Mossville Bluffs Watershed Program

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, the City of Peoria, and the Natural Resources and Your Development Taskforce have partnered to secure $401,000 from the EPA to reduce erosion in the ravines of the Mossville Bluffs Watershed. This program ran from 07/2006 - 09/2009 and partners implemented the Mossville Bluffs Watershed Restoration Master Plan by providing funding and training sessions for landowners on forest management, ravine stabilization structures, and landscaping to slow stormwater runoff.

Forest Management

Partners conducted forest management on over 250 acres of forested bluff in the Mossville Bluffs watershed. The goal of this project is to promote the growth of deep rooted grasses and wildflowers on the slopes by thinning invasive tree species and reintroduce prescription burning to allow the sunlight to penetrate the forest floor. Often seeding is not necessary. Even after 80 years, root systems and seeds are still viable. Just add sun.

A message to the forest management landowners:
This morning I sat in the Illinois River Bluffs listening to the chatter of an an echoing song.  "That is a rare bird", I am told.  Then, under a warm spring sun, we return an ancient custom to these bluffs.  The fire rejuvenates, breathes life into the forest.  I feel great appreciation and honor that I have had the opportunity to guide the stewardship of this land.  May the grasses grow, may the flowers bloom, may all your Springs greet you with a rare song.
-Melissa

 Ravine Stabilization

Partners stabilized over 18,000 linear feet of eroding ravine through the installation of gabion baskets, rock lining, coir log revetment and log check dams.

Landscaping for Urban Stormwater Control

Controlling stormwater runoff from all properties draining to the ravines is arguably the most important aspect of this program. Integrating native landscaping, raingardens, and pervious pavement is not only the right thing to do for watershed protection, but it can be an aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance approach to landscaping.

TCRPC and The Natural Resources and Your Development Task Force are pleased to announce a manual, Mossville Bluffs Home Owners Guide to Stormwater Best Management Practices (11.8 mg). This manual assists landowners in implementing landscaping practices to reduce stormwater runoff and resultant erosion in nearby ravines.

Sub-Watershed Plans
The Natural Resources and Your Development Task Force and Tri-County Regional Planning Commission developed sub-watershed plans for the study area to further define mitigation measures for eroding ravines at a neighborhood scale.

Unsure of what sub-watershed you are in? Download this map to find out. You may want to check out other sub-watershed plans as varying information is provided in the sub-watershed tours.

Download your plan
Oakbrook
sub-watershed 1
sub-watershed 2
sub-watershed 3
sub-watershed 4
sub-watershed 5
sub-watershed 6 

Implementing Best Management Practices in the Mossville Bluffs Watershed is a program funded, in part, by the US EPA under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act and distributed by the IL EPA.