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

WED., Nov. 20, 10 AM FCSC WP Mtg. at Lake Zurich Village Hall

We will be joined by Kaitlyn Pascus of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Biologist/Regulatory Project Manager in the Regulatory Division. Kaitlyn will give us an overview of the ACE and the work that it does with our waterways and floodplains.  This will be a great time to find answers to your questions on how to best work with the ACE on projects, and identify the key information ACE needs on projects. 

We are delighted to have Kaitlyn with us!  Bring your questions – wetlands, stream bank plans, lake dredging – find out what you need to know!

Find out about SOLAR at Deer Park Meeting Nov. 19

Vehe Barn, 23680 W. Cuba Road. Open to Barrington residents.

Fox River Ecosystem Partnership Meeting Nov. 13, 655 Village Hall Dr., Cary, IL

Program:   Fox River Corridor Plan
Presenter: Kate Evasic and Kelsey Pudlock, CMAP
 McHenry County and CMAP developed the Fox River Corridor Plan to help communities unlock the Fox River’s potential for future generations.

The plan builds on planning efforts in the communities of Algonquin and Carpentersville to provide a consistent framework for planning decisions along the river, including natural resource protection, bicycle and pedestrian access, parks and recreation, and appropriate economic development. It includes a climate vulnerability assessment — an  approach that demonstrates how to incorporate climate science in local planning, which is woven into the plan’s recommendations.

CMAP staff will provide an overview of the plan, highlighting recommendations related to water resources protection.

Mark Your Calendars for the CFC Winter Education Series: Jan. 18, Feb. 22, March 14, April 18

All meetings are at the Barrington Village Hall, from 10:00 – 11:30.  To RSVP, call 847-382-7283.  Members free; others $10

Jan.: Yard storm water management practices  Speaker: Marcus de la fleur, landscape architect Marcus will discuss sustainable storm water management and beneficial landscaping practices in yards. He is owner and landscape architect of the design and consulting firm de la fleur LLC.

Feb.:Using native sedges to restore wetlands. Speaker: Kevin Scheiwiller, Restoration Manager, Citizens for Conservation. Kevin will discuss how to use warrior sedges to combat wetland invasives and rebuild a functioning sedge meadow. He will also talk about sedges in residential gardens.

BGI Events: Events are 9 to 11 AM Sat., Seed Distribution on Nov. 9 at CFC HQ. Solstice Bonfire and 2018 Celebration on Dec. 14, Location TBD.

Join a collaboration of conservation organizations each month for a “spotlight event” to showcase a new site or restoration activity.  All ages and levels of experience are welcomed.

For more information, call CFC at 847-382-7283

Citizens for Conservation sponsors workdays on almost every Thurs. and Sat. throughout the year.

Winter is an ideal time to take down buckthorn and other invasives.

For more information, call CFC at 847-382-7283.

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