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It's hard to believe that fall is already here. If you're a land manager, you've got alot on your plate at this time of year. With only one quarter of this tumultous year left to go, it's time to tie up loose ends and prepare for next year.
This month's newsletter is geared towards fall activities that can help you address the end of year challenges and look to the future. |
| Protect your Investment |
 Those lots that you wish were sold are still an asset. Eventually the market will come back and folks will be shopping for home lots. Don't let a poorly graded and unstabilized lot become the neighborhhod dump. We are seeing this all too often.
 Asset managers and land development professionals have been asking our crews to clean up debris, fine grade lots, and seed them to keep the lots marketable, discourage fly dumping and to stay in EPA compliance.
Empty lots are like products on the store shelf. Packaging counts. |
| After the Floods |
 Heavy rains on September 11, 12, and 13 left much of the Chicagoland region dealing with record flooding. In some cases, if you didn't have a rain gauge with capacity over 6-inches, you couldn't accurately measure the storm events without dumping out the gauge mid-storm!
Needless to say such an extreme event led to many sites with sediment discharges. We had many calls to out office seeking recommendations on how to proceed with NPDES compliance after such extreme weather. Firstly, any non-compliant discharges require filing an incidence of non-complinace with IEPA, regardless of the reason for discharge. Nearly all temporary BMPs are designed for 5 or 10 year storm events, and could not be expected to function effectively during such extreme rainfall, but proper documentation and notification of regulatory agencies are key in working through a flood event.
The key to maintaining compliance after events that exceed design criteria for BMPs is to quickly identify what BMPs have failed and to take quick action to repair damaged practices or install new practices to effectively contain sediment from reaching receiving waters. Documentation of the storm events and the results to your practices can also give you feedback on what areas of your site are most susceptable to erosion and similarly, what practices have been most effective.
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| New ILR10 Permit in Effect |
 Starting in August, the new NPDES Permit went into effect in the state of Illinois. There have been some key changes to the permit requirements that owners, designers, contractors, and consultants should be aware of.
Some of the major changes include digital submission requirements for Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, reporting of Incidences of Non-Compliance to regional inspectors, site posting requirements, and a shortened window requiring stabilization practices on disturbed areas.
For more information and to download the new permit, visit the Illinois EPA website at:
Also, copys of submitted NOIs and SWPPPs are available on the IEPA website for viewing and download at:
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| Training Opportunity Sponsored by McHenry Co SWCD and IECA |
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The McHenry County Soil Water Conservation District (SWCD)
along with the
International Erosion Control Association (IECA)
is hosting an erosion and sediment control based Contractor Seminar.
Friday, November 21st
Woodstock, IL from 9-4:30
The cost for attendees is $35/person (including lunch). Please contact the SWCD for registration form and map.
SEATING IS LIMITED AND REGISTRATION IS FIRST-COME FIRST SERVE BASIS!!
This seminar will focus on the following:
New Products
State and Local Stormwater Regulations
Construction Site Inspections
Record keeping
Mass Grading/Stabilization
Dewatering
Winter Shut Down Preparation
Erosion Control and Turf Reinforcement Matting
Inlet Filters
Silt Fencing
Polymers
and more....
Please feel free to contact Ed Weskerna at the SWCD at (815) 338-0099 ext 3 or Alisa Peterson at (847) 201-1604 with any questions or to obtain registration information.  | |
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As we move into Fall and the leaves turn, lets look forward to turning over a positive leaf in future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Carl Peterson and Jonathan Koepke
ENCAP, Inc. |
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| Wetland Delineation Deadlines |
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It's not too late to get a wetland delineation done to plan ahead for next year. Wetland boundaries can be determied for planning purposes but Floristic Quality Assessments (FQI) must be complete before the end of the official growing season.
An FQI is an index that rates the quality of a plant community as outlined in Plants of the Chicago Region. Click here for more info on this reference book.
The FQI often determines buffer widths and wetland mitigation ratios per county ordinace or Federal regulation.
Official "Growing Season Deadlines" for the Chicago Area:
DuPage, Cook, and Will Counties:
These counties follow USACE guidelines. The USACE may accept staked wetland boundaries at any time of the year but may require an updated FQI between May 15 and October 1.
Kane County:
Delienation Boundaries can be accepted until the third Friday in November. FQI must be determined between June 1 and October 15
Lake and McHenry Counties:
These counties will generally accept staked wetland boundaries at any time of year. Typically the FQI must be done between May 15 and October 1. However FQIs determined outside the growing season may be considered for sites with apparent plant communty monocultres of low floristic diversity potential.
Areas outside of the chcago region currently do not have grwoing season deadlines or FQI requirements. |
| Useful Ordinance Links |
Lake County
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