By Joyce Blumenshine

Mackinaw River Watershed
Public Comment Opportunity Wed., Jan. 11th, 1:30 p.m.

Have you ever paddled on the Mackinaw River or thought about how beautiful it looks from a highway crossing?  Your presence is greatly needed Wednesday, January 11th at 1:30 p.m. when the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency holds a virtual public meeting on their Total Maximum Daily Load and Implementation Plan. The IEPA will present the results of their river assessment under the Federal Clean Water Act. Pollution problems with the Mackinaw River include fecal coliform in the area south and west of Eureka. Further east there are concerns for high nitrogen and nitrate levels, which add to the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The Mason County Hickory Grove Ditch area has problems with dissolved oxygen levels, high manganese, and sedimentation/siltation. See the second link below for the Fact Sheet and map of problem areas for a summary of pollution issues. Written comments deadline is February 10, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Check the Public Notice link below for the email/mail address for your comments. 

• Public Notice for January 11th meeting. 
• EPA map and fact sheet of Mackinaw River problem areas.  
• Full IEPA Draft 3 (final assessment) TMDL Report for the Mackinaw. 

This meeting is via the WebEx platform so be sure to log in and connect at least 10 minutes before the session begins so that you can be sure your computer connects. The IEPA will give an overview of their TMDL findings at the beginning of the session. Directions for connecting to the WebEx or via phone are available online. 

LaMoine River Watershed, East Fork 
Written Public Comment Opportunity Deadline is January 11th 11:59 p.m.

HOI Group members in Hancock and McDonough Counties are urged to send in written comments on the IEPA East Fork LaMoine River Watershed Draft Watershed Protection Plan. Several waterbody segments are being listed for impaired waters due to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the waterbody, harming aquatic life and stream quality. Recognition of these water quality problems is essential and we need to support action by the IEPA to restore water conditions.

• LaMoine River East Fork Watershed Public Notice with information regarding the IEPA reports. 
• IEPA LaMoine River fact sheet.
• Draft IEPA LaMoine River East Fork Protection Plan. 

The health of our environment and our health depend on clean water. The IEPA comment opportunities above are important for efforts to improve area water quality. Please participate!  Our environment needs you!