The Chicago Ecological Services Field Office assisted the Delta Institute and other partners in hosting a stormwater best management practices (BMP) training, March 22, in McHenry County, Ill.

The training was the first of four sessions in northeastern Illinois. 

The training is intended to educate rapidly developing communities about integrated stormwater management technologies for water quality benefits. 

Research and case studies were presented to support BMP recommendations.  Several BMPs were discussed including: preservation of natural features, naturalized detention basins, infiltration basins/trenches, green roofs, rain gardens, street bioswales, parking lot bioswales, permeable pavement, vegetated swales, and rain cisterns. 

The target audience for the training included county and municipal officials, zoning officials, planners, developers, and consultants.  Funding for the workshop sessions is supported with a Service grant to Chicago Wilderness.  Matching funds of 50% will be provided. 

The Chicago ES office is also involved in a partnership that implements BMPs and green infrastructure in advance of development, to protect sensitive wetland areas in McHenry County.  The partners, collectively called the McHenry County Aquatic Resource Protection Task Force (MCARP) identify sites that are considered to be the highest quality aquatic resources (based on field investigations and inventories conducted at the site). 

These sites are then analyzed for surrounding land use and the group determines which measures are needed to protect the high quality natural area.  Factors that are considered include: surrounding land use, surrounding soil types, soil permeability, topography, and watershed boundaries.  These factors are used to determine what recommendations should be provided to the local municipality and planning board (e.g., the use of conservation design for proposed developments or retrofitting existing developments). 

The first site chosen, West Woodstock Prairie, was determined by the group to be the highest quality aquatic resource in the county.  West Woodstock Prairie is one of the largest and biologically diverse examples of unprotected wetland/prairie complexes in McHenry County.  The results of MCARP's efforts were presented to the Village of Woodstock's Environmental Commission and the group is awaiting the Village's response.  Future sites will be evaluated using the same process. 

Members of MCARP include: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, the Land Conservancy of McHenry County, McHenry County Soil & Water Conservation District, McHenry County Conservation District, US Army Corps of Engineers-Chicago District, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.