Twenty years after Sugar Creek was placed on Illinois' list of impaired waters, one of its two water-quality problems was cleared.The creek, a major tributary to Lake Springfield, was listed under the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) in 2002 for dissolved oxygen and phosphorus impairments. Over the following years, projects across the watershed focused on reducing pollution from agricultural practices, erosion and other sources.By 2022, water-quality monitoring showed that Sugar Creek was meeting the state's dissolved oxygen standard, leading to the removal of its dissolved oxygen impairment from the list.Pollution was affecting Sugar Creek and Lake SpringfieldSugar Creek flows northeast into Lake Springfield, a major drinking water source. The surrounding region is dominated by row crop agriculture, with urban runoff also contributing to pollution in the lower watershed.Excess phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizer applications, livestock waste and eroded soil can promote algal growth. When algae die and decompose, the process consumes oxygen in the water and lowers dissolved oxygen levels.MORE STORIES FOR YOU✕« Back to recommendation storiesI don't want to see these stories becauseThey are not relevant to meThey disrupt the reading flowOthersSUBMITIllinois generally interprets its dissolved oxygen standard for warmwater streams as a minimum of 5.0 milligrams per liter.Cleanup projects expanded across the watershedA Lake Springfield Watershed-based Management Plan was completed through a 2014 Clean Water Act Section 319 project.Two additional Section 319 projects received funding in 2017 and 2020 to continue implementing the plan, including work that directly affected Sugar Creek.Across the three projects, 7,120 acres of cover crops were installed, along with 32 acres of grassed waterways, nutrient management plans covering 9,750 acres, 4,700 feet of streambank stabilization and two water and sediment control basins. The projects also included green infrastructure for stormwater control.Within the two Sugar Creek watersheds, the projects supported nutrient management plans covering more than 4,500 acres, along with water and sediment control basins, streambank stabilization, cover crops and grassed waterways.Oxygen levels improved after the restoration workData collected through intensive basin surveys showed an increasing trend in dissolved oxygen levels, which rose above 5.0 milligrams per liter after the initial 2014 project work was completed.Illinois EPA water-quality monitoring showed that Sugar Creek was meeting the dissolved oxygen standard. As a result, the creek was removed from the Section 303(d) list for dissolved oxygen impairment in 2022, while the phosphorus impairment remained.
In 2002, Illinois listed Sugar Creek as polluted by 2 water-quality problems. 20 years later, 1 was cleared after cleanup efforts helped restore healthy oxygen levels
After two decades of pollution issues, Sugar Creek in Illinois has successfully met dissolved oxygen standards, leading to its removal from the impaired waters list, thanks to effective cleanup efforts. However, the phosphorus impairment remains.
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