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The Illinois EPA has directed Fox Shore Apartments in Aurora to temporarily relocate all residents due to improperly conducted renovation activities that may have caused asbestos exposure. To read more, click here. 

History

VLMP Timeline

1981 – VLMP begins with 141 volunteers monitoring Secchi disk transparency at 87 lakes.

1982 – Planning Commission in Northeastern Illinois assists with VLMP coordination

  • Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, now known as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) was contracted to oversee coordination of the program in a six-county region: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties.

1984 – Planning Commissions in Southern and Southwestern Illinois assist with VLMP coordination

  • Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission (GERPDC) was contracted to coordinate the VLMP in the Southern tip of Illinois: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union and Williamson Counties
  • Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission (SIMRPC) was contracted to coordinate the VLMP in the Southwestern region of the state: Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington Counties.

1985 – VLMP Expands to include a water quality component at 50 lakes. Water quality parameters added were: Total and Volatile Suspended Solids, Total Phosphorus, Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen and Ammonia Nitrogen.

1992 – VLMP Expands to monitor the aquatic exotic Zebra Mussel and a pilot program for monitoring Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Temperature (Temp) profiles. The DO/Temp meters proved to be difficult to maintain, so this program was dropped the following season.

1995 – Conservation 2000 passes! Funding is made available through this bill to expand the water quality program from 50 to 100 lakes and also added chlorophyll analysis.

2006 – VLMP incorporates the " Tiered Approach". The Illinois EPA also takes over VLMP coordination for the SIMRPC region.

2007 – CMAP adds Kendall County to its VLMP coordination region.

Today – The VLMP presently maintains a total of over 300 volunteers at around 150 lakes annually. Over the years, that adds up to more than 2,000 volunteers that have monitored over 400 Illinois lakes!