Water Quality & Conservation
What Is Being Done to Improve Water Quality?
For over 15 years, the City of Decatur and the Macon County Soil & Water Conservation District have jointly cooperated on reducing soil erosion and improving the water quality on the 925 square miles of East Central Illinois land that drains into Lake Decatur. Corn and soybeans are grown on 85% of this drainage area (or watershed). Surface water from as far away as Gibson City in Ford County - 50 miles from the City of Decatur - eventually enters the lake. The task is enormous. However, thousands of tons of soil and other contaminants have been prevented from entering Lake Decatur through these efforts and those of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Soil & Water Conservation Districts in the watershed.
Additionally, the City has constructed an Erosion Control Products Demonstration Site, located on East Lake Shore Drive, just north of the U.S. 36 underpass. It was built to show property owners and contractors the wide variety of erosion control materials that are available. A summary of these products is available at the Lake Section Office, located next to the boat ramps in Nelson Park. Also, Scovill Park and Faries Park Basin shoreline erosion control projects have been recently completed by City of Decatur staff. Be sure to inspect these improvements when you go boating next year.
If you have soil erosion or other water quality questions regarding your property, contact the City's Lake Office at (217)424-2837 or the Macon County Soil & Water Conservation District at (217)877-7045.
What Can I Do to Improve Water Quality?
Lakeside property owners have a significant role in improving the Lake's water quality. For example, lawn and garden fertilizers, herbicides (weed killers) and pesticides (insect and pest killers) that are used more frequently than necessary or applied just before a large rain can easily end up in Lake Decatur. These fertilizers and chemicals reduce the overall health of the Lake, especially fish and wildlife, and increase the cost of producing our drinking water. If you are a Decatur or Mt. Zion water customer, these additional costs are included in your drinking water bill.
Another way that lakeshore landowners can improve water quality is by reducing the amount of soil that erodes into Lake Decatur. This soil can come from the lakeshore, ditches, ravines, streams or construction sites located on or nearby your property.
Effective soil erosion control solutions are just a phone call away - simply contact the City's Lake Office at (217)424-2837 or the Macon County Soil & Water Conservation District at (217)877-7045.
What Do I Need To Know About Conservation?
Conservation does wonderful things for all of us. For the Water Treatment Plant, it saves wear and tear on the equipment and reduces the possibility of expensive repairs. For you, the consumer, it saves you money by reducing your water and sewer bill.
IT'S A WIN - WIN SITUATION!!!
