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U.S. Department of Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

 November 2002

District Web Site: http://il.water.usgs.gov/ Compiled by D.M. Ayers

THE IMPORTANCE OF STREAM RESTORATION

The 3.5 million miles of streams and rivers in the United States and their associated floodplains and riparian areas near these streams often contain features of great 

economic, social, and environmental importance, with many of these streams in urban 

parts of the country. These streams and rivers often are changing with respect to watershed hydrology and climate. Erosion and degradation of riverbanks and channels is a 

natural process that often has been accelerated by human activities. Extensive land-use 

conversions to agriculture, urban development, and surface mining have been documented as major causes of stream instability at the watershed scale. This instability 

should be remediated through a process termed stream restoration. Stream restoration 

is a process to reestablish the structure and function of the stream system. This process 

involves a large number of actions including but not limited to installation of gradecontrol structures, bendway weirs, land-conservation treatments, wetland construction, 

and installation of bank protection. These actions either separately or in combination 

are termed Best Management practices (BMPs). Adequate assessment of the proper 

actions for stream restoration requires expertise in geology, geomorphology, ecology, 

biology, stream hydraulics, and hydrology. Assessment and determination of proper 

BMPs require a watershed scale approach. In other words, examining the stream as a 

whole instead of in parts and basing the BMPs on its effect on the entire stream system 

and not a specific stream segment.

Attempts at stream restoration are proceeding at a rapid pace, with millions of dollars spent each year in the United States including efforts in Illinois. In most streams, 

the physical, chemical, and biological improvements resulting from the implementation 

of selected BMPs have not been adequate at the watershed scale despite large funding 

levels for watershed-conservation practices. Part of this inadequacy is the lack of 

understanding of the stream processes and dynamics along with a lack of systematic 

post-BMP implementation monitoring, which would facilitate better understanding of 

how and where certain BMPs will work. Stream function and behavior remains an area 

ripe for active research. This understanding has many facets involving theory, field 

observation, and design of the proper field parameters needed for long-term monitoring.

In an effort to further the technical exchange of information between those working in the stream restoration area, the U.S. Geological Survey sponsored a stream restoration workshop in Champaign-Urbana in February 2002. This workshop provided a 

forum for the information exchange of data — collection techniques, application of 

geomorphic analysis, and stream classification studies, as they pertain to stream restoration. The workshop was highly successful with well over 100 people in attendance 

from various agencies of Federal, State, and local government.

Water Resources Update

Illinois District Newsletter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Importance of Stream Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Long-Term Documentation of 

Stream Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Employee Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Judy’s Branch Sediment and Geomorphic Study Update . . . . . . . . . 3

Cooperator Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . 5

Outreach Activities, Illinois State 

Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Outreach Activities, Earth Science 

Careers Video Receives Shoemaker Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

From the Mailbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Illinois District Publications. . . . . 8
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LONG-TERM DOCUMENTATION OF STREAM RESTORATION

BY

DON ROSEBOOM, HYDROLOGIST, AND TIM STRAUB, HYDROLOGIST

Initial watershed assessment 

should include the development of a 

database that directs more intensive 

data gathering for the design of best 

management practices (BMPs), 

implementation and monitoring at 

selected subwatersheds and stream 

reaches. Stream channel alterations 

are among the most poorly documented watershed monitoring efforts 

during the technical assessments of 

BMPs at a watershed scale. The 

common approach is an analysis of 

older high altitude photography from 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

with scales of 1 inch to 660 feet. 

More detailed and rapid approaches 

are needed to determine the response 

of the stream as illustrated in the 

channel evolution models.

A program of low level-aerial 

videography provides the initial 

information, which is required to 

select stream degradation regions, 

BMP site selection, and monitoring 

locations within multiple watersheds. The data needs for BMP 

selection and siting will provide the 

basis of longer and more intensive 

monitoring of selected watersheds 

with sufficient monitoring funds.

Increased runoff rates of stormwater and sediment from watershed 

activities create both degrading and 

aggrading segments in tirubtaries to 

the Illinois River. The degrading 

streambed will lead to channel widening by bank erosion with loss of 

riparian trees. The channel will 

incise into glacial deposits containing large diameter bedload materials. 

This process increases the percentage of gravel and cobble in these 

Midwestern-prairie streams. The 

increased size of introduced bedload 

materials will increase point bar and 

mid-channel bar development with 

rapid channel widening.

The increased erosion rates will 

lead to rapid accumulations of sediment and woody debris in downstream reaches of the watershed 

stream, where stream bed slope and, 

thus, stream velocity is reduced. The 

resulting debris logjams and large 

bedload depositions are major indications of both watershed and stream 

instability. Watershed instability 

usually is reflected in channel instability from both degradation and 

aggradation.

As a first step in assessing watershed instability and developing 

selection of BMPs at specific watershed locations, a low-level aerial 

survey will identify stable and unstable reaches of stream. Once the 

extent and severity of unstable 

reaches is quantified, an intensive 

ground survey by an interagency 

watershed assessment team will 

determine causes of the instability. 

The resulting analysis will lead to 

more intensive surveying of the 

selected subwatersheds for the siting 

and implementation of BMPs. With 

monitoring data, the accuracy of the 

watershed analysis and the efficiency of BMPs can be determined 

in those sections of the watershed 

and stream with the greatest sediment contribution. This approach to 

rapid assessment builds the database 

to intensive and extensive monitoring of BMPs at a watershed scale in 

selected watersheds where monitoring funds are available.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

DAVID P. MORGAN, 

HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN

David Morgan has been with the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 

Illinois District since 1974. David 

started his USGS career in the 

former Oak Park Subdistrict office 

primarily streamgaging in northern 

Illinois. He moved to DeKalb in 

1976 when the Oak Park office was 

relocated. David transferred to the 

Champaign/Urbana Subdistrict 

office during the same year. He continued streamgaging activities and 

also performed water-quality sampling duties in central Illinois. From 

1979 to 1984, he managed the District warehouse. His duties included 

warehouse maintenance, ordering 

field vehicles, property inventory, 

and checking equipment orders for 

the District.

David returned to streamgaging 

and water-quality duties in 1985. He 

operated and maintained the acoustic velocity meter gage at the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at 

Romeoville — one of the first 

acoustic gages in the Illinois District. He also developed and modified computer programs to 

automatically retrieve field data to 

USGS databases.

David is a graduate of Parkland 

College in Champaign with an associates degree in Applied Sciences–

Electronics Engineering Technology. His hobbies include computer 

applications and collecting movies 

on VHS and DVD. David also 

enjoys NASCAR stock car racing.
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The Judy’s Branch sediment 

and geomorphic study began data 

collection in June 2002 at Glen 

Carbon, Illinois. Three continuous 

gaging stations were established to 

monitor the precipitation, stage, 

discharge, and sediment transport 

of Judy’s Branch (drainage area of 

8.3 square miles). Core samples 

also were collected in the stream 

network to determine the geomorphic makeup of the basin. Twentynine bank rods were established at 

the beginning of the study to determine bank stability over time and 

lateral recession rates.

The rate of lateral recession of 

stream banks in Judy’s Branch is 

shown in figure 1. The bank rods 

are categorized according to the 

Natural Resource Conservation 

Service (NRCS) lateral recession 

rates for streams. Soil corings have 

been collected at six locations 

throughout the stream network. 

Geotechnical analysis of the corings was completed by NRCS. The 

values from the geotechnical analysis then were used to determine 

stable bank heights for differing 

bank types and factors of safety 

(fig. 2 see page 4). 

Since the beginning of the 

study more than 600 sediment 

samples have been collected at the 

3 gaging stations. These samples 

were obtained over a wide range of 

stages to determine sediment loads 

during storm events as well as at 

base flow throughout the watershed. The importance of gathering 

data on the rapid rise, crest, and 

fall of stream discharge during 

storm events is highlighted in figure 3 (see page 4). Sediment concentration is related closely to 

discharge. Cross-section samples 

also have been taken for correlation of the point samples to the 

cross sections.

Developing the stage/discharge 

relation (ratings) at each gaging 

station has been ongoing throughout the study. Eighty-seven conventional (measured directly with 

meters) discharge measurements 

have been made by USGS personnel over a wide range of stages. 

Indirect discharge measurements 

(measured without meters) also 

were calculated at each site for the 

storm event on August 24, 2001. 

Indirect measurements were calculated using the Slope Area Computation (SAC) and Culvert Analyses 

Program (CAP). Stage/discharge 

relations have been developed for 

each station.

Judy’s Branch was one of the 

watersheds chosen for a Public 

Broadcasting System (PBS) special on sedimentation and nutrient 

runoff from agricultrual fields and 

eutrophication of streams. The special produced by a Louisiana PBS 

affiliate included an interview with 

Robert R. Holmes, Jr., Illinois District Chief. The special, “Hypoxia 

in the Gulf,” will air sometime in 

the fall of 2002.

The Judy’s Branch study continues to provide hydrauic, sediment, and geomorphic data to 

assess the effects of urbanization 

on stream discharge and sediment 

concentrations in small watersheds.

JUDY’S BRANCH SEDIMENT AND GEOMORPHIC STUDY UPDATE

BY

PERRY DRAPER, HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN

Figure 1. Lateral recession rates (using NRCS categories) at bank-rod locations throughout Judy’s 

Branch.
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Figure 2. Factor of safety with respect to bank height for a saturated bank and 1.5 feet 

river level and 70 degrees bank angle for riverbank scenarios in the Judy’s Branch.

Figure 3. Time series plot of water discharge (red) and sediment concentration (blue) at Judy’s Branch at Route 157 

during the August 24, 2001, storm.
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The mission of the Kane 

County Department of Environmental Management is to develop, 

evaluate, and implement programs 

to protect the health, safety, and 

welfare of the county’s residents 

and the environment. Departmental 

programs include Countywide 

Stormwater Management, Solid 

Waste and Recycling, and other 

environmental activities. The 

Department of Environmental 

Management (Department), 

through its Stormwater Management Program, administers identification, management, and 

improvement projects for the 

county’s water resources.

The Department’s resource 

identification projects include 

efforts to study and better understand floodprone areas and to identify high-quality wetlands and fens 

in the county for possible protection. Hydrologic and hydraulic 

modeling and geographic information systems (GIS) are used to 

develop improved floodplain maps 

and document locations of these 

wetlands and fens.

Resource management projects 

aim to manipulate or manage the 

present water resources to best 

meet the county’s environmental 

and public interests. The Department regularly assesses and maintains the county’s waterways to 

reduce flooding potential in rural, 

residential, and urban areas. Technical assistance also is given to 

planning projects that seek to 

improve water quality or reduce 

flood risk in the county’s rivers and 

streams.

Kane was one of only six counties in Illinois enabled by legislation in 1985 to regulate stormwater 

discharges from new development. 

The Kane County Stormwater 

Ordinance was adopted in 2001 

and now includes additional local 

wetland protection provisions. The 

principal purpose of the ordinance 

is to promote effective, equitable, 

acceptable, and legal stormwater 

management measures by establishing reasonable rules and regulations for development.

Finally, the Department of 

Environmental Management 

administers water resource 

improvement projects involving 

streambank stabilization, wetland 

creation and enhancement, dam 

removal, and stream restoration. 

These projects enable the county to 

manage water resources for both 

water quantity and quality.

The Department currently is 

collaborating with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Illinois 

District on studies aiming to better 

understand and manage the 

county’s water resources. The 

streamflow-gaging station at Jericho Road measures the flows and 

floods in Kane County’s portion of 

the Blackberry Creek watershed. A 

Floodplain Revision Study is 

developing a system of hydrologic 

and hydraulic models to simulate 

flood inundation of Blackberry 

Creek at 1996 and 2020 conditions. 

As part of this study, the base 

floodplain will be updated for 

Blackberry Creek, and the county 

staff will use the model system for 

future analysis. This study has 

received appreciable assistance 

from the Illinois Department of 

Natural Resources, Office of Water 

Resources (IDNR OWR), and the 

county has become the cooperative 

technical partner with the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency. 

The Department, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, IDNR 

OWR, and USGS also are working 

cooperatively on a study concerning sediment analysis on Brewster 

Creek near St. Charles, Illinois 

before and after the proposed dam 

removal.

COOPERATOR SPOTLIGHT

KANE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
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Kettle corn, teepees, trees, 

and lumberjacks — common 

sights of the Illinois State Fair. 

Now, however, there is a new 

addition to the traditional fair flavor — the USGS display. The 

second year of USGS outreach at 

the fair was not without its ups 

and downs but was considered 

successful.

This year the USGS was 

assimilated into the spirit of Conservation World — a diverse collection of shows, shopping, and 

food. Not to mention an educational hotspot for kids and parents. Tents and displays were 

sponsored by such groups as the 

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), the Youth 

Archery Program (sponsored by 

the Illinois Department of Natural Resources [IDNR]), just to 

name a few.

Set on the “Government 

Row”, as it was fondly referred 

to, the USGS was surrounded by 

government agencies, all meant 

to educate the public about their 

mission and services. The USGS 

display was a favorite with families, both for the educational and 

the hands-on/visual attractions.

This year brought a completely new look for the USGS 

display, resulting primarily 

because of the generous amount 

of space given to the USGS by 

Conversation World — a 20-foot 

by 20-foot spot provided us with 

a lot more room than last year. 

Various exhibit items were incorporated into the display. Streamflow-gaging equipment, 

consisting of a Price AA current 

meter, a 75-pound sounding 

weight, personal floatation 

devices, and waders, were exhibited in one area. Information on 

pH testing and a ground-water 

model was exhibited on a wall. 

Automatic data-sampling units, 

such as a pressure sensor and data 

logger were shown on a wall. 

Informational posters and Fact 

Sheets explaining USGS studies 

and programs, and some basic 

principles of water flow were 

posted throughout the tent.

The backboard also provided 

a brand new look. The previous 

year’s “Water Words of the 

World” look was stripped off and 

the board was repainted with 

magnetic paint, and a blue topcoat and glitter. This look enabled 

posters to be easily exchanged 

with magnetic strips as well as 

creating an interesting place to 

find USGS visual identity magnets. The addition of the USGS 

“Earth Science Careers” video, 

produced by the Illinois District, 

added insight to the many job 

possibilities with the USGS.

The main attraction of the 

tent was the water table. It was a 

hit with the younger crowd as 

many of the kids spent a great 

deal of time “making rivers” and 

watching erosion take place right 

before their eyes. A few families 

even made repeat visits to the 

USGS tent at their kids’ request.

The public was appreciative 

of the display. Many had questions concerning local waterquality issues as well as general 

questions about the displays and 

posters.

The Illinois State Fair was 

held this year in Springfield 

August 9-18, 2002, and USGS 

participation would not have been 

a success without the many volunteers from the District Office.

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

ILLINOIS STATE FAIR

BY MEGAN JUPIN AND STEFANIE FENIMORE
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The video “Earth Science 

Careers” was produced and published in the Illinois District (produced by Jennifer Shapre) in 

cooperation with the Prairie Production Group. This video provides an overview of Earth 

Science career fields within the 

USGS. Various types of work 

experiences, environments, 

expertise, and education of a typical USGS employee are explored 

in sometimes humorous, yet factual vignettes. The video is available as an edicational resource 

from the Illinois District until 

stock is exhausted.

The “Earth Science Careers” 

video won the prestigious USGS 

Shoemaker Award for Communications Product Excellence. This 

national award is given to USGS 

products that demonstrate 

extraordinary effectiveness in 

communicating and translating 

complex science concepts and 

discoveries in ways that capture 

the interest and imagination of 

the American public. 

The award was established in 

memory of the late USGS astrogeologist, Eugene Shoemaker, a 

pioneer in the field of planetary 

geology, co-discoverer of the 

comet Shoemaker-Levy, and the 

first human to have some of his 

ashes interred on the moon.

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

EARTH SCIENCE CAREERS VIDEO RECEIVES SHOEMAKER AWARD

BY KELLY WARNER AND JENNIFER SHARPE

Jennifer Sharpe (left) and Kelly Warner (right) accepting the Shoemaker Award from 

USGS Director, Charles “Chip” Groat, at the USGS John Wesley Powell Building in 

Reston, Virginia on June 27, 2002.
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From the Mailbag

If you have comments about 

our newsletter or our Web site, 

please use the form on the back 

page. Comments also can be sent 

to dc_il@usgs.gov.

“I would like to see:

 1. Monthly statements/summaries of Water Resource Conditions in Illinois, a. above normal 

flows, b. record flows, c. cfs; and 

2. A monthly streamgage cooperator focus. I like your 

employee of the month, and the 

insight into studies.”

“I just wanted to thank you for 

responding so quickly. This is 

exactly the information I was 

looking for. Thanks so much for 

your help...”

“Thank you for the super fast 

reply, I’ve been waiting for reply 

from other areas.”

“Thanks so much for the quick 

reply! I plan on checking out the 

sites tonight!”

1999–2001, by D.L. Adolphson, T.L. Arnold, F.A. Fitzpatrick, M.A. Harris, K.D. 

Richards, B.C. Scudder, and 

J.S. Stewart

WRIR 01–4056, Uranium and 

Radon in Ground Water in the 

Lower Illinois River Basin, by 

W.S. Morrow

WRIR 01–4068, Habitat, Biota, 

and Sediment Characteristics 

at Selected Stations in the 

Lower Illinois River Basin, Illinois, 1995–98, by D.L. Adolphson, D.J. Fazio, and M.A. 

Harris

WRIR 01–4100, Hydrogeology 

and Simulation of GroundWater Flow in the Aquifers 

Underlying Belvidere, Illinois, 

by P.C. Mills, J.E. Nazimek, 

K.J. Halford, and D.J. Yeskis

WRIR 01–4116, Estimated Water 

Withdrawals, Water Use, and 

Water Consumption in Illinois, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 

Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin, 1950–95, by R.T. Kay

Water–Data Report IL–01, Water 

Resources Data Illinois Water 

Year 2001, by M.L. Harris, P.J. 

Draper, D.L. Schrader

ILLINOIS DISTRICT

PUBLICATIONS

Listed below are publications that 

were published recently. District 

policy is to provide copies of our 

publications to requestors at no 

cost as long as the publication is in 

stock in the District office. To 

obtain copies of the following, or 

any other Illinois District publication, you may contact Donna Ayers 

at (217) 344-0037, extension 3053 

or by email at dmayers@usgs.gov.

FY 2002

OFR 01–307, Geology, Hydrology, 

and Water Quality in the Vicinity of a Brownfield Redevelopment Site in Canton, Illinois, 

by R.T. Kay

OFR 01–459, Physical, Chemical, 

and Biological Methods and 

Data from the Urban Land-Use 

Gradient Study, Des Plaines 

and Fox River Basins, Illinois, 

Comments about the USGS 

Web site at www.usgs.gov/.

“The USGS website is beautiful to look at, easy to navigate, 

fascinating and useful. Links are 

never broken and animations 

always seem to work. Thank 

you.”

“You cannot imagine my 

amazement to find ‘groundwater depth’ information and 

‘water quality data’ online at the 

USGS website, stretching back 

to 1934 for a selected field of 

more than 80 water wells ... I am 

stunned, to say the least.”