Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watersheds Partnership

Our Mission is to educate citizens while building partnerships for projects to improve water quality, maintain water supply, preserve ecosystems and restore wetlands, prairies and other natural features for current and future generations

Upcoming Meetings and Events

September 16, FC/SC WP Mtg. on ZOOM

Save the Date:
September 16, 10 AM via Zoom.  Please note that this is the THIRD Wednesday, rather than our usual FOURTH.  Sign-up information will be in and upcoming newsletter.  Our guest will be Michele Zimmerman, Assistant Public Works Director with the Village of Algonquin.  Algonquin has been in the forefront of the use of green infrastructure for flood control, safer groundwater recharge, and water quality improvements.  Michele will share some of their successes in protecting the community from today’s intense rains, and supplementing their storm water system by encouraging and implementing the use of green infrastructure, thus  reducing the need for additional expensive investments.  McHenry is a county with sensitive groundwater recharge capabilities, and all businesses and residents share the responsibility for protecting their water supplies.  Michele will tell us more!

November 18, FC/SC WP Meeting

Our November 18th at 10 AM program is set as well.  It will be via Zoom.  We will welcome Cindy Skrukrud of the Fox River Study Group, and a representative of Geosyntec who will bring us up to date on FRIP: the Fox River Implementation Plan.  This is a long range plan for the improvement of the Fox.  Geosyntec has been creating models that reflect land use and their likely non-point pollution contribution.   This will be a great opportunity to get a “10,000 foot view” of the challenges for the Fox, and how we all can play a part.
Save the Date!

BACT Fundraiser: August 29, Tartans for the Trust

BACT invites the entire community to it’s multi-generational highlander festival!  This unique event brings a variety of opportunities to be involved.  Follow the link here to explore how your clan can take part!
Sponsorships available!

Be WISE!  Self-quarantine!

(photo by Steve Barten)

CFC Fall Tree and Shrub Plant Sale

Online Pre-Orders for CFC’s Fall Sale run from August 15th until September 1st.  Pickup on Sept 19 & 20 will be by appointment only.  10% Discount to CFC Members.  Check with CFC for more details.

Citizens for Conservation Workdays are Back

CFC is hosting work days most Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 to 11 AM.  Reservations are now required to participate in volunteer work events.  To request a reserved spot, check this link for instructions.

For your protection, bring your own face mask, work gloves, tools, water, and snack, sunscreen and insect repellent.

Picture shows 5 interns walking in the river, assessing water quality

Know Your Watersheds

Go places only the locals know. Join the Barrington Greenway Initiative with the Citizens for Conservation! Join RiverWatch with Barrington Area Conservation Trust! Become a Volunteer Lake Monitor!

Explore and Restore

Go Birding with Citizens for Conservation and Audubon through some of the lovely prairies of the Watersheds. Pictured are two Bobolinks in the Spring Creek Forest Preserve.

Native plants in restored detention basin

Tax Dollars at Work

From shoreline restoration to flood mitigation to stream channel maintenance to wetland restoration to detention basin retrofits, governmental agencies are important partners in protecting water quality and watersheds.

GREAT NEWS!

A $5,000 grant from the Barrington Area Community Foundation will allow three Barrington-area conservation organizations to collaborate on water-conservation activities and efforts, such as streamside planting at Flint Creek.

Conservation organizations awarded BACF grant to develop educational resources for water protection

BARRINGTON, IL – April 22, 2019 – Three Barrington area conservation organizations will collaborate to help Barrington-area residents protect local water sources, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Barrington Area Community Foundation.
   Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watersheds Partnership (FC/SCWP), Barrington Area Conservation Trust (BACT) and Citizens for Conservation (CFC) will work together to create restoration demonstration areas, educational activities, native planting instructions, sample planting designs, online resources, and how-to libraries.
     Each organization will draw on its area of expertise for the initiative.  FC/SCWP will coordinate and lead efforts; BACT will develop the demonstration area along Flint Creek in Pederson Preserve in Barrington; and CFC will develop the schematic planting design, determine best native plants, and create homeowner designs.
     “The plan is to demonstrate attractive native plant arrangements – including sedges – for stream banks and lake shores, as folks don’t realize how much sediment, pesticides and herbicides wash off their lawns,” said Faye Sinnott, FC/SCWP’s coordinator. “Sedges can offer effective filtration and can be a subtle, strategic addition to lawns.”
     The three organizations will work together to assess their educational materials to determine what each group already has; they will then evaluate areas for improvement and create additional aids that will best help area residents with water-protection efforts.  Materials, including instructions, plant examples, graphic design documents, and supportive information, will become available on each organization’s websites.
     “We are extremely thankful to be working with CFC and FC/SCWP, who are sharing their expertise and assistance with this important project and which will benefit the entire community,” said BACT President Bryan Croll.
     “CFC is excited to be collaborating with FC/SCWP and BACT on this initiative, which is so important to Barrington’s water-quality conservation efforts,” added Kathleen Leitner, CFC president. “This is a unique step forward in helping our community advance its legacy of conservation engagement for the future decades.”

Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watersheds Partnership Members

New Logo for Barrington Area Development Council

Associate Members of the Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watersheds Partnership