The Forest Preserve District and several partner agencies are starting a large-scale restoration project along 2.3 miles of Spring Brook, a tributary of the West Branch of the DuPage River that runs in part through St. James Farm and Blackwell forest preserves. Restoration will connect the creek to the floodplain, allowing nutrient-rich floodwaters to flow into surrounding forest preserves and newly created wetlands. It will also allow the floodplain to store and filter stormwater.
Because most of Spring Brook's watershed is upstream of the restoration area, runoff, invasive species and other stressors can impact downstream improvements. Homeowners, schools and other land owners in the watershed are helping efforts by changing how they care for their properties and volunteering as members of a greater clean water initiative.
