What happens on a watershed affects not only the area but those in its flow.
The Sequoit Watershed is uniquely endowed with ecologically significant areas such as high-quality wetlands, the Cedar Lake Bog Nature Preserve, lakes, and forest preserves that provide habitat for several threatened and endangered species. Sequoit Creek watershed contains about five percent of the state’s listed threatened and endangered species. Of the listed species present, five are fish and six are birds. These species are found in both East and West Loon Lake. Issues of concern in the watershed include invasive species, loss of existing habitat, and the potential for continuing water quality degradation.
Action Plans have been prepared and implemented to preserve watersheds include:
- Reducing existing pollutant loads to Sequoit Creek from runoff and point sources
- Reduce nutrient, sediment, and fecal coliform loads to Sequoit Creek and lakes in the watershed
- Reduce existing erosion problems throughout the watershed
- Minimize pollutant loads and erosion problems in future developments
- Monitoring and eliminating invasive aquatic plants that threaten the quality of streams, lakes and habitat.
The following agencies work together to protect the valuable watershed:
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources
- Lake County Public Health Ecological Services
- Stormwater Management Commission
- Watershed Management Board
- Lake County Forest Preserve District
- Fox River Watershed Management Agency.
More information can be found online at each of the above agency’s websites
Funding for this project was provided in part by the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission through a Watershed Management Board Grant