Madison County website page on Watersheds Plans (Madison County Storm Water Management & Watershed Plans Link)
The Madison County Stormwater Management Commission and the Building & Zoning Department are completing a Countywide Stormwater Management Plan. The purpose of the plan is to address issues associated with stormwater for both incorporated and unincorporated parts of the county. The countywide approach is intended to put everyone on the same page and create multi-jurisdictional opportunities instead of addressing issues individually. Over the last few years, planners have been working with municipalities and townships to identify a wide-range of flooding, drainage, and water quality issues and establish best management practices to address them. The overall goals of the plan are as follows:
Reduce flooding and mitigate flood damage
Improve water quality
Promote best practices for land development
Develop organizational and regulatory framework
Conduct public education and outreach
An outgrowth of the management framework are individual watershed plans. The watershed plans provide the opportunity to identify and examine specific issues on a local level and propose projects to alleviate those issues. The watershed plans also provide greater opportunity for public input through a public forums, stakeholder meetings, and resident surveys.
The geographic boundaries of the watersheds are associated with the primary creek system within the larger drainage area. This strategy was chosen since it involves multiple municipalities and townships that are linked together by the creek and each watershed has shared impacts. Planners have completed plans for Upper Silver Creek, Indian Creek, and Canteen Creek watersheds, and they’re nearly finished with a plan for the American Bottom watershed, which is also known as Judy’s Branch. After the American Bottom plan is completed, the team will begin planning for the Wood River Creek and Piasa Creek watersheds.
To date, the efforts have helped raise over $1 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA). The $500k Upper Silver Creek grant and $450k Silver Lake grant are being expended to address issues in their respective watersheds. Another A$200k will go to fund the Wood River Creek and Piasa Creek watersheds. In addition, the U.S. Corps of Engineers (USACE) has partnered in the efforts by providing in-kind support by completing comprehensive studies of the natural drainage system wihtin each watershed.
The Village of Godfrey has three Watershed located within its boundaries. Piasa Creek Watershed, Wood River Creek Watershed and the City of Alton – Mississippi River Watershed. So far, Madison County has started with plans on the Piasa Creek and Wood River Creek watersheds. The first step is a Survey Report. Then the next step is a Summary Report to the EPA. See below the Executive Summary Report of these two watersheds.
Piasa Creek Watershed Survey Final Report
This report summarizes the findings of the Community Flood Survey for the Piasa Creek watershed (HUC 0711000902), which was distributed to residents and business owners to gather information about the location, extent, impacts, and causes of flooding in the watershed.
A total of 117 surveys were completed from within the study area out of 700 mailed, giving a response rate of 17%. Some of these were collected via on-line survey. The Piasa Creek watershed is a 77,882-acre area that drains to the Mississippi River
Updated: 3/3/2020
Piasa Creek Watershed Executive Summary Report – Update 2/7/2022
This is the condense report (Executive Summary) that is sent to the EPA. It is a guide to the Piasa Creek Watershed for the Madison, Jersey and Macoupin Counties in the State of Illinois.
Piasa Creek Watershed Plan – Final – Click Image to review Plan
Wood River Creek Watershed Survey Final Report
This report summarizes the findings of the Community Flood Survey for the Wood River watershed (HUC 0711000903), which was distributed to residents and business owners to gather information about the location, extent, impacts, and causes of flooding in the watershed.
A total of 325 surveys were completed from within the study area out of 2,300 mailed, giving a response rate of 14%. The Wood River watershed is a 78,598-acre area that drains to the Mississippi River
Updated: 3/3/2020
Wood River Watershed Executive Summary Report – Update 2/7/2022
This is the condense report (Executive Summary) that is sent to the EPA. It is a guide to the Wood River Watershed for the Madison, Jersey and Macoupin Counties in the State of Illinois.
Wood River Watershed Plan – Final – Click Image to review Plan
