🐟 Mainstream - May 2025

Lake County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 05/02/2025 02:44 PM CDT

Lake County Stormwater Management Commission Newsletter

May 2025

2025 Infrastructure Report Card

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently released their 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. It is a comprehensive assessment to evaluate how America’s infrastructure of roads, public buildings, mass transit, airports, water systems and more are being maintained to meet economic demand and protect public health and safety. America’s infrastructure got an overall grade of C, an increase from the C- grade received in 2021.

Unfortunately, Stormwater’s grade remained stagnant at a D. This grade is assigned to infrastructure labeled as poor, at risk of failure, and below standard with elements reaching end of service life and significant deterioration.

This year’s Report Card had improved grades in eight of the 18 categories evaluated. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in 2021 aided the improved performance of transportation, drinking water, energy and waste networks since going into effect.

We're pleased America's infrastructure is trending upward and improving, but stormwater management's lack of funding nationwide is an ongoing struggle.

There is no dedicated funding for stormwater infrastructure at the federal, state or local level. As existing systems age and reach the end of their service life, the gap in needed investment will continue to grow. At the same time, demand on these systems is increasing, and many are not equipped to meet future needs. With 20 percent of Lake County covered by surface water, our aging and undersized infrastructure is increasingly strained by heavier rainfall. As a result, flooding is likely to persist and worsen both locally and across the state.

At the state level, Illinois received a C+ overall for infrastructure, while Illinois stormwater infrastructure received a D+. The full national and state reports can be reviewed on ASCE’s website.

Learn More about the Stormwater Infrastructure Report Card
at Upcoming Webinar

Lake County Stormwater Management Commission Executive Director Kurt Woolford will be a panelist at the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card for Stormwater 2025 Overview webinar on Tuesday, June 17 at 1 p.m. Join to learn more about stromwater’s grade.

This event is co-hosted by the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (NMSA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be awarded for attending the webinar.

Registration is Now Open!
Lake-McHenry MS4 Pollution Prevention Workshop

Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) and McHenry County Planning and Development are excited to launch their annual multi-county MS4 Pollution Prevention Workshop on Wednesday, May 21 from 8:30 a.m. - noon at the Lake County Central Permit Facility, Second Floor Conference Room, 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville or via Zoom.

The workshop will cover key topics such as pollution control, good housekeeping and the MS4 Permit Program. Attendees will also receive guidance on good housekeeping practices that are vital to maintaining compliance and protecting water quality, followed by case studies of best management practices.

This program is designed to assist communities with MS4 Permits, the staff responsible for managing those programs and anyone interested in protecting our nation’s water quality.

The workshop will be hosted in a hybrid format (in-person and via Zoom). All participants will be eligible for 3 PDHs. A light breakfast and refreshments will be provided for in-person attendees.

Register for the In-Person Workshop

Register for the Virtual Workshop

See full details about this event on our website.

Save Your Spot at the Hydric Soils Course
on June 5 & 6

Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and the Illinois Soil Classifers Associations (ISCA) are hosting a Hydric Soils for Wetland Delineation Course on June 5 and 6 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Central Permit Facility, 500 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville. The course cost is $450. Registration is limited to only 50 people—sign up by May 30 to save your spot!

Register for the Hydric Soils Course

This two-day course will include hands-on field application at local forest preserves and indoor presentations, including introduction to hydric soil identification, formation of hydric soil features, landscapes and water flow related to hydric soils, and identifying hydric soil indicators in the field. This is a great opportunity to learn from experienced instructors in the classroom and out in the field. Attendees will earn 10 continuing education units or professional development hours.

If you have any questions, please contact Bill Santelik at 847-377-7712 or email wsantelik@lakecountyil.gov.

Comment Period Still Open for Manitou Creek-Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plan

There is still time to share your comments on the draft Manitou Creek-Fish Lake Drain Watershed-Based Plan. The plan recommends voluntary actions to reduce flood damages, improve water quality and restore water resources in the Manitou Creek-Fish Lake Drain Watershed in Lake County. The plan documents and a web-based mapping application depicting recommendations are available on the SMC website.

Comments regarding the draft plan can be submitted via email to jjozefowski@lakecountyil.gov.

The deadline to provide your comments is Monday, May 5.

Thank You for Attending our Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan Meetings!

This year, SMC hosted four public meetings across Lake County to receive feedback from residents to assist in updating the 2025 Lake County Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan. SMC would like to express a BIG THANK YOU to all those who attended and took the time to talk with our staff and provide valuable input! SMC's Technical Advisory and Municipal Advisory Committees also provided feedback. Thanks to the committee members for sharing their professional expertise.

SMC will now begin developing the proposed updates. The updated Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan will include a detailed breakdown of services into seven functional areas and supporting activities, including a 10-year action plan, that comprise the Stormwater Management Commission program. See the project timeline below and on our website to check out the next steps!

To follow the progress on updating the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan, visit SMC's website.

Another Successful BMP Field Day

SMC, alongside the Great Lakes Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association and McHenry County, hosted the second Best Management Practices (BMP) Field Day on April 23. Participants learned about different practices designed to reduce soil sedimentation from construction sites. Attendees learned from seasoned instructors about silt fences, rolled sediment control devices, construction entrances, inlet protection, hydromulching, erosion control blankets and polymer use in a hands-on learning experience.

A total of 141 people, including inspectors, designers, engineers, consultants and municipal employees attended this year’s Field Day, more than the inaugural event two years ago. One participant shared, "Thank you for the excellent training! All of the presenters were extremely knowledgeable. This is my second time attending the event and I got just as much out of it as the first time."

SMC wants to thank all the participants and all those involved in the planning and execution of this successful educational event!

Join the Clean-Up on Chicago River Day on May 10

Join the 33rd Annual Chicago River Day clean-up effort to help make this important waterway healthier. From 9 a.m. - noon on Saturday, May 10, there will be over 75 sites along the Chicago River in Cook and Lake counties to help clean up harmful litter, mulch trails and remove invasive plants. Learn more