By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

PEORIA, Ill. — A full agenda of river-related issues will be explored during the 12th biennial Governor’s Conference on the Management of the Illinois River System, scheduled for Oct. 20-22 at the Pere Marquette Hotel in downtown Peoria.

Illinois Gov. Patrick Quinn, who also acts as chair of the Illinois River Coordinating Council, will host a public forum on issues affecting the waterways and streams of the Illinois River and its tributaries from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, in the hotel’s Cotillion Ballroom.

The conference will focus heavily on agriculture-related issues within the Illinois River watershed during a session entitled “Agricultural Practices: Status and Progress” to be held from 1:15-2:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 in the Marquette Ballroom South. The session, to be moderated by Nancy Erickson of the Illinois Farm Bureau, will feature speakers Alan Gulso of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Paul Terrio of the U.S. Geological Survey and Jon Hubbert, assistant state conservationist for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Area 3 in Morris, Ill.

“My talk will focus on the progress made in the past 10 to 12 years following the adaptation of the Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River,” Hubbert said. “Seven action items were included as part of the plan, and since their implementation we’ve seen many of those action items come to fruition in ways we probably didn’t completely envision. We’ve made major strides.”

Hubbert said major action items adopted since the inception of the Governor’s River Conference include the formation of the Illinois River Coordinating Council.

“We continue to build and strengthen that partnership whether it be through conservation of agricultural land or economic development for small communities.” said Hubbert. “In addition, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has converted a lot of ground that was very sensitive into conservation cover for wildlife habitat and for water quality benefit.

“Another major change has been the new Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) that has really re-addressed the way we do cost-share on private agricultural lands. That program really encourages environmental benefits and addressed multiple resource concerns. We have made major strides with that program and we have numerous contracts within the (Illinois River) watershed.”

Because of soil conservation practices adopted by farmers through programs such as EQIP, CRP and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), literally hundreds of thousands of tons of soil that could have washed into the Illinois River have been maintained in a productive capacity good for both the land and the river, according to Hubbert.

Though great progress has been made by farmers in the Illinois River watershed, much work remains. With a recent downsizing of NRCS due to the economy, the agency is now facing an increased workload coupled with fewer “boots on the ground” to implement and maintain soil erosion and stream bank stabilization programs, Hubbert said.

“Both state and federal budget issues have affected NRCS,” he explained. “On the state level, district funding in the past couple of years has been in limbo and we’ve lost some quality staff members with vast technical expertise. Some have been replaced by less experienced people, and some not at all. Federally, our staff in Illinois has been reduced from 370 to 300, and we can feel it.”

Other programs administered by NRCS include the Wildlife Incentive Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Farm and Ranch Land Preserve Program and the Illinois Conservation Practice Program, Hubbert added.

On Oct. 20, a conservation-focused tour of the Illinois River watershed will feature visits to the Emiquon wetland complex – the largest wetland restoration site in the country – a stop at a wind farm and a visit to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage site, where streamflow data is collected and transmitted. Cost for the all-day tour is $40 and includes lunch.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood of Peoria is scheduled as the Oct. 21 luncheon speaker.

More than 30 local, state and federal agencies are involved with the conference, which costs $175 for all sessions before Sept. 30, when the fee will increase by $40. The Wednesday-only fee is $115, while admission to Thursday’s sessions will run $75.

The full conference schedule, including speaker biographies, is viewable online at www.conferences.uiuc.edu/river Conference materials may also be acquired by phoning 877-455-2687.