 The June 29 event marked the second installment of Illinois River
mud at the South Works site, a 550-acre parcel on the shores of Lake
Michigan about 10 miles south of the Loop. For more than a century,
the South Works factory generated slag (molten metallic refuse from
the steelmaking process), creating acres of hard, barren ground.
"This new phase of the Mud to Parks project is further proof that we
can help turn the serious problem of waterway sedimentation into a
useful means of boosting economic development and recreation
opportunities," said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood. "This new soil
will cover about a third of the 100-acre park, so there is more
opportunity for this type of recycling ahead."
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with
the Illinois Rivers Coordinating Council, chaired by Lt. Gov. Pat
Quinn, oversees the effort.
"In some ways, this is the ultimate recycling project," Quinn
said. "By dredging up silt that has been choking the Illinois River
for decades, we can convert it back into rich Illinois topsoil and
create a new, green park area that thousands of people will enjoy
for years to come."
The project provides benefits in two areas of the state:
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Along the river, accumulating sediment is affecting water
quality, commerce, recreational boating, and fish and wildlife
habitat.
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Chicago needs soil to help revitalize old industrial sites. Use
of waterway sediment means less topsoil is removed from other areas.
The mud to be used in this phase of the project comes from the
East Port marina channel at East Peoria. Local officials and
developers observe the unloading and drying process and evaluate the
sediment-derived soil on-site. There are thousands of acres of
nearby land in need of soil for redevelopment projects.
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 The IDNR Waste Management and Research Center coordinates the
sediment reuse project. Scientists from State Scientific Surveys and
the University of Illinois have been evaluating the chemical and
physical properties of Illinois River sediment to identify areas
where the sediment is suitable for use as topsoil.
In 2004, more than 100,000 tons of Illinois River mud from the
wide area of the river known as Peoria Lake was placed at the former
South Works site, which is composed of slag and has no topsoil. That
project covered about 30 acres of a planned 100-acre lakefront park.
The latest delivery will add a mile to the Chicago Park District's
publicly owned waterfront.
"The sediment placed in Chicago in 2004 has developed excellent
soil structure and supports lush vegetation," said Dr. Robert
Darmody, a University of Illinois soil specialist. "It is
essentially identical to central Illinois topsoil."
The American River Transportation Company, a subsidiary of the
Archer Daniels Midland Company, is handling the heavy dredging and
barge work for this project. The river transport company manages the
transportation of ADM products along the Mississippi River, Ohio
River and Illinois River and was also the primary contractor on the
previous Mud to Parks project in 2004.
"We are proud to be part of a project that benefits both the
river and the land," said Chuck Burlingame, fleeting regional
manager for the river transport company. "We look forward [to]
working with the state to continue this effort in the future."
The project is funded by the state of Illinois ($250,000) and the
city of East Peoria ($25,000).
The sediment taken from Peoria Lake was tested for contaminants
and found suitable for use on the park site by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois EPA.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Natural Resources news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
