 of 57 responses (24%) never water grass
23   26 of 57 responses (46%) water rarely or never
24 Using Lake Friendly Lawn Care:
25   51 of 66 (77%) are interested in learning about lake-friendly fertilizers
26   45 of 56 (80%) would pay more for it
27   13 of 17 (76%) of those who fertilize 3 or 4 times a year would like to learn about
28 lake-friendly fertilizers
29   11 of these (85%) would be willing to pay more for it
30
31
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 35
June 12, 2008
1
2 Lake Bloomington Shoreline Erosion
3
4 Lake Bloomington has 55,580 feet of shoreline. Areas of Lake Bloomington
5 shoreline are eroding at significant rates resulting in loss of land and unsightly
6 areas. Three shoreline erosion surveys have been completed in the past
7 twenty years on Lake Bloomington. In 1989, a field reconnaissance survey of
8 Lake Bloomington’s shoreline was completed as part of the Report on
9 Drought Emergency Water Sources and Options to Improve Existing Lake
10 Supplies for the City of Bloomington, IL by Farnsworth & Wylie/Hanson
11 Engineers. Roger Windhorn, NRCS Resource Soil Scientist, also completed a
12 Shoreline study in 1998. The most recent and in-depth analysis was
13 completed in November 2005 by Midwest Streams, Inc. under contract to the
14 City of Bloomington.
15 Visual observations were made by Midwest Streams, Inc. of the Lake
16 Bloomington Shoreline in October, 2005 by walking the shoreline with the
36 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
water level approx. 10 to 12 feet below normal pool. In addition 1 to the visual
2 observations around the entire lake, a survey along the park extending along
3 the North Shore near the spillway has been completed for approximately
4 2900 feet. The survey shows nearly vertical eroding bank heights ranging
5 from only 1 or 2 feet up to 10 to 12 feet. This survey allows for more accurate
6 calculations of potential solutions and cost estimates that can then be used as
7 a guide to other eroding sites around the Lake Bloomington shoreline.
8 The shoreline erosion has been classified in 6 categories based on the
9 bank height and the width of eroded cobble material left in the wake of the
10 receding bankline. Classes are related to bank height and amount of erosion,
11 with class one being the lowest erosion and class six the most severe. This
12 method of classification is based on two assumptions. First, the height of the
13 eroding bank generally increases as the bankline recedes resulting in more
14 sediment being contributed by these sites due to the increased bank height.
15 The assumption being that the rate of erosion is determined by the
16 combination of soils, the wave generation from long fetches, prevailing wind
17 directions, and boat traffic. Therefore even though the bank heights are higher
18 and the sediment contribution larger, the rate will stay fairly constant as long
19 as these four factors remain constant.
20 Second, the cobble material eroded from the glacial till is too heavy to be
21 transported by wave action and remains near the receding bankline. The
22 width of the heavy cobble material left in the wake of eroding bankline
23 therefore is a guide to the rate of past erosion. Based on the first assumption,
24 then it is also a guide to the likely future erosion rate. One unknown factor
25 could be the varying content of heavy cobble within the eroding bankline,
26 however there seems to be no visual indication that there are significant
27 changes within the glacial till and Roger Windhorn, Resource Soil Scientist
28 with NRCS confirmed that the cobble content would not be expected to vary
29 within the till surrounding Lake Bloomington.
30 Therefore, each segment of bankline has been classified based on the
31 product of the bank height and the width of the heavy cobble material found
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 37
June 12, 2008
1 along the shoreline. Each segment of shoreline was recorded in GPS UTM
2 coordinates where the erosion rate changes based on this criteria of height
3 and cobble as the soils, fetch, wind direction and boat traffic are assumed to
4 be relatively constant over time. The GPS coordinates were plotted on maps
5 indicate the starting point of each erosion class with the length of each class
6 measured from the GPS starting point and extending toward the spillway.
7 The "Shoreline Inventory" provides the locations, lengths and erosion
8 class of each shoreline segment. Protected areas of shoreline in the
9 developed areas of Lake Bloomington's shoreline are also inventoried using a
10 different classification system.
11 Note: GPS points were identified with a handheld GPS unit and some
12 points appear to be located away from the shoreline a significant distance due
13 to inaccuracy of the unit. Revisiting these sites could provide better GPS
14 location, but has not been deemed necessary as the general locations of
15 erosion classes are identifiable.
Lake Bloomington Shoreline Erosion Summary
Erosion Rating Erosion Class Total length of
Unprotected Bank
Percent of Total
Bank
<10= Class 1 27,962 feet* 50.30%
11-49= Class 2 10,790 feet 19.40%
50-99= Class 3 3,256 feet 5.90%
100-149= Class 4 4,356 feet 7.80%
150-199= Class 5 2,670 feet 4.80%
>200= Class 6 6,546 feet 11.30%
total 55,580 feet* 100%
*This includes 18,480 feet of protected shoreline, generally near residential areas.
16
17
18
19 Residential Shoreline Inventory
20
21 Approximately 3.5 miles or 37% of the Lake Bloomington shoreline are now
22 residential and almost all the residential sites have a seawall of some type installed.
38 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
These seawalls are largely sheet piling, with some timber walls, 1 concrete walls and a
2 few rock bins fashioned with chain link fencing.
3
4
5
6
7 Each segment of seawall has been inventoried and located using UTM
8 coordinates with a handheld GPS unit. As each segment was located a visual rating was
9 assigned along with a measurement of the sheet piling to check for variation from
10 vertical and has been classified as "Good", "Fair", "Poor" or "Critical". There are no
11 objective standards for these ratings but they are an assessment of the overall condition
12 of the seawall based on the observed condition of material and vertical integrity. A
13 "Good" means that there were no observed concerns with the seawall and "Critical"
14 means that the condition was judged to be near failure. A "Fair" rating was assigned
15 where there were observed deficiencies in the wall that indicate some maintenance is
16 needed. A "Poor" rating was assigned where there were numerous or serious problems
17 developing, but the seawall was not yet in danger of failure.
18 This study provides only an inventory of observed conditions for informational
19 purposes only, no recommendations are given for treatment or repairs to seawalls
20 observed to be in need of maintenance. Installation and maintenance of seawalls has
21 traditionally been the option of the tenant.
22 Approximately 48% (8,870 ft.) of the protected shoreline at Lake Bloomington
23 was rated as Good in the 2005 Survey. 26% (4,805 ft.) of the shoreline protection was
24 rated as fair, followed by 14% (2,587 ft.) of protection in poor condition and 11% (2,033
25 ft.) in critical condition.
26
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 39
June 12, 2008
1 Streambank Erosion Study
2 Stream Technical Resource Evaluation and Management Services (STREAMS) was
3 contracted in the fall of 2005 to conduct an inventory and evaluation of the stream
4 network feeding Lake Bloomington. The study has been designed to:
5 1. Quantify the sediment contributions generated from within the stream system.
6 2. Evaluate the stability of identified stream segments.
7 3. Locate and prioritize critical areas of sediment generation.
8 4. Provide alternative solutions to reduce the sediment contributions.
9 5. Develop preliminary design and cost estimate data to support the
10 recommendations.
11
12
13 Procedure for Assessment
14
15 Illustration 1: Inventories Streams Money Creek 1
16 In October 2005, a reconnaissance survey determined that the upper reaches of
17 the stream system appear to be maintained drainage ditches and waterways with very
18 low sediment contributions. The lower portions of the stream system however begin
40 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
immediately above Lake Bloomington as natural channels and progress 1 through various
2 levels of “improvements” at intermittent locations before reaching the more actively
3 managed drainage ditches and waterways. The study has been designed to complete a
4 100% inventory on the lower portions of the major channels beginning at the lake and
5 extending upstream to the start of the “managed” drainage system in each channel. The
6 length of channel inventoried is primarily on 15 miles of Money Creek above Lake
7 Bloomington. The smaller channels and tributaries inventoried include Big Slough and
8 eight additional unnamed tributaries (Illustrations 2-6)
9
Illustration 2:Inventoried Streams
Money Creek 2
Illustration 3:Inventoried Streams
Money Creek 2
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 41
June 12, 2008
Illustration 5: Inventoried Streams Money Creek 5
1
Illustration 4: Inventoried Streams Money Creek 4
42 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Illustration 3: Inventoried Streams Big Slough
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 43
June 12, 2008
1
2
3
4 The method used to inventory the channels is an expanded adaptation of the
5 Rapid Assessment, Point Method of Erosion and Sediment Inventory Procedures for
6 Illinois, April 2001, Natural Resources Conservation Service. The NRCS procedure is
7 intended to use 160 acre sample plots to estimate erosion from all sources and then
8 expand the results to a larger watershed. In this study only the “streambank” erosion
9 section of the RAPM method was used to estimate sediment contributions. However,
10 rather than use the 160 acre sample plots to estimate soil loss, a 100% inventory has
11 been completed on the major streams as identified earlier. (RAP-M 2007)
12 A total of approx. 28 miles of channel were physically walked and streambank
13 erosion calculated by estimating the length, height and lateral recession rate of each
14 eroding streambank that met or exceeded the “moderate” level. Lateral recession rates
15 were assigned based on field observations using the guidelines given in the NRCS
16 procedure. Areas determined to have only “slight” streambank erosion were not
17 individually inventoried however the lengths and erosion rates include estimates of
18 contributions from these areas of “slight” erosion.
19
20
21
22
23 The method used to inventory the channels is an expanded adaptation of the
24 Rapid Assessment, Point Method of Erosion and Sediment Inventory Procedures for
25 Illinois, April 2001, Natural Resources Conservation Service. The NRCS procedure is
26 intended to use 160 acre sample plots to estimate erosion from all sources and then
27 expand the results to a larger watershed. In this study only the “streambank” erosion
28 section of the RAPM method was used to estimate sediment contributions. However,
29 rather than use the 160 acre sample plots to estimate soil loss, a 100% inventory has
30 been completed on the major streams as identified earlier. (RAP-M 2007)
31 A total of approx. 28 miles of channel were physically walked and streambank
32 erosion calculated by estimating the length, height and lateral recession rate of each
33 eroding streambank that met or exceeded the “moderate” level. Lateral recession rates
34 were assigned based on field observations using the guidelines given in the NRCS
35 procedure. Areas determined to have only “slight” streambank erosion were not
36 individually inventoried however the lengths and erosion rates include estimates of
37 contributions from these areas of “slight” erosion.
38
44 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
Erosion Category Description
Estimate
d Loss
(ft/yr)
Category Description
0.03 Slight Some bare banks but active erosion not readily apparent.
No vegetative overhang. No exposed tree roots. Bank height
minimal.
0.13 Moderate Bank predominantly bare with some vegetative overhang.
Some exposed tree roots. No slumping evident.
0.40 Severe B a n k i s b are with very noticeable vegetative overhang.
Many tree roots exposed and some fallen trees. Slumping or
rotational slips present. Some changes in cultural features,
such as missing fence posts and realignment of roads.
1.5 Very
Severe
Bank is bare and vertical or nearly vertical. Soil material
has accumulated at base of slope or in water. Many fallen
trees and/or extensive vegetative overhang. Cultural features
exposed or removed or extensively altered. Numerous slumps
or rotational slips present. Generally silty or sandy bank
material, NOT glacial till or exposed shale bedrock.
1
2
3 Bankfull discharges in Lake Bloomington watershed fall near the typical 1.5 year
4 return interval for rural streams, which means that the height to the top of the bank of the
5 channel is typical for a rural stream. There is little down cutting of the streambed, but
6 lateral movement of the channel may still occur.
7   Over 83 percent of the sediment contributed from streambank erosion is
8 generated from Money Creek. The streambank erosion inventory found the total
9 sediment yield to Lake Bloomington from Money Creek alone to be approx. 1050
10 tons of sediment delivered annually.
11   Stream channels inventoried are delivering to Lake Bloomington from 2 tons to
12 78 tons of sediment per mile of stream channel. The sediment generated from
13 streambank erosion varies widely from the lowest at 1.7 tons per sq. mi.(Trib. 6A)
14 to the highest at 77.8 tons per sq. mi. (Trib. 1B). While Money Creek is producing
15 the most overall sediment since it is the major channel above Lake Bloomington
16 through which approx. 80 percent of total flow can be attributed.
17   Unlike Six Mile Creek above Evergreen Lake, Money Creek above Lake
18 Bloomington does not show significant signs of downcutting. Therefore the
19 primary source of streambank erosion comes from lateral bank migration alone.
20 Of the 11 cross sections taken on Money Creek all were found to be in either
21 CEM (Channel Evolution Model) stage 2 or 6, meaning there is no active
22 degradation and/or widening within Money Creek.
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 45
June 12, 2008
1   The extent and the magnitude of the CEM Stage 2 and 6 stream segments
2 indicate there are no “system-wide” instability problems in Money Creek.
3   Sediment delivery to Lake Bloomington from streambank erosion is significantly
4 less that that found on Evergreen Lake. The total sediment delivered annually
5 from streambank erosion in the Lake Bloomington watershed is estimated at 21
6 tons per square mile of drainage area while Evergreen Lake was estimated to be
7 delivering 53 tons per square mile.
8
9 RAP-M Watershed Study
10
11 An erosion/sedimentation inventory was conducted for all land uses in the Lake
12 Bloomington watershed in McLean County. The watershed totals approximately
13 43,100 acres or about 67.3 square miles. Sediment Delivery Rates (SDR) for each type
14 of erosion occurring within the watershed were also calculated. The main goal was to
15 estimate total sediment load to the lake from the main branch of Money Creek and the
16 major tributaries. This study in its entirety can be found in Appendix III.
17
18
19
20 SUMMARY OF EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION IN LAKE BLOOMINGTON
21 WATER SHED
22
23 In Lake Bloomington watershed, an estimated 106,800 tons of erosion occurs on
24 an annual basis from the six major types of soil erosion: sheet, rill, ephemeral, shoreline,
25 gully, and streambank. If this number is divided by the number of acres in the
26 watershed, a rate of about 2.4 tons per acre per year is obtained, when ALL sources of
27 erosion are considered. Approximately 29,900 tons of suspended and bedload
28 sediment is actually “delivered” to the lake on a yearly basis. This estimated amount of
29 sediment delivered is based on watershed-derived erosion and doesn’t represent a
30 measured amount at the outlet end. This gives an overall rate of 0.69 tons per acre per
31 year or 445 tons of sediment per square mile of watershed when the entire watershed is
32 considered. At 30 pounds per cubic foot, this calculates to be 45.7 acre-feet of
33 sediment deposition on an annual basis or at 40 pounds per cubic foot, it calculates to
34 be 34.3 acre-feet of deposition per year.
SO IL ER OSIO N AN DEL IVER Y TO LAKE BLO OMIN GTON
.ye bnoTMir1B .581.025 50 537.31 19 .0128.0128 .0351.39 .949.050 .1727 08
. bTir1CD .045 0 0.25 .2125 29 .012812 .463 .134 .0349
. bTir2AB .035.05 0.07 .72.83 24 .0128.0128 .67.018 .184.037 .415 7
. bTir456A .05.0125 0 0.08.53 .51.1267 815 .0128.0812 .4.02345 .049.282689 .0147
. bTir69AB .08.025 0.17 .19.37 91 .0812.0812 .5.6014 .125.476 .26
Big Slough East 2.45 3.7 30 10.35 15.5 7.05 16. 4
46 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
Roughly 68% of the suspended sediment comes from sheet and 1 rill erosion on all
2 cropland slopes. This land makes up the majority of the watershed with B slopes, 2-5%
3 slope, dominating the crop fields. Approximately 5% is coming from ephemeral erosion
4 (channel) which seems a little low for this type of watershed. Gullies or concentrated
5 flow areas are only contributing about 2% of the total suspended sediment. About 5%
6 comes from streambank erosion (channel). Surprisingly, shore line erosion contributes
7 nearly 14 % of the suspended sediment total. The A/B slope cropland areas appear to
8 be contributing significant sediment but there is still much discussion on SDR rates for
9 slopes less than 5%. It is believed presently that SDR base rates of 0.10 to 0.15 may
10 be more appropriate. These lower rates would reduce sediment totals from the A/B
11 slopes.
12 Bedload material is commonly sand and gravel and is very seldom measured as
13 an output at the point of delivery, because of the cost and extensive sampling equipment
14 that is necessary to complete this job. USGS gage stations do not routinely sample or
15 measure this material. General estimates can be made, based on suspended sediment
16 quantities. In Illinois, estimates of 5 to 30 percent of this total can be used. In this
17 case, roughly 3,900 tons were added to the total suspended load delivered of 26,000
18 tons to arrive at the total delivered sediment amount of 29,900 tons. In most cases,
19 bedload type, composition, and grain size coming from the streambanks and shore lines
20 is used extensively in channel design and channel geomorphology studies. The gullies,
21 streambanks, and shore line sources contribute the majority of the bedload to the
22 system.
23
24 IN-LAKE SEDIMENT STUDY
25 An in-lake sediment survey was completed in summer and fall of 2005 by
26 Hanson Engineers Inc. The purpose of these surveys is multiple, but one major objective
27 is to determine amount of sedimentation that has taken place in the lake since the dam
28 was closed. The accompanying objective is to then determine how much storage
29 volume remains in the lake and if long-range changes in a lake management plan are
30 needed. They concluded that between the years of 1929 and 1999 approximately
31 2,436 acre-feet of sediment has accumulated in the lake or about 34.8 acre-feet per year
32 for the entire 70 years lifespan. (See complete report: “Bloomington Lake
33 Sedimentation Survey” by Hanson Engineers Inc., January 5, 2000)
34 If we compare the sediment that has accumulated in the lake to that which is
35 estimated by this inventory, we can validate both methods and increase the degree of
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 47
June 12, 2008
1 reliability of these projects. Bulk density of the sediment was not directly determined in
2 their survey. If we assume 30 pounds per cubic foot, the total from our inventory would
3 be 45.7 acre-feet on an average annual basis. If we assume 40 pounds per cubic foot,
4 our acre-feet of annual sediment accumulation would be about 34.3. It appears from
5 this that both the “watershed estimate” and the “sink estimate” were very similar. This
6 gives us a certain degree of reliability in the processes that were applied within this
7 watershed.
Erosion and Sediment Totals for Lake Bloomington
Location Erosion (tons) SDR
Sediment
Delivered (Tons)
Cropland A/B 93,100 0.18 16,760
Cropland C/C+ 1,810 0.55 1,000
Grasslands,
CRP, Etc (All
Slopes)
3,100 0.25 755
Woodland
(All Slopes)
860 0.60 520
Ephemeral 2,000 0.6 1,300
Gully-Lakeside 280 0.85 240
Gully- Money
Creek
285 0.70 200
Streambank 1,260 1.0 1,260
Shoreline 3,756 1.0 3,760
Total 106,800 26,000
Suspended
sediment
26,000
Estimated
Bedload (15%)
3,900
Sediment
transported to lake
29,900
8
9
10
48 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1
2
3
4 Water Uses
5
6 The primary use of Lake Bloomington (572 acres) is as a reservoir for the City
7 of Bloomington. The city has 3 pumps rated at 27.5 million gallons of water per day
8 total pumping capacity at the lake. Pumpage levels vary widely between the years and
9 during the year, depending on the weather and the water quality in both Lake
10 Bloomington and Evergreen Lake, and (if other factors permit) maintenance of a water
11 level to support recreational uses during the summer. At the current average pumping
12 level of 11.4 million gallons per day, the lake contains enough water for approximately
13 250 days. In addition, leaseholders are permitted to draw water directly from the lake
14 for irrigation purposes only.
Sources of nitrate delivery to Lake
Bloomington
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000
Runoff from crop lands
Septic systems
Lawn fertilizers
Lake bottom sediments
Shoreline erosion
East Bay Camp and Retreat
TN Low
TN High
Sources of phosphorus delivery to Lake
Bloomington
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000
Runoff from crop lands
Septic systems
Lawn fertilizers
Lake bottom sediments
Shoreline erosion
East Bay Camp and Retreat
TP Low
TP High
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 49
June 12, 2008
1 Much of Lake Bloomington’s shoreline is occupied by residences and camps
2 (three) on land leased from the City of Bloomington. In addition, several city parks are
3 scattered around the shoreline. Accordingly, Lake Bloomington experiences
4 considerable recreational use including motor boating, waterskiing and tubing, sailing,
5 canoeing and kayaking, swimming and fishing. In the winter there is some ice skating,
6 ice fishing and snowmobiling when ice thickness permits, but given central Illinois
7 climate this usually occurs only for brief periods, if at all, each winter. While residents
8 and their guests are the primary recreational users, a marina provides mooring for boats
9 (primarily pontoon boats) owned and operated by non-residents and many non-residents
10 use the boat launch to put in boats on a daily basis.
11 Boats must be registered with the lake ranger and have complete access to the
12 lake. Motorized boats are limited to a 40 horsepower motor and jet skis are prohibited.
13 Outside of the large basins, the lake is posted as a “no wake zone” where motors are to
14 be operated at idle speed. Since these zones are generally narrower and shallower
15 than the basins, this regulation has the dual purpose of helping to minimize shoreline
16 erosion due to wake action and enhancing boating safety. Most of the shoreline area in
17 the “no wake zones” is natural as opposed to the primarily steel seawalls that front the
18 great majority of the residential sites.
19 Lake Bloomington is inhabited by fish species including large- and smallmouth
20 bass, hybrid striped bass, walleye, bluegill, crappie and catfish. While some species
21 occur naturally, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources also direct a long-term
22 fishery management plan for the lake. Since 1984, the lake has been stocked with
23 almost 127,000 largemouth bass fingerlings, 575,000 walleye fingerlings and 25,000
24 hybrid striped bass fingerlings.
25
26 Conservation
27 Conservation Practices
28
29 The City of Bloomington, Pheasants Forever, and the McLean County Soil & Water
30 Conservation District (SWCD) have provided funds for filter strips along waterways in
31 both the Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington watersheds. Filter strips, an important
32 Best Management Practice (BMP) and easily installed, had 213 acres formerly enrolled
33 in the Lake Bloomington watershed in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) by
34 the beginning of 2007.
50 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1
2 The city of Bloomington has installed interlocking concrete blocks and seawall
3 protection as erosion control measures around Lake Bloomington and plans to
4 implement extensive shoreline stabilization measures, possibly to include riprap and
5 plantings as described in the implementation section of this plan.
6
7 Nature Preserves in the Watershed
8
9 The Lake Bloomington/Money Creek Watershed contains some lands that are
10 protected as nature preserves in which the emphasis is maintaining and restoring native
11 vegetation. Such lands are very important in reducing the inputs of TMDL pollutants
12 because they keep portions of the watershed in a native vegetational condition. Two
13 entities have worked to establish such nature preserves: ParkLands Foundation and the
14 Indian Creek Homeowners Association. In total, these preserves protect approximately
15 122 acres.
16
17 1. Parklands Foundation
18
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 51
June 12, 2008
1 ParkLands Foundation (www.parklandsfoundation.org) is a nonprofit, public
2 membership land trust dedicated to acquiring, preserving and restoring natural areas in
3 central Illinois since 1967. ParkLands manages over 1,500 acres of its own land,
4 including the Merwin Nature Preserve along the Mackinaw River in McLean County, and
5 also assists with the management of The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Chinquapin
6 Bluffs Natural Area in Woodford County.
7 Within the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek watershed, ParkLands Foundation
8 owns 102 acres of lands that it manages and restores into native vegetational
9 communities such as tallgrass prairie and deciduous woodlands.
10 The Moon Tract Nature Preserve consists of 42 acres of a former farm
11 field/pasture that is located one-half mile east of Carver Corner on the north side of the
12 road, on the central-west side of Lake Bloomington. The goal for this preserve is to
13 restore the site to high-quality tallgrass prairie and oak savanna woodland through
14 planting a diverse assemblage of native wildflowers, grasses, and trees using local
15 ecotypes whenever possible.
16 The Breen Woods I Preserve consists of 38 acres of woodlands southwest of the
17 East Bay Camp on the east side of Lake Bloomington. The site consists of a scotch
18 pine plantation and an old field that is regenerating in trees. The goal for this preserve
19 is to restore the site to native deciduous woodlands.
20 The Breen Woods II Preserve consists of two separate tracts totaling 22 acres
21 and are located on the south side of the P.J. Kellar Blacktop approximately one mile east
22 of the Lake Bloomington dam. The tracts are interspersed with land owned by East Bay
23 Camp. The tracts consist of a high quality deciduous woodland dominated by oaks.
24 Management is needed to prevent the invasion of maple trees that are displacing the
25 higher quality oaks and hickory which provide more value to wildlife.
26
27 2. Indian Creek Homeowners Association
28
29 The Indian Creek Homeowners Association (www.frontiernet.net/~indiancreek) is
30 a group of nearly 100 homeowners making up the Indian Creek subdivision. The
31 wooded, rural subdivision is located within the Lake Bloomington/Money Creek
32 watershed two miles due north of Towanda on the east side of County Road 1900. It
33 straddles Money Creek about 3 miles southeast of where it enters Lake Bloomington.
34 The Indian Creek subdivision consists of approximately 160 acres of former
35 farmland, pasture, and deciduous woodland, including approximately 60 acres of
52 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
common ground that was deemed unsuitable for home construction. 1 Approximately 20
2 acres of this common ground are being maintained by the residents as a private nature
3 area with hiking trails along Money Creek. Management efforts carried out entirely by
4 resident volunteers include trail maintenance, exotic species control, placement of bird
5 houses, tree identification tags, and removal of "weed" trees in areas where older oak
6 and hickory trees are still found. Future goals include continued restoration of the
7 woodland, and establishment of a prairie in an open area that had previously been used
8 as a soccer practice field.
9
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 53
June 12, 2008
1 Problem Statements
2
3 The primary problems in the Lake Bloomington watershed are that the level of
4 phosphorus and nitrates are too high, and that sedimentation of the lake is occurring.
5 The Lake Bloomington Steering and TAC Committees have addressed the sources of
6 phosphorus, sedimentation, and nitrates and prioritized them.
7
8 A. Inconsistent water supply to the City of Bloomington:
9 The IEPA TMDL
10 phosphorus limit level (0.05 mg/l) may
11 or may not be attainable, and as
12 standards might be revised over the
13 course of the implementation, the
14 planning committee met to address
15 problems in the watershed based on
16 current regulations. The IEPA TMDL
17 nitrate level is 10ppm. Sedimentation
18 and/or turbidity does not have a
19 mandated level. The plan will strive to
20 implement strategies to work toward the
21 current limits. Lack of data in many
22 areas acts as a significant detriment to
23 planning, therefore data gathering is part
24 of future planning.
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
TOTAL PHOSPHORUS AVERAGE
CONCENTRATIONS & RANGES LAKE
BLOOMINGTON 1977-2003
Year
Average
Yearly
Concentration
(milligrams per
liter)
Minimum –
Maximum
Concentration
(milligrams per
liter)
1977 0.02 0.01 – 0.04
1979 0.03 0.01 – 0.05
1981 0.06 0.01 – 0.2
1982 0.03 0.01 – 0.04
1988 0.03 0.02 – 0.22
1990 0.13 0.02 – 0.51
1992 0.04 0.02 – 0.09
1995 0.05 0.02 – 0.11
1997 0.03 0.01– 0.06
1998 0.08 0.03 – 0.23
54 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
Total Phosphorus Average Concentrations Lake Bloomington
(1977-2003)
Year
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Total Phosphorus Average Concentration (milligrams per liter)
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
Water Quality Standard
Average yearly concentration milligrams per liter
Water Quality Standard 0.05 milligrams per liter
Lake Bloomington Nitrate-N Concentrations
Year
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
NO3-N (mg/L)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 B.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 55
June 12, 2008
1 Water Clarity
2
3
4 Water clarity is a commonly used indicator of lake water quality. Water clarity
5 (also called transparency) is measured in lakes using a Secchi disk. The 20 centimeter
6 diameter disk is lowered into the lake and recording the depth at which it disappears
7 from view.
8 Regular measurements of Secchi disk transparency are taken over the course of
9 the summer and over many years. The general trend in transparency over the years
10 gives an indication of the trend in water quality for the lake. Increasing water clarity
11 indicates decreases in suspended sediment or decreases in nutrients entering the lake.
12 Decreasing clarity indicates increases in suspended sediment or nutrients.
13
14 Continued shoreline, streambank, and sheet and rill erosion
15
16 An estimated 106,800 tons of erosion occurs on an annual basis from the six major
17 types of soil erosion within the Lake Bloomington watershed. Approximately 29,900
18 tons of suspended and bedload sediment is actually “delivered” to the lake on a yearly
19 basis.
20 The 2005 study by Wayne Kinney predicts approximately 3800 tons of
21 sediment are generated annually in Lake Bloomington shoreline erosion.
22
23 C. Volume loss of Lake Bloomington by sedimentation
24 After the 1958 raising of the dam, at normal level Lake Bloomington held
25 7352 acre/feet of water. Since then 33% of the volume of the lake has been lost
LB Avg Secchi Disk Depths (in) by Year
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
1995 2000 2005 2010
Year
Avg Secchi Disk Depths
(in)
STA 1 Deep site by
Dam
STA 2 Middle of lake
STA 3 Hickory
Creek Arm
STA 4 Money Creek
Arm
56 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
due to sedimentation. Overalll, 2436 acre/feet of sediment has 1 entered the lake,
2 with the average of 0.4% loss every year.
3
4 D. Nutrient impacts (high nitrates, phosphorus, algae, sedimentation)
5 1. Upland erosion from cropland is carrying phosphorus into the feeder
6 streams.
7   Studies done by local fertilizer dealers show an average phosphorus level
8 in area agricultural land is 37-42 pounds per acre.
9   Nitrogen from agricultural land is released by fertilizers applied to
10 enhance crop production as well as being released naturally from the soil
11 profile.
12 2. Agricultural animals in the watershed are contributing phosphorus
13 through their waste.
14   There are 414 head of livestock in the watershed in 25 operations.
15 o 286 cattle (6 operations)
16 o 6 swine (2 operations)
17 o 42 Horses (18 operations)
18 o 80 sheep (8 operations)
19 o
20 E. Effects of Urban Development
21 1. Older or malfunctioning septic systems discharge nutrients to the watershed.
22 • 1,600-2400 lbs. of phosphorous per year.
23 • 8,400-9,500 lbs of ammonia per year
24 2. Urban lawn fertilization adds nutrients to the watershed.
25 • 7/10th of 1% (302 acres) of the watershed is urban lawn area
26 • total input data is unavailable, but data from studies indicates that urban
27 fertilization has less than 1% of the nutrient load to the watershed.
28 3. Urban construction runoff contributes excessive sediment and phosphorus to
29 surrounding surface waters.
30 • Construction sites that are mass graded are often left free from protection the
31 entire year
32 • Rich black soils high in organic matter are stripped off and expose highly
33 susceptible subsoils to erosive elements
34 • Compacted soils on construction sites reduce infiltration of rainwater and
35 contribute more runoff and therefore erosion of highly susceptible soils
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 57
June 12, 2008
1 • Rain events occurring on one acre of a construction site can contribute 20 times
2 the sediment or more that of typical agricultural lands of same soil type and
3 grade if not protected using proper soil erosion and sediment control BMP.
4 • The lbs of Phosphorus contributed by these lands is only obtainable through
5 specific analysis of soils data and compliance with recommended NPDES Phase
6 II requirements for construction site BMPs.
7 • Nitrogen, associated with eroded soil, from construction sites results in a
8 negligible amount of nitrate input to surrounding surface waters.
9 4.Increase in impervious surfaces
10 • Reduced groundwater recharge
11 • Increased flashiness in receiving water bodies
12 • Increased flow/velocity in receiving streams
13 • Increased temperature of receiving waters
14 • Increased delivery of urban pollutants
15
16 F. Impacts to recreational resources and wildlife habitat
17 1. Fish survey data indicates that Money Creek has an IBI index of 24-30,
18 which indicates it is Class Low.
19 2. Game fish management objectives have not been met in Lake
20 Bloomington due to contributions of sedimentation and water level
21 fluctuations.
22 3. Studies have shown that carp in the lake increase turbidity and resuspend
23 phosphorus in the lake.
24
25 G. Gaps in scientific information
26 1. Biota information.-Further information on the plants and animals of the
27 watershed is needed to:
28 • track changes in water quality;
29 • improve knowledge of the presence and health of any Illinois listed
30 species (Illinois Species in Greatest Need of Conservation, Illinois
31 Threatened, Illinois Endangered);
32 • counteract current ecological degradation.
33 Regular stream surveys of mussels, fishes, and EPTs (invertebrate
34 groups ephemeroptera, plecoptera, and trichoptera) will provide an important
35 biotic index of water quality. Surveys searching for and restoring listed
58 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
species will ensure that our natural biotic legacy is known, 1 appreciated and
2 protected. Ecological health surveys and ecological restoration of public
3 land and cooperating private land will help reverse the negative impacts of
4 invasive species (e.g., garlic mustard) and overabundant native species (e.g.,
5 maple trees, white-tailed deer) that are degrading the native ecosystems,
6 thereby reducing their ability to retard soil erosion, ameliorate high and low
7 flows, and act as a natural water purification agent.
8 2. Tile information in watershed in incomplete and not collected in an
9 organized coordinated manner.
10 3. Discharge from onsite waste systems from homes adjacent to Lake
11 Bloomington in not measured in any manner at this time.
12 4. Gauging stations from Money and Hickory creeks needs to be restored to
13 collect current data.
14 5. Inadequacies in the modeling.
15 Future modeling efforts can benefit from improvements in data collection.
16 Some specific data needs that need to be considered are:
17 • local measurements of precipitation and pan evaporation;
18 • updated measurements of flow from Money, Hickory and other
19 creeks;
20 • direct measurements of septic flow along the lake boundary.
21 In addition, there should be coordination with The Nature Conservancy's
22 modeling efforts in the Mackinaw River valley that includes this watershed.
23 Finally, expert watershed modelers should be consulted to establish the key
24 parameters that need measurement for future modeling efforts and assist in
25 choosing the most appropriate models for this type of watershed.
26
27
28
29 H. Adequacy of knowledge, awareness of, and incentives to implement
30 BMP’s and other suggested strategies in the watershed
31 There are numerous challenges for the implementations of best management
32 practices (BMPs) including, for example, funding challenges, staffing challenges and
33 educational challenges. While the Lake Bloomington watershed employs some BMPs,
34 including nutrient management programs and filter strips coordinated through the NRCS,
35 more BMPs could be employed.
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 59
June 12, 2008
1 While not measurable, anecdotal evidence suggests significant outreach
2 programs (i.e. education and marketing) result in higher utilization of both existing and
3 proposed programs.
4 Ongoing education and information to stakeholders of the Lake Bloomington
5 watershed, including but not limited to funding agencies, is imperative to implement
6 BMPs in the watershed.
7
8
9
60 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1
2 Goals/Objectives
3 There are three water quality issues in Lake Bloomington: nitrate/nitrite levels,
4 phosphorus levels, and overall increased sedimentation. The goals are geared toward
5 reductions in these areas. Goals are divided as to the three geographical areas in the
6 watershed: the Riparian Area, which included the lake itself and all shoreline, stream
7 banks, and feeder streams; The Urban Area, which includes all urban high density
8 developments in the watershed; and the Agricultural Area which is the majority of the
9 watershed land use.
10
11 Riparian Area Goals:
12 1. Streambank erosion
13 Stabilizing the streambank erosion on the lake feeder streams will reduce
14 the amount of phosphorus entering the lake by 20%.
15 1. Lakeshore erosion
16 Controlling lake shore erosion will reduce the amount of phosphorus
17 entering the lake by 60%.
18 2. Internal Loading
19 The destratifier is presently responsible for reducing the amount of
20 phosphorus held in the deep zone of the lake. We would expect that the
21 effectiveness of the destratifier would continue. The destratifier increases the
22 oxygenated zone from 16 ft to 30 ft. The oxygenated zone has
23 approximately 65% less phosphorus than the anoxic zone.
24
25 Urban Area Goals:
26 1. Development of Construction Erosion and Sediment controls
27 Develop and enforce ordinances to control the discharge of sediment with
28 associated phosphorus so that water leaving these sites does not contribute
29 to the turbidity of receiving water bodies.
30 2. Urban Lawn fertilizer reduction
31 An increase in educational programs will raise awareness in the
32 community to low or non-chemical lawn care.
33 3. Urban Septic system replacement and inspection
34 a. Replacement of inadequate septic systems as detected by
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 61
June 12, 2008
1 inspections would reduce the amount of phosphorus and nitrates entering the
2 watershed.
3 b. Attaching the Lake Bloomington developed area to the Bloomington-
4 Normal Water Reclamation District would reduce phosphorus and nitrates
5 from onsite waste delivery entering the watershed by 100%.
6
7 Agricultural Area Goals:
8 1. Voluntary nutrient management plan. (Specific goals articulated in the table
9 following.)
10 2. Upland Cropland erosion
11 a. Reduce delivery of sediment from upland erosion caused by sheet
12 and rill, and ephemeral erosion by 21% in the next 10 years to the lake if
13 there is 100% compliance. The expected compliance is 25%. This will
14 be accomplished through implementation of agricultural Best
15 Management Practices such as no-till/strip-till, grassed waterways,
16 terraces and water and sediment control basins, filter strips and field
17 borders. Along Agricultural corridors, reduce streambank and shoreline
18 erosion and the accompanying sediment delivery to the lake by 16%, at
19 100% compliance, through streambank and shoreline stabilization
20 projects. The expected compliance is 20%. These practices will include
21 rock riffles, stream barbs and longitudinal peak stone toe protection.
22 3. Livestock Management Plan
23 a. The estimated phosphorus load created by livestock operations in
24 the Lake Bloomington Watershed is 1503 pounds. Based on NRCS staff
25 surveys of the 6 livestock producers in the watershed, it is believed that
26 17% of the producers would voluntarily engage in BMPs. However
27 engaging this 17% would eliminate approximately 25% or 376 pounds of
28 phosphorus.
29 4. Tile Drainage
30 Based on a study by David Kovacic, it is estimated if 5% of the
31 estimated tile area that is drained in the watershed is converted to
32 wetlands (382 acres), then a 46% reduction of nitrogen load would be
33 obtained, which would be 95% of the required reduction of TMDL
34 requirements. NRCS/SWCD staff has estimated that 20 acres of
35 constructed wetland would be realistic.
62 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1
2
Lake Bloomington Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction Goals
Source Estimated
Nitrate Load
(tons)
Estimate
d
participation
Per unit
Estimat
ed
reduction
of existing
load
Projected
reduction
percentage
Field Tile runoff 72,000 63% 50%
(36,000
lbs)
5.8%
Post-construction
urban runoff Data not available
Septic tank
Ammonia
8,700
See Problem Statement
Agricultural
Livestock
41,338 25% 25%
(1034.5
lbs)
1.6%
Feeder stream
delivery
591,319 8% 5%
(29,825
lbs)
4.8%
Estimated Total 718,544 ------------
-
66,859
.5 lbs
9.3%
Mandated
Reduction Total
---------------- ------------
-
622,44
1 lb/yr
48%
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 63
June 12, 2008
Lake Bloomington Phosphorus Reduction Goals
Source Estimated
Phosphorus
load (lbs)
Estimated
participation
per unit
Estimated
reduction
of existing
load
Percentage
Of
Mandated
Reduction
Streambank
erosion
1,237 5,434/217,360
feet
20% (247
lbs)
3.65
Sheet and rill
erosion
19,988 18,000/36,000
acres
5% (999 lbs) 14.5
Shoreline erosion 3,087 6,546/55,580
feet
60% (1852
lbs)
27.4
Field tile runoff 198 15,360/36,000
acres
50% (94 lbs) 1.5
Agricultural
livestock
1,503 1 /4 operations 50% (376
lbs)
5.6
Post-construction
urban runoff
Data not available
Urban Lawn
fertilizer
Data not available
< 1%
Internal lake
loading
351 100%/ 1 unit 65%
(228 lbs.)
3.3%
Urban septic
system
2,000
See Problem Statement
Estimated
ReductionTotal
----------------
---
----------------
----
3,568 lbs 52.7%
Mandated
Reduction Total
(89% of existing
load)
6,762 lb/yr
Lake Bloomington Sedimentation Reduction Goals
Source Estimated
Sediment Load
(tons)
Estimated
participation per
unit
Estimated
reduction of
existing load
Projecte
d reduction
tons
Streambank
erosion
1,260 5,434/217,360
feet
20% 315
Sheet and
rill erosion
20,355 18,000/36,000
acres
5% 1,018
Shoreline
erosion
3,688
6,546/55,580
feet
20% 738
Post-construction
urban runoff
Data not available
Urban
construction
runoff
Data not available
Estimated
Reduction
Total
N/A 2,071
64 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
An error was found in the original Lake Bloomington TMDL report 1 estimating the
2 needed reductions to meet Illinois Environmental Protection Agency water quality
3 standards. This errata sheet is dated February 19, 2008; therefore, the errors were
4 found after we had completed our calculations for this watershed plan. TetraTech
5 recalculated the needed reductions based on their revised load estimates, with the new
6 reductions for the watershed now estimated to be 34% for nitrate-N and 66% for total P.
7 We report these new reductions for information only, and have not adjusted our
8 estimates.
9 Best Management Practices
10 Riparian Practices
11 Lakeshore Erosion Control
12 Solutions considered to halt the bank recession in this area are evaluated in this
13 report based on seven factors.
14 1. The solution should first provide long term control of the receding bankline,
15 in excess of 50 years.
16 2. The solution must be socially acceptable and aesthetically pleasing given
17 the public use of these areas.
18 3. The solution must allow for installation during normal lake operation levels.
19 4. Contamination of the lake during construction should be at the lowest
20 possible level.
21 5. If possible it should enhance the aquatic habitat and improve fisheries in
22 the lake.
23 6. Cost per foot of bank is always a consideration.
24 7. The solution should maintain as much lake volume as possible.
25 8. All erosion class 2 to class 6 shoreline (27,618 feet) would benefit from
26 stabilization.
27
28 Using these criteria, the tradition method of bank control using "sheet
29 piling" in the residential portion of the lake has not been considered due to
30 cost and aesthetics, assuming a more natural looking bankline is the desired
31 result. Six alternative approaches were considered in the 2005 Study.
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 65
June 12, 2008
1 All six traditional alternatives would utilize a stone bankline below the
2 waterline and extending approximately 2 ft. above the waterline. While there
3 is not a comprehensive study of the wave action on Lake Bloomington, this
4 height proved to be sufficient in the study conducted on Evergreen Lake and
5 given the similar size and orientation the Evergreen Lake results will be
6 applied to Lake Bloomington. This stone bankline will provide the bank
7 stability to prevent additional bank recession and will be constructed of RR-5
8 stone which will provide a rocky substrate as an additional element useful for
9 aquatic habitat enhancement.
10 Initial consideration was given to utilizing the existing cobble eroded
11 from the bankline to supplement the stone requirements of the bank
12 protection measures. However, discussions with fisheries biologist, Mike
13 Garthaus from IDNR suggest that the cobble found in the lake provides a
14 useful habitat element that should be left in place for fish enhancement. The
15 shallow water depths found along the eroding banks are also a negative
16 factor for fisheries; however the alternatives proposed will all reduce the
17 extent of the shallow water area near the bank by placing fill material within
18 the lake near the present shoreline.
19
20 Armor Stone Breakwaters with Transitional Wetland Alternative
21 An additional alternative to the traditional shoreline protection alternative selected
22 in the 2005 report is Armor Stone Breakwaters with Transitional Wetlands. Normally
23 recommended for reservoir shorelines where the fore slope has been reduced to at least
24 8h:1v. Toe protection for the breakwater is generally provided by a riprap apron placed
25 on the fore slope.
26 A proposed armor stone breakwater is sometimes considered to be a hazard to
27 boating, however, when located near the original shoreline, the structure is in shallow
28 water where an operating power boat would be in imminent danger of running aground
29 regardless of the existence of a breakwater. A shallow water location also minimizes
30 the required quantity of stone.
31 An armor stone breakwater stops shoreline retreat, provides an area of quiet
32 water near shore where a beneficial wetland habitat can flourish and space is available
33 for the back slope to attain it's angle of repose.
66 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
1
2
3 At Kinkaid Lake in Jackson County, IL , just a few years after it began, armor
4 stone breakwater shoreline work already is reaping clear benefits. New wetlands created
5 between the rock berms and the shore are filled with vegetation and aquatic life where
6 bare dirt once existed. Biologists report 121 species, including two state-threatened
7 species, have moved in to colonize those new wetlands. Even the view from above looks
8 different as water clarity improves. (IDNR, Outdoor Highlights, 7/07)
9 Traditional, shoreline stabilization has been accomplished by using heavy
10 construction equipment to build temporary roads, reshape the eroded shoreline, and
11 place riprap. This method can be destructive to valuable woodland habitat and steep
12 slopes, particularly in areas where there are no existing roads. Armor Stone Breakwaters
13 can also be developed using construction methods that utilize boats to deliver materials
14 to remote shorelines without damaging the woodland habitat or steep slopes. The Armor
15 Stone Breakwaters do not require reshaping the shoreline and facilitate a diverse
16 shoreline habitat.
17 Streambank Erosion Control
18 The Bankfull Width over Bankfull Depth ratios (W/D) range between 8 and 15
19 with the exception of Cross Section #2 on Big Slough East with W/D ratio of 5.5.
20 Therefore the recommendation is to avoid use of Stream Barbs and/or Bendway Weirs
21 to redirect flow from eroding banks. Use of these techniques is only applicable to wider
22 W/D ratio channels with significant bar material that can be easily moved by the channel
23 flow. The most effective and economical treatment in the majority of locations within the
24 Lake Bloomington watershed will be to “harden the toe” of the eroding banks to prevent
25 continued undercutting and slumping of banks. In isolated cases there will be a need for
26 limited use of “grade control” to halt active downcutting. Stone Toe protection (STP) and
27 Rock Riffles (RR) are the preferred methods recommended.
28
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 67
June 12, 2008
1 Stone Toe Protection (STP): (Fig. Below) Each eroding bank can be protected with
2 non-erodible materials. Typically meandering bends similar to those in the Lake
3 Bloomington watershed can be stabilized by placing the hard armor only on the toe of
4 the bank. The most common method is to use quarry stone properly sized to resist
5 movement and placed on the lower one third of the bank in a windrow fashion. This
6 technique is called Stone Toe Protection (STP) and is widely accepted and successful.
7 There are a few obstacles to overcome in this watershed to make use of STP
8 successful. First, some of the bends in the channel are “unstable” having a radius of
9 curvature less than 1.5 times the channel width. Research has shown that bends with a
10 radius of less than about 1.8 times the bankfull width are unstable and tend to “cutoff”. In
11 order to use STP successfully under these conditions the channel would need to be
12 “realigned” in order to produce a radius of curvature that falls within the range of “stable”
13 geometric planforms. Installing STP without making these channel adjustments would be
14 to risk failure of the STP and encourage channel cutoffs leaving the STP application in
15 an “abandoned” reach of channel. Second, the total amount of eroding bank will require
16 many sections of the stream to have STP on one side or the other, resulting in extensive
17 use of STP and a very costly application.
18
19 NRCS Standard Drawing of Stone Toe Protection
20
21 Rock Riffle Grade Control (RR): (Fig. below) Use of loose rock grade control structures
22 at the “natural” riffle locations in a stream will create or enhance the “riffle-pool” flow
23 sequence found in natural channels. In stable systems this alternating “riffle-pool”
68 Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan
June 12, 2008
sequence dissipates the energy in the stream and allows the 1 streambanks to remain
2 stable with little or no appreciable lateral movement. By installing RR in an incised
3 channel, the riffles will raise the water surface elevation resulting in lower effective bank
4 heights, which increases the bank stability by reducing the tractive force on the banks.
5 Research has found that stable streams have a riffle every 5 to 7 bankfull widths
6 and that at this natural spacing the stream is still able to transport the sediment
7 generated in the watershed. This is crucial because failure to be able to transport
8 sediment would result in the channel filling with sediment and losing its capacity. Such
9 stable streams therefore have a well developed floodplain at the one to two year return
10 interval discharge rate. Thus the flows larger than this go “out-of-bank” and dissipate
11 excess energy over a wide floodplain, allowing the banks to remain stable and intact.
12 In Lake Bloomington watershed only Big Slough East has significant need for
13 rock riffles. Rock riffles are also recommended for some tributaries to Money Creek,
14 however these are smaller drainage areas and the total impact to Lake Bloomington is
15 small from these sites.
16
17 NRCS Standard Drawing for Rock Riffle Grade Control
18
19
20 Destratification
Draft/ Lake Bloomington Management Plan 69
June 12, 2008
1 The destratifier is presently responsible for reducing the amount of phosphorus
2 held in the deep zone of the lake. We would expect that the effectiveness of the
3 destratifier would continue. The destratifier increases the oxygenated zone from 16 ft to
4 30 ft. in the entire volume of the lake. The oxygenated zone has approximately 70% less
5 phosphorus than the anoxic zone.
6
7 Agricultural Practices
8 There are several Agricultural BMP’s that are proven to reduce sedimentation,
9 nitrate and phosphorous levels. They include nutrient management developed by TSPs
10 (Technical Service Providers) based on proven recommendations that manage the
11 amount, form, timing and placement of nutrients, so nutrients are available for plants and
12 least likely to leave the farm. Other non-structural practices that can benefit the
13 streams, Lake Bloomington and overall environment are no-till and strip-till on cropland
14 areas and filter strips, and riparian buffers along field borders, windbreaks and streams.
15 Structural practices that can reduce nutrient inputs include wetlands, grassed
16 waterways, grade stabil