Projects

The Woodchip Bioreactor Partnership installed their seventh woodchip bioreactor with additional support this year from the Fishers & Farmers Partnership.

The partnership’s sixth woodchip bioreactor installed in Heyworth, IL over a few days in early May 2024 measured 16’ x 70’ and was designed to treat over 48 acres of subsurface drainage.

Treating approximately 12 acres, the saturated buffer practice was a good fit for the Pickrell Farm. With an existing buffer over 30’ wide, the practice will work in tandem with the new pattern tile system installed to manage nutrient losses.

On August 1-3, 2023, Illinois LICA installed a subsurface tile drainage system and a water & sediment control structure (WASCB) on the campus of Illinois Central College (ICC) in East Peoria.

During the 3-day Farm Progress Show held August 29-31 in Decatur, IL, ILICA showcased yet another installation of 20 acres of pattern tile drainage.

The ideal opportunity arose to implement a woodchip bioreactor practice on a parcel of non-cash cropped ground that drains directly into the south side of Lake Springfield, measuring in at 20’ x 95’ and designed to treat over 85 acres.

During the week of August 22-26, 2022, several organizations partnered together to improve water quality and wildlife habitat in north-central Illinois by building two wetlands on a private farm in Livingston County.

True to form, the Woodchip Bioreactor Partnership completed installation of it’s fourth woodchip bioreactor, since it’s inception in 2017, on August 14 in McDonough County on the Hunt Farm.

During the 3-day Farm Progress Show held August 31 - September 2, 2021 in Decatur, IL, ILICA showcased the installation of over 30 acres of pattern tile drainage and another 12'x50' denitrifying woodchip bioreactor.

In keeping with its goal to install at least five woodchip bioreactors across the state beginning in 2017, the Woodchip Bioreactor Partnership, formerly the Edge of Field Partnership, completed its third bioreactor installation on September 21st.

During the week of July 22-27, ILICA constructed one of the most unique constructed wetlands to-date for The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) on the campus of Illinois Central College (ICC) in East Peoria, IL.

Over 65 attendees came out to learn more about saturated buffers during the field day event on Clint Robinson’s farm located in Sullivan, IL.

During the second year of ISAP's Advanced Conservation Drainage Training (ACDT) program, ILICA completed the installation of a 1,200' saturated buffer for the treatment of 46 acres of tile drainage near Longview, IL.

During the 3-day, 2019 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL, ILICA showcased the installation of over 30 acres of pattern tile drainage and a 12'x50' denitrifying woodchip bioreactor.

In the middle of August, ILICA installed the third constructed wetland for The Wetlands Initiative (TWI) of Chicago. The project totaled approximately 1 acre in size and will be surrounded by a buffer area of pollinator habitat.

ILICA completed the installation of a 2,000' saturated buffer at the Illinois State University in Lexington, IL. Under the lead of ILICA member David Kennedy, the majority of the practice installation occurred the day before an open-to-the-public field day on June 15

For the second year in a row, ILICA constructed another high profile bioreactor that was the first of its kind in the county with partners Illinois Farm Bureau, NRCS, and the University of IL College of ACES.

During the 3-day, 2017 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL, ILICA showcased the installation of over 30 acres of pattern tile drainage and a 30'x40' denitrifying bioreactor.

Less than 4 weeks after the 2017 Farm Progress Show denitrifying woodchip bioreactor installation, ILICA was back at it again constructing another high profile bioreactor near Geneseo, IL at the end of September.

Co-hosted by ILICA and The Wetlands Initiative (TWI), the constructed wetland project, located at Bonucci Farms in Princeton, IL, totalled around 1 acre in size and will be surrounded by another 3 acres of buffer area seeded to pollinator habitat.

The IL Corn Growers’ field labs project was just as “big” and critical as the TWI project. This project was less of a demonstration than typical ILICA projects, but completed to serve as a research platform for ILCGA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant through the NRCS.

Co-hosted by ILICA and The Wetlands Initiative (TWI), the total wetland project area was approximately 2 acres requiring over 6,000 cubic yards of earthwork/excavation.

Constructed by ILICA member Wayne Litwiller Excavating, Inc. from Hopedale, IL, this aluminum toewall drop spillway was the first structure in IL installed with a waler tie back system.