Best Management Practice Implementation
Section 319 is a grant program under the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1329) that provides funding for states with approved non-point source management plans. These states award sub-grants for both rural and urban sectors to support non-point source pollution control projects that have been identified in an Illinois EPA-approved watershed-based plan.
Weather and program enrollment can play a significant role in the timing of the implementation of best management practices, BMPs. Section 319 grantees might secure all their BMPs acreage in the first year of a two-year project and, therefore, have a ”zero” for the second year. In addition, BMP units are documented upon invoicing after completion, so practices installed in late fall may not be recorded until mid-spring of the following year.
Nutrient Reductions Tracking
As stipulated by the Section 319 grant program, on-the-ground practices are converted into pounds of nutrients removed per year using the U.S. EPA Region 5 Model for Estimating Pollutant Load Reductions. The model estimates long-term annual reductions in sediment-bound nutrients and calculates nutrient loads removed in pounds per year.
The estimated annual load reductions are represented by each practice for the year that the practice was implemented. Many of these structural practices have a life span of 10 to 20 years, and load reductions are realized annually over the course of that time period.
Collaboration
The Illinois EPA coordinates the availability of financial assistance for BMPs with other state and federal partners within proposed project areas to reduce duplication of services and competition between programs.
The Illinois EPA administers the Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities, GIGO, program to support green infrastructure best management practices to reduce localized or riverine flooding. The GIGO program defines green infrastructure as any stormwater management technique or practice employed with the primary goal to preserve, restore, mimic, or enhance natural hydrology. Green infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, methods using soil and vegetation to promote soil percolation, evapotranspiration, and filtering, or the harvesting and reuse of precipitation. Such practices prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments by decreasing stormwater runoff into Illinois rivers, streams, and lakes.
GIGO program funds are available to local watershed groups, land conservancies or trusts, public and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions, units of government, universities and colleges, park districts and other local land managing agencies, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and conservation organizations.
Localized and riverine flooding will likely become more frequent in the coming years, according to the U.S. EPA. By decreasing stormwater runoff, diverting water away from impacted areas, and reconnecting streams to their floodplains, GIGO can improve water quality by reducing the amount and duration of localized and riverine flooding.
Eligible GIGO projects include:
- Reconnecting a stream with its floodplain, for example, with a two-stage ditch or daylighting;
- Treatment and flow control of stormwater runoff at sites directly upstream or downstream of an impervious area that impacts river, stream, or lake water quality;
- Treatment and flow control of water generated from impervious surfaces associated with urban development, such as roads and buildings.
GIGO uses funds distributed by the state of Illinois generated under the Build Illinois Bond Fund. Local match is expected to supplement project implementation costs. Project applicants submit annual nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment load reduction estimates along with gallons of stormwater contained.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, NPDES, stormwater program began in 1990 and was expanded in 2003 to include Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, MS4s, in U.S. Census Bureau-defined urbanized areas and non-traditional MS4s, such as public universities. Illinois EPA manages MS4 permits for communities around the state.
As part of the NPDES stormwater program, MS4 communities are required to develop a stormwater management program comprised of best management practices and measurable goals for each of the following six minimum control measures, many of which support NLRS goals:
- Public education and outreach on stormwater impacts
- Public involvement and participation
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination
- Construction site stormwater runoff control
- Post-construction stormwater management in new developments and redevelopments
- Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations
Communities with MS4 permits are required to submit Annual Facilities Inspection Reports that describe the status of their program activities to the Illinois EPA. Since 2018, University of Illinois Extension has performed a comprehensive review of these reports to better understand statewide NLRS-related practice implementation.
Established in 2014, the Green Infrastructure Program, led by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, MWRDGC, seeks to increase the acceptance and investment of green infrastructure throughout Cook County through numerous partnerships. The program calls for green infrastructure projects and seeks to partner with local communities and public agencies to fund and build a variety of green infrastructure projects, including roadside bioswales and rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavement alleys, and parking lots, green streetscapes, and eco-orchards. The program is available to government organizations within MWRDGC’s corporate boundaries. Projects are prioritized on their ability to capture and store water, which is measured as design retention capacity, flood risk, structures that benefit from green infrastructure, and other criteria. MWRDGC and a partnering agency execute an intergovernmental agreement to facilitate the project, with long-term maintenance responsibilities assigned to the partnering agency. The design and construction of each installation are monitored to optimize benefits. After completion, staff inspect the installation, ensuring maintenance is in line with the project’s operation and maintenance plan.
The following programs and projects support Illinois NLRS point source sector goals. Many of these programs and projects have additional information that is available to review online in Appendix E Partner Updates – Urban Stormwater.
Calumet Stormwater Collaborative
Since 2014, the Calumet Stormwater Collaborative has worked with over 40 organizations to address flooding and water quality in the Calumet region, developing key resources and watershed plans approved by the Illinois EPA.
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Local Technical Assistance
Since 2012, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Local Technical Assistance Program has supported over 200 projects in northeastern Illinois, focusing on comprehensive local planning and capacity building in alignment with the ON TO 2050 plan.
Conservation@Home
Conservation@Home, developed by The Conservation Foundation and delivered in partnership with University of Illinois Extension and Cook County Forest Preserves, educates and certifies Illinois landscapes for sustainable practices.
DuPage County Water Quality Improvement Program
DuPage County Stormwater Management offers financial assistance through its Water Quality Improvement Program, supporting regional water quality projects since 2000.
Illinois Department of Transportation Stormwater Programs
The Illinois Department of Transportation manages a Stormwater Committee to guide policy, coordinate research, and improve stormwater management practices.
Illinois Groundwork
In 2023, University of Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant launched Illinois Groundwork to improve access to green infrastructure data, research, and other resources.
Lawn to Lake Midwest
Lawn to Lake Midwest Program promotes natural lawn care practices through targeted outreach, educational materials, and an online resource platform.
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Space to Grow Program
MWRDGC fosters partnerships for building the Space to Grow program. This citywide program produces permeable surface treatment area.
National Green Infrastructure Certification Program
The National Green Infrastructure Certification Program, led by the Water Environment Federation and partners like MWRDGC, trains workers in green infrastructure skills at Parkland College, aiming for regular and accessible sessions annually.
Rainscaping Education Program
The Rainscaping Education Program by University of Illinois Extension, in partnership with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Purdue University Extension, trains communities in building and maintaining rain gardens through a comprehensive curriculum.
Red Oak Rain Garden
The Red Oak Rain Garden on site at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, managed by Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, serves as a model for rain garden best practices and hosts educational events.
