| Mission Statement |
The mission of the Fox River Study Group is
to bring together a diverse coalition of
stakeholders to work together to preserve and/or
enhance water quality in the Fox River
watershed.
The activities of the Fox River Study
Group shall include, but are not limited to, the
following:
■ Participation in water quality monitoring
efforts in the Fox River watershed;
■ Development of a computer model of the Fox
River watershed;
■ Maintenance of the computer model as a
management tool to promote efficient use of
taxpayer and private money on watershed
projects, assess the effect of various
development options throughout the watershed,
educate stakeholders, evaluate management
priorities, identify sensitive regions within
the watershed, develop continuing monitoring
programs;
■ Development of a plan to preserve and/or
enhance the water quality of the Fox River; and
■ Promotion, as needed, of the adoption of the
watershed plan by appropriate entities who have
the authority for its implementation |
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| About the Watershed |
From its headwaters near Waukesha, the Fox
River drains 938 square miles in southeastern
Wisconsin prior to entering Illinois. Between
the McHenry County/Wisconsin border and its
junction with the Illinois River near Ottawa,
the river runs for 115 miles and drains an
additional 1,720 square miles. Although it is
only 3% of the total area in Illinois, the
watershed is home to about 450,000 people (11%
of the state total); a number that is likely to
increase by more than 30% over the next 20
years.
The Fox River is a multi-purpose resource that
contributes critical habitat for wildlife,
serves as a valuable resource for recreation,
receives and assimilates pollutants from point
and non-point sources and provides source water
for public water supplies. Habitat
modifications may also play a significant role
in the dynamics of the river. Because of the
rapid pace of development in the Fox River
watershed, maintaining these resources requires
comprehensive planning. |
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