WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States (WOTUS), wetlands, associated with Piscasaw Creek. The center of the site is located approximately 3,000-feet northwest of the intersection of Grange Hall Road and Marengo Road in Sections 18/19, Township 44 North, Range 4 East; at Latitude 42.283037 and Longitude -88.8114199; near the city of Belvidere, Boone County, Illinois.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site consists of undeveloped land along Piscasaw Creek. The area adjacent to the east of the site is currently used for agricultural production. Piscasaw Creek borders the site to the west and is followed by undeveloped land. The areas north and south of the site are also undeveloped land.
PROJECT PURPOSE/BANK OBJECTIVES: The fundamental objective of compensatory mitigation is to offset environmental losses resulting from unavoidable impacts to WOTUS authorized by Department of the Army Permits. Other objectives include restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat, supporting long-term ecological health and functionality of the Piscasaw Creek and Kishwaukee River systems, reducing the temporal losses of wetlands, and improving water quality within the Kishwaukee River watershed.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION/BANK ESTABLISHMENT: The bank sponsor proposes to complete activities on 82.6-acres of property along Piscasaw Creek that would result in the establishment of wetland mitigation credits. The mitigation plan for the project will focus on enhancing existing degraded wetland communities across the site. This will include increasing the diversity of plant communities through planting, removal of invasive and undesirable species, and establishing a vegetated wetland buffer along the site boundary. Removal and control of invasive species may include targeted herbicide application, prescribed burns, mechanical removal, or other best management practices tailored to promote the growth of desirable plant species. The project will generate an estimated 34.07 emergent wetland mitigation credits.
SERVICE AREA: The proposed bank service area will be the Northern Service Area in Illinois.
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