CHAPTER 2 EXISTING CONDITIONS

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1 CHAPR 2 Photo: Wildlife along the River. One of the key assets along the River is the 20,000 acre tate ish and Wildlife Area. It is one of the largest fish and wildlife resources in Illinois. XIIG COIIO trategic Plan - A Vision for the et 25 Years 15

2 XIIG COIIO River he River in the second longest river in inland Illinois. he river originates near Champaign, Illinois and flows approimately 00 miles southwest to the Mississippi River, eight miles north of Chester. he lower 6 miles of the, the River Project, is used for shipping, water supply, and recreation. In 1962, Congress authorized the avigation Project. In 196, the U.. Army Corps of ngineers and the Illinois epartment of Public Works and Buildings entered into an agreement entitled Memorandum of Understanding between the U.. Army ngineer istrict, t. Louis, and the tate of Illinois, epartment of Public Works and Building for the River avigation Improvement Project which outlined the project and responsibilities of the parties involved. Construction began in 1966 and the River Project was dedicated in 197 to provide a navigable waterway 225 feet wide and nine feet deep from the confluence of the and Mississippi Rivers in Randolph, Illinois, 6 miles up river to ayetteville, Illinois. he project shortened the river from 50.5 miles to 6.2 from the confluence of the Mississippi and River to ayetteville, Illinois. Although the original purpose of the River project was to provide a commercial navigable waterway, other significant uses of the river include: industrial and municipal water supplies, recreation, and fish and wildlife conservation. Regional Port istrict (KRP In 1965, the Illinois General Assembly created the Regional Port istrict Act. he Act created a political subdivision body politic and municipal corporation, named Regional Port istrict embracing all of Monroe and Randolph Counties and reeburg, Millstadt, mithton, Prairie du Long, ew Athens,, ayetteville, ngleman, Mascoutah, hiloh Valley and Lenzburg ownships of t. Clair. he General Assembly declared that the main purpose of the Act is to promote industrial, commercial, transportation, and economic activities thereby reducing the evils attendant upon unemployment and enhancing the public health and welfare of this tate. 16 Regional Port istrict

3 Regional Port istricts and Port Authorities Within a 100 mile radius of the Regional Port istrict there are multiple other Port istricts and Port Authorities. igure 2.1 shows these Port istricts and Port Authorities. he Port Authorities are listed as active or inactive. here is no standard definition of an inactive versus active Port Authority. or the purposes of this report, an active Port Authority has an active board, staff, and active leases. An inactive Port Authority may have active private terminals and facilities within their boundary, but generally do not have active administration with boards, staff, or leases. Active Port Authorities within a 100 mile radius of the Port istrict include: America s Central Port (ormerly ri-city Port istrict Jefferson Port Authority ew Bourbon Port Authority Paducah Port Authority Port of Indiana-Mt. Vernon hawneetown Regional Port Authority outheast Missouri Port Authority t. Louis Port Authority ransportation - Highway Major highways in the Port istrict include Illinois Route,, 1, 15, and 159. Generally the area lacks an interstate highway connection, although Interstate 6 is in the northern area of the Port istrict boundary. Interstate 255 is in the far northwest corner of the Port istrict boundary with a -lane connection from Interstate 255 to Waterloo (Illinois Route. cept for the segment of Route north of Waterloo that is four lanes, all other highways within the Port istrict are two lane highways. ee igure 2.2 for highways within the Port istrict. ransportation - Rail hree Class 1 railroads have connections in the Port istrict. he Class 1 railroads include: Union Pacific ( Canadian ational (C orfolk outhern ( In addition to the Class 1 railroads, private rail lines connect facilities to the Class 1 system. he Regional Railroad connects the KRP #1 (ew Athens facility to the Canadian orthern (C mainline and to the Prairie tate nergy Campus. our Port istrict facilities have connections to Class 1 railroads. ee igure 2.2 for eisting railroads within the Port istrict. trategic Plan - A Vision for the et 25 Years 17

4 atural Resources and the nvironment he River and surrounding watershed is important for natural resources, habitat, and wildlife. he rich diversity of habitats along the (bottomland forest, native grass lands, obows, and wetlands support a wide range of wildlife and plant species. he great watershed includes over 1,100 plant species, 112 fish species, and 9 mammal species. One of the key assets along the River is the 20,000 acre tate ish and Wildlife Area. It is one of the largest fish and wildlife resources in Illinois. Just upstream from ayetteville is the largest contiguous bottomland hardwood forest in the state of Illinois. he Middle Mississippi ational Wildlife Refuge is a multi-county asset with various divisions stretching from Valmeyer to south of Chester along the Mississippi River corridor. he refuge provides habitat for migratory birds, native river fish, and endangered, threatened, and rare species Additional county descriptions include: t. Clair ecological assets are primarily contained within county and municipal parks. Belleville, O allon, airview Heights, hiloh and wansea also support park systems. In addition, some sizable (e.g. 100 acre blocks of privately protected open space also eist throughout t. Clair. An Illinois ational Area Inventory (IAI site covers a large area around temler Cave (west of Millstadt. tate protected lands buffer the River from ayetteville south to Baldwin Lake (south of ew Athens. tate protected lands also include the Cahokia Mounds site and rank Holten tate Park, which is of particular importance because of its placement within a largely urbanized area (between Washington Park and Alorton. Little state or federally protected lands eist along the t. Clair / Mississippi River border. he most significant features among Monroe s ecological assets are the etensive IAI sites. IAI sites are associated with temler Cave, to the north, and in the interior portion of the county large IAI sites west and south of Waterloo. Additional, smaller IAI sites are located along the bluff (in areas where land has been protected by the state or non profits, e.g., White Rock, ults Hill Prairie. cological assets are more plentiful along the bluff line in Monroe (e.g., various land and water, nature preserves than in the bottom (e.g., Kidd Lake and private hunting club. here are less federally or state protected lands along the Mississippi than in Madison, although state protected lands do comprise the entire eastern most boundary of Monroe (along the River. In Randolph, ecological assets are most prominent in the form of state protected lands. pecifically, lands on either side on the River bisect the county from the north to the south where the meets the Mississippi. he World hooting and Recreation Comple 18 Regional Port istrict

5 outside parta, the Randolph Conservation area north of Chester and additional state protected land in the southern tip of the county add to the overall impression of significant state protected eco assets. ome smaller IAI sites eist in the northwestern and southern most points of Randolph. he hawnee ational orest boundaries begin at the south Randolph /Jackson line. izable (e.g., 100 acres + tracts protected by non profits also eist within the county. urkey Bluffs tate ish and Wildlife Area south of Chester is over 2,200 acres. ee igure 2. for a map of eisting natural resources, habitat, and green infrastructure. Recreation he River is a key regional and statewide destination for recreation. very year over 8,000 recreational boats pass through the Lock and am. he river is a popular destination for recreational boating, fishing, and swimming. Adjacent land is popular for hunting and wildlife habitat, including the 2,220 acre Peabody River King tate ish and Wildlife Area. Within the overall 20,000 acre tate ish and Wildlife Area, over 1,000 acres are available for hunting. A 12-mile multi-use trail and trailhead is located at the ay Use Area at Baldwin Lake. Additional county descriptions include: Monroe public recreation lands mostly eist in city parks in Waterloo and Columbia and state protected natural spaces in Valmeyer and ults. Waterloo and Columbia also have limited eisting trails but numerous planned trail facilities that the public could access for recreation purposes. Additional state protected land eists adjacent to the River in eastern Monroe, but no trails eist within or connect these recreation lands with the rest of the county. Major recreation lands in Randolph are associated with the River. here are also two trails within the recreation land one near Baldwin Lake in the north, and one near the confluence of the and Mississippi Rivers in the southern part of the county. he World hooting and Recreation Comple provides a specific recreation niche, other large recreation lands include Randolph Conservation Area and urkey Bluffs (state lands. rails are limited, both within municipalities and county-wide connectors. Historical sites are also major recreation and tourist destinations including ort de Chartres tate Historic ite, Pierre Menard Home tate Historic ite, and ort tate Historic ite. ee igure 2. for a map of eisting recreation facilities. trategic Plan - A Vision for the et 25 Years 19

6 I o w a Marion 100 Mile Radius 20 Regional Port istrict 70 Mid-America Intermodal M i s s o u r i Miles Regional Port istricts & Port Authorities Active Port Authority In-Active Port Authority A r k a n s a s IGUR Regional Port istricts and Port Authorities Jefferson River erminals & acilities (Public or Private U.. Interstate Highways Railroads KRP boundary Area within 100 miles of KRP tate Boundaries t. Louis Port 55 Heart of Illinois America's Central Port t. Louis Port Authority ew Bourbon Regional outheast MO Regional ew Madrid I l l i n o i s Regional Aleander-Cairo Mississippi Jackson-Union Co Regional 9 57 Paducah 7 Port of Indiana-Mt Vernon hawneetown Regional Massac-Metropolis 6 K e n t u c k y e n n e s s e e

7 I MA LU R B RK O t. Libory CHR 150 WI HI L L Chester PVX Willisville R Campbell Hill Ava Rockwood (G 151 RR 51 G. R A V I C V O I C C O O U U Y Y Interstate tate & U.. Highways B Railroad C Railroad CX Railroad Railroad Railroad Perryville Private rack Other Rail Lines R. PA L I R O A A Boundaries Levee teeleville Regional Port istrict Boundary R A IL River erminals & acilities (Public or Private Power Plants OW Ä 1 U C OU P C U W HA llis Grove Cutler Percy RO O R B isting Railroad, Highway, and Waterway ransportation ystem Regional Port istrict acilities parta CHULI R WALH ROA B 2 C B te Genevieve COUY LI ROA ' R OA P U Kellogg ock v a n s v i l l e L O A MARK RO 15 H PC C 61 Coulterville 155 i l d en RO A 18 Baldwin Port of vansville LU Prairie du Rocher B COU Y B Ruma B C PRAIRI AM R OA G RO A B 55 PVX A C ynegy Baldwin nergy Comple O Oakdale R KRP #2 15 RIO CH R R u lts X LU 1 W I PV B Red Bud Prairie tate nergy Campus Lenzburg KRP BAL A R A RM KRP #1 M R OA ew Athens Maeystown Airport KRP ayetteville Port 15 IL L a yetteville IV Okawville CY R O A B reebu r g 159 Hecker B 177 J A C K ' R U R AV ROA OR 156 Valm eyer 67 R Waterloo R O L OUG-RBURG mithton H A OV R R OA R J 161 P R AM K MAI Mascoutah amiansville A MACOUAH R G e r m a n t o w n Albers ew Baden ROA 7 H R Millstadt O U G -M Columbia IL L IL 16 MidAmerica Airport / cott AB C B OPP B wansea Belleville KR AV O A 50 hiloh O C 6 L B 28H H L W Oakville U 21 O B 16 upo AI 267 UMMRIL OUH UMMRIL R 95H HW Y ren ton 50 B r e e s e Aviston OL U H Lebanon O ' a l l o n CX A H 50 R HARMA LA R A M 0 R airview Heights W C AL M. CLAIR AV X C Cahokia 11 Caseyville ast t. Louis AL B RRA B CX X RA 100 MAI t. Louis Collinsville 55 MR R 7H A 180 RR OUH ILLIOI RRA 270 B B 10 Miles Gorham IGUR isting ransportation (Highways and Rail trategic Plan - A Vision for the et 25 Years 21

8 air view O'allon Heights e w 161 A l b e r s Baden amiansville 158 Mascoutah Julius J. Knobeloch 177 ipple lough mithton Columbia 11 Millstadt wansea Belleville 270 hiloh aint Louis owntown - Parks Airport upo 267 r ent on Av i s t on Lebanon 160 Louis airmont City Caseyville ast t. Jackson lough reeburg 15 Venedy t. L i bory Peabody KRP 159 Valmeyer 156 River ew A t h e n s King Hecker ults ynegy Baldwin nergy Comple Bal d w in ilden World hooting Comple Ruma Coulter ville 55 Kidd Lake Marsh 15 KRP #2 Harlow 1 Red Bud ogelpole Cave 67 River Illinois Caverns Prairie tate nergy Campus Lenzburg KRP #1 Maeystown ayetteville Port Waterloo par ta Prairie du Rocher Port of vansville 61 Cutler P e r c y Pyramid teeleville 150 hreatened & ndangered pecies Wetlands Levee P e r r y v i l l e0 1 2 Rockwood Rockwood Island Miles Wilkinson IGUR 2. - isting atural Resources, Habitat, and Green Infrastructure 22 Regional Port istrict hawnee ational orest Bodies of Water Railroad lood Zone (100 year 1 Power Plant atural Area Inventory Island ites 51 Public Open pace tate Public Open pace P R RY ederal Public Open pace C O- U Y, Municipal Private Open pace Piney Creek Ravine urkey Bluffs Airport. Regional Port istrict G Boundary V I V Watershed Boundary CO U Y treams Chester Ä Regional Port istrict acilities Willisville isting atural Resources, Habitat, & Green Infrastructure Randolph 2 Beaver Island MMR Kellogg ock llis Grove Lovett's Pond

9 66 ast Carondelet upo nglemann arm Henry White Research arm Cave reeburg Hecker Valmeyer 155 v a n s v i l l e parta Misselhorn parta Art Gallery Historic (parta epot istrict he Hunt Club te Genevieve te. Genevieve Historic istrict isting Recreation Opportunities Beaver Log Cabin Winery rench Colonial Historic istrict Randolph 150 Piney Creek Ravine Pyramid Willisville Airport Regional Port istrict acilities Ä Menard K a s k a s k i a Correctional Regional Port istrict Boundary Power Plant acility Chester Bell tate y Boat Ramp/Access rans America rail Memorial urkey Randolph Co. River to River rail Bluffs Museum Medical d Island American iscovery rail Middle Miss atl Mississippi River rail Wildlife Refuge Office O Places of Interest Rockwood 2 Cutler ort Percy teeleville llis Grove 55 Kellogg ock Modoc Rock helter H Prairie du Rocher Historic istrict Charter Oak choolhouse vansville Visitors Center Ruma Brickey P r a i r i e Mansion d u R o c h e r Ruins Creole Port of vansville House Coulter ville ational Guard Armory 15 Ruma ort de Chartres Kidd Lake Marsh A il d e n KRP #2 15 ynegy Baldwin nergy Comple World B a l d w i n hooting & Recreational Comple Red Bud Headquarters Historic istrict Academy Building R e d B u d IR ite WIC Red Bud Campus Kidd Lake Marsh 61 1 River Lau-ae Winery Prairie tate nergy Campus KRP #1 Illinois Caverns/Burksville Maeystown Historic M a e y s t o w n Illinois istrict Caverns Maeystown tone ogelpole Arch Bridge ults Cave ature Harlow Preserve Lenzburg White Rock ature Preserve t. Libory KRP ayetteville Port ew Athens Venedy ayetteville Peterstown House Morrison-albot Wa terlo o 199 lood Camp Vandeventer House Waterloo Bellefontaine House Historic Historic Marker 156 alt Lick Point istrict ipple lough Jackson lough Wagon Lake 159 ults 177 mithton Meissner Mascoutah Visitors Center Knobeloch oley Park Columbia Monroe Welcome Center 161 amiansville Mascoutah IU Research Julius J. Plot 158 Millstadt andbank chool iege temler House Albers Belleville ew Baden cott Air orce Base wansea hiloh 270 rank Holten Parks College 157 & Airfield alling pring 0 Rockwood Island 51 own With ood = Bed & Breakfast 9 Campground 2 Motel isting rail Planned rail Railroad Levee Major Waterways Bodies of Water Parks & Open pace Private Open pace Boundaries Winery ã 1 hawnee ational orest Lovett's Pond Perr yville Miles Wilkinson IGUR 2. - isting Recreation trategic Plan - A Vision for the et 25 Years 2

10 Opportunity for rail Connection 15 he survey and stakeholder meetings identified a future trail as a way to leverage eisting recreation strengths and connect the World hooting Comple to the River. A feasibility study would be the net step to evaluate the trail. ew Athens. CLAIR COU Y Hecker t. Libory MOR O COU Y KRP #1 1 isting rail at ay Use Area 159 Lenzburg. CLAIR COU Y WAHIGO COU Y 156 KRP ayetteville erminal ayetteville. C L A I R C O U Y RA OLPH COU Y MOR O COU Y RAOLPH COU Y Red Bud 15 Baldwin KRP #2 World hooting Comple and potential trail connection Ruma 155 Prairie du Rocher Port of vansville v a n s v i l l e par ta Miles River rail ilden Regional Port istrict acilities uture rail llis G r o v e Railroad Bodies of Water Regional Port istrict Boundary Boundaries own Boundary 61 isting Confluence rail at the Lock & am 2 teeleville treams American iscovery rail te Genevieve isting rail Kellogg ock IGUR rail Connection Opportunity 2 Regional Port istrict