Dedicated nature preserve in Illinois receives special "Class III Groundwater" designation

SPRINGFIELD --- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Douglas Scott has announced that Stemler Cave Preserve and Pautler Nature Preserve, and their groundwater recharge areas have been designated as Class III: Special Resource Groundwater.

 

This designation, along with proper planning, will ensure that development and ecological issues can work in harmony. Each nature preserve is considered a unique ecological system that needs protection from potential contamination from urbanization and agriculture.

 

Stemler Cave Nature Preserve is located in western St. Clair County, approximately three and one half miles west of Millstadt and two miles northeast of Colombia.  The nature preserve and the groundwater recharge, or regeneration, area contributing to the Stemler Cave contains a total of approximately 4,582 acres, of which, 2,515 acres is karst landscape. 

 

Pautler Nature Preserve is located in west central Monroe County, approximately two and one half miles west of the city of Waterloo.  The nature preserve and the groundwater recharge area contributing to the Pautler cave contain a total of approximately 4,032 acres, of which, 1,830 acres is karst landscape. 

 

Karst landscape is formed when groundwater dissolves limestone or dolomite rock to form caves, sinkholes and other cavities.

 

The Karst Conservancy of Illinois strongly endorses the designation of the Pautler Cave Nature Preserve and groundwater recharge area as a Class III Watershed.  This property was purchased by the organization with the express purpose of protecting the cave.  Adding a Class III Ground Water designation to the area is a valuable new tool in this process. 

 

Due to the preserve locations within a karst geological areas, with high-energy stream flow and a unique aquatic cave community species; the recharge areas have been determined to be susceptible to contamination. 

 

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency received a request in August 2004 from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission to designate the groundwater contributing to and within each dedicated nature preserve as a Class III: Special Resource Groundwater. 

 

Director Scott explained that studies have shown that protection of the quality of the groundwater source is necessary in order to maintain a stable ecological balance in many of the preserves.  A dedicated nature preserve is a unique ecosystem, which provides a glimpse of a high quality natural community.  The designation of the area as Class III:  Special Resource Groundwater would provide a basis for the establishment of planning guidelines and a regulatory framework to protect the groundwater, which is vital to the sensitive ecological system.  

 

Provisions in the Environmental Protection Act, provide authority for the establishment of Class III: Special Resource Groundwater for: groundwater that is a demonstrably unique, irreplaceable source, and suitable for the application of a water quality standard that is more stringent; groundwater that is vital for a particularly sensitive ecological system; or groundwater contributing to a dedicated nature preserve listed by the Illinois EPA. 

 

The designation of a Class III: Special Resource Groundwater status will aid in protecting the integrity and biodiversity of the Stemler Cave and Pautler Cave watershed ecosystems.  This is the fourth and fifth such designation in the State of Illinois.

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