The Creek

We are fortunate to have the North Branch of Bull Creek running through our subdivisions. It not only provides the general name the subdivisions are commonly referred to as, but it usually adds character to the area.

On July 20, 2005, a microburst hit the area along Bull Creek Drive, taking down many tree limbs and trees. Some fell into or across the Creek. That weather event sparked a movement to clean-up the creek-side.

While there were no major problems with the Creek at that time, it was also true that it had been neglected for many years. As such, the banks were over-grown, debris had collected along the shores and underwater, and there was considerable erosion. In addition, during the previous decade there had been some business development upstream of the Creek which was noticeably increasing the run-off into the Creek. The combination of these factors increased the risk of damaging flooding.

So began an odyssey of revitalizing the Creek. A group of homeowners banded together and began to apply for grant money in order to get a professional evaluation of the Creek with recommendations for specific improvements. In 2006 the team received an Illinois C2000 grant which allowed Integrated Lakes Management (ILM) to do the evaluation and write a report with suggested improvements which was issued in July 2008.

Since then, there have been many Creek clean-up days involving many homeowners working to reduce the clutter of fallen tree limbs and debris. In 2009 additional grant monies were received to be used to begin adding native plants along the creek-banks. That process began in 2010 and continues thereafter. The goals of these clean-ups and plantings are to beautify the Creek and to allow for improved drainage to minimize risk of flooding.

The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission chose LPAHA as the recipient of the 2009 “Stewardship of the Year” Award. This is a program that has existed since 2004 which recognizes “outstanding efforts by groups, communities and individuals for projects and other proactive and innovative efforts to improve water quality, reduce flooding and help restore the natural drainage district.”

To continue quoting from the letter, “The LPAHA is being commended for its on-going activities to improve the Bull Creek/Bull’s Brook watershed at the grassroots level. Association members were actively involved in the development of the BC/BB Watershed Management Plan and implementing projects recommended in the plan.

The Association has led an education and outreach effort for homeowners resulting in an on-going high level of support and participation by them. For those reasons the Liberty Prairie Area Homeowners Association has been recognized by the SMC Board of Commissioners. Congratulations and many thanks to the Liberty Prairie Area Homeowners Association for blazing the trail on what an organized, educated group of local stakeholders can do to achieve a sustainable neighborhood and watershed.”

Starting on 2011 a team of citizen scientists began monitoring Bull Creek for its water quality by participating in the Illinois RiverWatch program. Based on the first years of monitoring the water for macro-invertebrates, the quality was determined to be good.

From 2018 to 2020 the water quality was not determined due to spring flooding of the Creek in 2018 & 2019; and then due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

In 2013 the homeowners association made money available to individual homeowners when they perform creek improvement projects. It was a one-for-one reimbursement of up to $500 – if the homeowner spent $1000 on improvements (paying for removal of invasives or planting native plugs or seeds, etc.). They were reimbursed $500.

Over the years some property owners took advantage of the program. They took different approaches: one did some clean-up of debris; another shored up their banks; and the third added native plants to stabilize the banks and provide better drainage with deep-rooted plants.