Congratulations to the Valley Lakes Community Association

Congratulations to the Valley Lakes Community Association in Round Lake, IL for their award from the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission’s Annual Stormwater Awards. Valley Lakes will be awarded the Development of the Year award on December 6, 2007 at the Colby Barn in Grayslake, IL. Valley Lakes owns and maintains six natural wetlands and 21 detention ponds all interconnected to keep stormwater on site. In addition, they own 163 acres of the Mud Lake wetland. The Community Association is committed to retrofitting all 21 ponds to native plantings and restoring their wetlands to increase their functions and values as well as the aesthetics for their residents. This project benefits Marl Flats Forest Preserve as well as filters water going into the Squaw Creek subwatershed and the Fox River Watershed. Tallgrass Restoration has been partnering with the community association for the past three years to restore, enhance, and protect their wetlands and stormwater systems.