Lake County Stormwater Management Commission is in the business of change — changing the way people think. Watershed is the operative word. For example, the drainage districts the Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) has been working with have changed their focus from right-of-way to "watershed." No longer is one culvert replacement project looked at as a "local" project. Instead, all impacts to the watershed are considered.      The combination of explosive growth and wet topography in Lake County long underscored the need for careful stormwater management. State legislation enacted in 1987 enabled the county to create the Stormwater Management Commission, made up of six municipal members and six County Board members. The Commission's charge is to think comprehensively to reduce flooding and drainage problems in the community. The Commission has jurisdiction over 4 major watershed: Des Plaines, Fox River, North Branch of the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan.     Patricia Werner, watershed planner for the Stormwater Management Commission explains that the Commission is developing watershed plans for several tributaries of the Fox River Watershed in Lake County. "We anticipate that the Ecosystem Partnership will provide our planning initiatives with a broader watershed perspective. The Commission supports the Partnership by providing the most detailed information available for Lake County tributaries. It's this sharing of information that makes the Partnership valuable for preserving and restoring our natural resources." Lake County Stormwater Management Commission, 333-B Peterson Rd., Libertyville, IL 60048  847/918-5269   Website:  www.co.lake.il.us/smc Back to FREP Member Profiles Index