Future RWSPC mtgs: June 10 & Stakeholders Mtg, July 15

News:

RWSPC Stakeholders mtg: agenda (tentative)-- July 15, Springfield
Champaign Co. SWCD video: Sealing Decommissioned Wells-- nice 5-minute video on sealing unused water wells.
2016 Fix a Leak week project: Do you have a runny toilet? What can I do? Learn about the scope of the problem and how to detect and fix the most common, household water waster. Where can I get a leak detection kit (coming soon)?
Nov 20 mtg presentation: Jerry Stevens, City of Decatur presented Lake Decatur Dredging Project, a 6 year, $91 million project to boost lake capacity, more info (15 MB).
2015 RWSPC Stakeholders Mtg: July 24, Davis Lodge at Lake Bloomington (map),map for T3 field trip, agenda & registration form. Lots of good presentations and discussion and tour of the water treatment plant. Thanks to Rick Twait and his staff for their terrific organization and hospitality.
RWSPC 2015 report and supporting documents:
A Plan to Improve the Planning and Management of Water Supplies in East-Central Illinois: 2015 Update
Water Withdrawals and Water Demand Estimates for East-Central Illinois: 2015 Update
Meeting East Central Illinois Water Needs to 2050: Potential Impacts on the Mahomet Aquifer and Surface Reservoirs
Model ordinance-- water supplied by village
Model ordinance-- water supplied by IAWC
Drought newsletter #1: Be Prepared
Drought newsletter #2: Water supplies vulnerable to drought

Water Well Clinic, June 25, Champaign. Learn about well permitting, water quality testing and sealing abandoned wells. Sponsored by Champaign Co. Soil & Water Conservation District, RCAP, RWSPC & MAC
Feb 27 mtg presentation: Al Wehrmann presented Water Demand and Water Supply Update for East Central Illinois , more info
Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2010: USGS finds water use at 355 BGD in 2010, drops 13% from 2005. Read the full report or the 2-page fact sheet.
2014 RWSPC Stakeholders Mtg: Water & Mason County Agriculture, Havana, Mason County Farm Bureau, Friday July 25. 55 attendees learned about irrigation & agriculture in Mason County.
The Value of Water: a new video from the National Water Research Institute that discusses the value of water.
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About the East Central Illinois RWSPC

Current charge | Mission statement | Objectives | Overview | Additional info | Contact us

Want to participate?

Join one of RWSPC's 12 interest groups-- Agriculture, Small Business, Public, Water Authorities, Water Utilites, Municipal, Environmental, County, Rural Water Districts, Industry, Electric Generating Utilites, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts. You can provide input to the RWSPC Committee Members.

How do you join?

  • Contact Robbie Berg at 217/493-7407 or by email (MAC1998_15@yahoo.com) and provide your email address, your interest group, & your contact info or
  • Join the RWSPC listserv-- send an email to listsrv@list.rwspc.org, include this phrase in the message-- subscribe RWSPC_all, your interest group & your contact info.

MAC Charge to RWSPC (adopted 2011)

The following charge from the MAC to the RWSPC builds on progress made, especially the 2009 RWSPC report A Plan to Improve the Planning and Management of Water Supplies in East-Central Illinois, the 2010 MAC Strategic and Operating Plan, and recent amendments to the MAC Bylaws. To serve as the planning committee to consider the current and future issues of water supply and demand, and to develop plans that will be recommended to appropriate local, county and state units of government and others for implementation and action. read the complete charge.

Mission Statement

To serve as the planning committee to consider the current and future issues of water supply and demand, and to develop plans that will be recommended to appropriate local, county and state units of government and others for implementation and action.

Objectives

The primary objectives and activites of the RWSPC are to:

  • Utilize water-resource research findings by the state agencies (i.e., Illinois State Water Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey)
  • Develop water demand scenarios to year 2050
  • Evaluate water supply and demand management options as potential implementation of such options might benefit the citizens of east central Illinois
  • Create a regional water-supply plan that reflects a newly developed understanding of water availability given research findings on supplies and demand scenarios and plans for growth, development and land-use change
  • Propose and support outreach and public education activites.
RWSPC met these objectives and developed an initial water-supply plan in June 2009. Click here to read its Reports. RWSPC recognized this plan to be an initial effort and recommended that the Plan be revised on a 5 year cycle.

Overview

While Illinois has significant sources of both groundwater and surface water, the growing state population and increasing demand for water is expected to strain current resources.

In January 2006, Governor Rod Blagojevich signed Executive Order 2006-01 to develop a comprehensive, statewide water supply planning and management strategy. The Executive Order assigns the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Resources (IDNR-OWR) to oversee the process in coordination with the State Water Survey (SWS). To begin the effort, the State selected two areas most at risk for water shortages and conflicts: the Northeastern Illinois Deep Aquifer and the Mahomet aquifer, spanning central and east-central counties of Vermilion, Iroquois, Ford, Champaign, McLean, Macon DeWitt, Piatt, Woodford, Tazewell, Mason, Logan, Menard, Cass and Sangamon.

To implement the requirements of Executive Order 2006-001, the Mahomet Aquifer Consortium (MAC) started a three year regional water supply planning process with a funding grant from IDNR-OWR. The first task was to convene the East Central Illinois Regional Water Supply Planning Committee (RWSPC). This local planning commitee will help collect the data needed to draft the regional water supply plan, and also outline and approve their regional plans.

The East Central Illinois RWSPC includes twelve members, one each from the following interest areas: Agriculture, Small Business, Public, water Authorities, Water Utilites, Municipal Environmental, County, Rural Water Districts, Industry, Electric Generating Utilites, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The members are also geographically balanced by region as follows: West region (Cass, Logan Mason, Menard, Sangamon and Tazewell counties); Central region (DeWitt, Macon, McLean, Piatt and Woodford counties); and East region (Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion counties).

Additional Information