What is a Watershed?
A watershed is a basin-like landform defined by highpoints and ridgelines that descend into lower elevations and stream valleys. A watershed carries water "shed" from the land after rain falls and snow melts.  The Silver Creek Watershed, as shown HERE, encompasses over 10.6 square miles of land in Cook and DuPage Counties in Illinois.

Any precipitation that falls into the area bounded in red will generally flow downhill to towards Silver Creek, and eventually towards the Des Plaines River While some of this precipitation will evaporate before reaching a stream, or infiltrate into the ground, the majority of the runoff from precipitation is flowing through the creeks of the Silver Watershed.

For more information, visit: 
  EPA Website          USEPA Resources           USGS Website

What is a Watershed Plan?
A watershed plan is a comprehensive study of all the and sources of pollution on the land that drains rain and snow melt to a specific stream. The plan identifies information about the levels of pollution in the stream, the potential sources of the pollution and the amounts each source contributes. Also included are steps that can be taken to reduce the levels of pollution and flooding and who can take action to perform these steps. Everyone who lives or works in the watershed should participate in developing and implementing this plan so that all concerns about the water in the stream are discussed, investigated, and addressed to ensure clean water for everyone to use.
Click Here to download and read the Silver Creek Watershed Plan

What is Point Source vs. Non-Point Source water pollution?

Point Source water pollution comes from a readily identifiable source, such as a pipe discharging its contents into a stream, river or lake.

Non-Point Source (NPS) water pollution is so named because the pollutants do not originate at single point sources, such as industrial or municipal waste discharge pipes. Instead, NPS pollutants such as fertilizer, road salt, sediment, pesticides, nutrients and bacteria are carried over fields, lawns, and streets by rainwater or snowmelt. These pollutants then enter lakes and streams or seep into groundwater. While some NPS pollution is naturally occurring, most of it is a result of human activities.
Water Education Foundation - Point Source vs Non-point Source Pollution

What is a "Best Management Practice" or BMP?
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are effective, practical, structural or nonstructural methods which prevent or reduce the movement of sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants from the land to surface or ground water, or which otherwise protect water quality from potential adverse effects of human activities. Although it is unrealistic to expect that all non-point source pollution can be eliminated, BMP’s can be used to minimize the impact of human activities on water quality. These BMP’s must be reasonable, achievable and cost effective.

The 2016 Silver Creek Watershed Plan identified a “Best Management Practice” on my property. What next?
If you have viewed the “Recommendations Map” for your subwatershed, and a specific water quality “Best Management Practice” (BMP) was identified for your property, the choice is yours as participation is entirely VOLUNTARY.  If you wish to explore further what would be involved in implementing a recommended BMP on your property, feel free to complete the form found HERE. The 2016 Silver Creek Watershed Plan did NOT identify a “Best Management Practice” on my property, but I may need one.  What next?

If you have viewed the “Recommendations Map” for your subwatershed, and a specific water quality “Best Management Practice” (BMP) was NOT identified for your property, it is recognized that there may still be a water quality issue occurring that may need to be addressed.  Again, the choice is yours as participation is entirely VOLUNTARY.

If you wish to explore further what would be involved in determining what could be done to address this issue, or to possibly have a specific BMP recommended for your property and added to the current NCWP Update, feel free to contact us at
info@silvercreekwatershed.org