The Kinkaid Lake – Kinkaid Creek watersheds comprise 41,225 acres in southwest Illinois of which 33 percent is administered by the Shawnee National Forest. The remainder is a mix of Illinois Department of Natural Resources and private lands. Slopes surrounding the lake are steep and highly erodible. Factors including altered fire regimes, invasive understory species, and poorly located roads have had a negative effect on soil stability. The resulting sediment production is degrading both downstream water quality and Kinkaid Lake storage capacity.

In 2006, a diagnostic study of Kinkaid Lake estimated that 39,000 tons per year of soil are eroding within the watershed. About 35,000 tons per year of that sediment is entering the reservoir. The Kinkaid Area Watershed Project, Inc estimates that as much as 35 percent of the reservoir’s water-holding capacity has been lost. Since 2006, erosion control work has concentrated on shoreline stabilization, soil conservation in private agricultural fields and pastures, and the stabilization of historic gullies on the national forest.

In 2022, the Shawnee National Forest and partners were awarded a Collaborative Aquatic Landscape Restoration grant. Funds were used to further restore ecosystem health and   improve water quality. In this project, scientists will test gully stabilization/restoration methods and evaluate the effectiveness of management actions aimed at improving water quality. 

Objectives

Test multiple methods for gully restoration in highly erosive soils typical of the National Forests in the midwestern U.S. Provide data for evaluating the effectiveness of management actions aimed at improving water quality. Provide guidance for implementing future watershed restoration actions across the Southern Tier of Region 9. 

Expected Results 

Outputs 

Annual field tours to discuss gully and vegetation restoration impacts on erosion and water quality. Annual reports for sediment discharge and nutrient fluxes from selected watersheds. A managers guide for designing gully stabilization with data describing the effectiveness of different methods to mitigate further erosion. A peer reviewed paper describing the use of LiDAR and Aerial imagery to quantify erosion from upland gullies.

Expected Outcomes 

Stronger working relationships between the USDA Forest Service, Southern Illinois University, and conservation groups within the Kinkaid Lake planning area. Delivery of data for evaluating differential methods of gully stabilization. Evaluation of overall effectiveness of ecosystem restoration on downstream water quality. Training for the next generation of watershed management practitioner., Documentation for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) based quantification of gully erosion.

Metrics of Success 

The number of stakeholders that participate in annual field tours. The trend in water quality downstream of gully and watershed restoration efforts. Use of data from this project to support additional management actions.

Geographies and High-Risk Landscapes to Be Addressed 

Local 

The Shawnee National Forest, mid-western U.S., Southern Tier of Region 9.