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About the State Water Plan

Illinois has numerous and important water resources like lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands, and floodplains, but all are at risk due to increasing pollution, crumbling infrastructure, and more frequent floods and droughts. Although Illinois has a State Water Plan, it was first drafted in 1984 and has not been updated since 1994. To protect public health, the environment, and our business climate, a State Water Plan Task Force has begun to update the plan.

The State Water Plan will identify and develop strategies to address the state’s most critical water issues. The Plan will not be a comprehensive plan, but as the Task Force revises the Plan on a 5 to 10 year interval, new issues will be added and addressed. The goal is to develop a Plan that provides policy and program guidance in water resources management, and ensures that the water resources of the state are available to all in Illinois regardless of race, income, housing status, or geography, and that remediation efforts enhance and protect water quality and supply for all Illinoisans and wildlife.

We have the opportunity to create a bold, inclusive vision for Illinois’ water resources—and we want to ensure many voices provide input. This survey is seeking public input on what key issues should be addressed in the State Water Plan. Learn more about the Plan and additional opportunities to provide input, including upcoming public meetings, at the Task Force web page: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/WaterResources/Pages/StateWaterPlanTaskForce.aspx 

Thank you for taking the survey and please consider sharing it with your network.

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* 1. Describe your interest in the State Water Plan. (Choose all that apply.)

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* 2. How did you hear about this survey?

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* 3. The State Water Plan Task Force has identified 13 issue areas and related subtopics, below, that the Plan will address. Please rank the issue areas in order of importance to you, with 1 being most important and 13 being least important.

  1. Water quality – Includes any quality issues in surface or groundwater
  2. Climate change – How climate change is impacting water. This can overlap with all other sections.
  3. Integrated water management – Coordination on water issues and resources between multiple agencies, their partners and the public.
  4. Long-term funding – Sustainable Funding of programs, research and local projects
  5. Water sustainability – Ensuring all water users have adequate supplies
  6. Lake Michigan – Public water related issues within Lake Michigan and its service area
  7. Flood damage mitigation – Any issues relating to flooding, flood impacts, and reduction of flood damages
  8. Aquarian and riparian habitat (including invasive species) – Needs of water ecosystems such as aquatic habitats, invasive species management, and wetlands
  9. Illinois water use laws and regulations – Current or future legislation needs. This may overlap with all other sections.
  10. Navigation needs and improvements – Concerning commercial and industrial navigation needs and opportunities. Personal navigation would be addressed under recreation.
  11. Erosion and sedimentation – Any issues related to the causes of erosion, or impacts from sedimentation, or beneficial use of dredge material
  12. Stream data management – Data necessary for coordination or research needed surface water applications
  13. Recreation – Issues addressing any recreational activity required water.

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* 4. Please share any other issues you think the updated State Water Plan should include and why.

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* 5. Are you able to provide any resources or expertise in any of these topics? If so, please provide specific details, such as data, links to reports, etc.--and please be sure to provide your contact information in response to question 8.

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* 6. How do you envision using the State Water Plan once updated? (Choose all that apply.)

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* 7. What should the future of water resources management in Illinois look like?

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* 8. Thank you for providing input at this phase of Plan development. We intend to continue soliciting public input throughout the development of the State Water Plan using virtual and face-to-face meetings (when restrictions are lifted). If you would like to stay informed about the Plan development process, please provide your name, email, and ZIP code below so that we can share future outreach opportunities with you.

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