News & Events
New Column in the Mahomet Citizen: Notes from the River, by Scott
Duck Race coming to Mahomet's Sangamon River Music Fest this August!
The USRC is happy to be working with the Village of Mahomet to sponsor a Duck Race Fundaiser on the Sangamon River at the Bike Path Bridge over the Sangamon. Look for opportunities at Freedom Fest, other events, Mahomet IGA, or contact the Village of Mahomet through their website to purchase your winning Duck! $200 First Prize! Proceeds will benefit Mahomet Parks and Recreation and the USRC.
Sarah Bales of the Illinois Natural History Survey spoke at the April USRC Monthly Meeting.
What do Fatmucket, Wabash Pigtoe, Pimpleback, and Pink Heelsplitter have in common? They are among the 28 species of mussels found in the Upper Sangamon River and its tributaries, including the Big Ditch, the Wildcat Slough, Lone Tree Creek, and other area streams. Sarah Bales, Mussel Field Biologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey spoke at the Upper Sangamon River Conservancy monthly meeting on Monday April 18th at the Mahomet Public Library. An attentive and well attended group greeted Bales, who helps conduct mussel surveys in Illinois rivers.
HAZEN BRIDGE LOOKING BETTER EVERY DAY!
On Sunday, March 27th, Jerry, Bruce, Scott, Mike and Tim got out for our first Spring clean-up at the Historic Hazen Bridge in Newcomb Township where CR2600N crosses the Sangamon River. This site, owned by the Champaign County Preservation and Conservation Association is only about 4 miles north on SR47 north of Mahomet and a half-mile East on CR2600N. The Hazen Bridge, built in 1893, is truly a historic treasure for this area and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's unique Western approach was specifically designed to keep the bridge above and out of the flood plain of the river.
The site also includes 5 park-like acres (that haven't been fully developed) and just beyond the north boundary of the property is an impressive Great Blue Heron rookery, another unique feature of the site.
At the cleanup, we burned brush and began the process of moving brush and downed trees from the West end of the bridge from the previous cleanup. Not only does this make the bridge look better from CR2600, but it will also help to preserve the wood surfaces of the bridge by keeping down plant and moss growth on the decking. We also worked on trimming trees on the East end and the removal of invasive of wild honeysuckle and other species.
The bridge is looking better with every cleanup.
Join us again April 17 for yet another Hazen Bridge cleanup event!
JOIN A USRC COMMITTEE!
Updated March, 2011
We want to encourage everyone who visits this page to get involved in our organization. Committees include the Bluebird and Wood Duck Project committee, the History and Culture Committee, and committees on Water Quality monitoring, River Activities, Events, Fundraising, and more. Some committees, such as the History and Culture, you need not even live here to join in! A full committee list is under the tab "About Us".
Committee members should be USRC members in good standing (complete membership form on file and paid up annual dues).
For more information, contact: president@sangamonriver.org, or secretary@sangamonriver.org
USRC T-SHIRTS AND HATS ARE AVAILABLE!
For your generous donation to the USRC, your gift will be the following:
$15 Donation: USRC logo baseball cap.
$20 Donation: USRC logo t-shirt (large and XL currently available
RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS:
A screening of Green Fire!
The film was presented by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District and the Forest Preserve Friends Foundation Thursday, September 22, 2011 at The Virginia Theatre in Champaign, Illinois.
Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time is the first full-length, high-definition documentary film ever made about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold and his environmental legacy. Green Fire shares highlights from his extraordinary career, explaining how he shaped conservation and the modern environmental movement. It also illustrates how Leopold's vision of a community that cares about both people and land continues to inform and inspire people across the country and around the world, highlighting modern projects that put Leopold’s land ethic in action in a multitude of ways.
USRC BLUEBIRD HOUSES COMPLETED AND INSTALLED!
March 2011
President Bruce proudly announces the completion of construction and installation of the bluebird nesting boxes at the Sangamon River Greenway to the east of the SR47 bridge. Several contributed to the more than 30 hours of volunteer time that went into the project. Bruce, Jerry Pagac, Alan Weith, Jon Hanson, and Chuck Berschinski all came to Bruce's garage on a very cold afternoon to help with the construction of the boxes. A special thanks to Chuck for securing some heavy duty posts and to Alan who generously provided a kerosene heater!
Chuck, Jon and Bruce met to seal the boxes and paint "USRC" on them with a stencil that Chuck provided and Jon crafted. Jon also took up the responsibility of providing a post driver. He located materials and enlisted a friend to weld a most impressive post driver. As it turned out, we need all of the "mother of all post drivers" to get the job done.
Thanks to all! Let's see if the bluebirds thank us, too. We look forward to our new tenants…
NEW CANOE DONATION
November, 2010
We are pleased to have local resident Anne Moore donate her 17 foot red Coleman canoe to the USRC. Donated canoes are for use by all USRC members in good standing (paid up dues and membership form on file) FREE OF CHARGE during regular paddles and for daily loan. Just another significant benefit of joining us here at the USRC.
See you on the River!
USRC ANNUAL MEETING AND COOKOUT
As you know, we had our first annual meeting last Sunday evening, October 17. The turnout was relatively small, but a good time was had by all. The new officers are (2 year terms):
Bruce Colravy, president
Mike Boero, vice president
Scott Hays, secretary
Jim Wilcosky, treasurer.
The new Board members (3 year terms) are:
Bruce Colravy
Jerry Pagac
Rick Williams
Special thanks go out to Scott Hays, Jon Hanson, Tim Garrow and Jim Wilcosky for serving as our first president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, respectively, and for Tom Meachum for his past service on the Board.
Scott Hays received a small plaque in recognition of his outstanding service as USRC's first president, which was designed and made by Jon Hanson, the same individual (and daughter) who designed our logo. Everyone who is reading this knows that our group would not be as engaged, motivated and organized as it it now if it were not for Scott's contagious enthusiasm and passion for the Sangamon River and for this organization.
As incoming president, I will do my best to advance the goals of USRC. I trust I can count on everyone for guidance and support. I hope to see everyone at our November meeting.
Sincerely,
Bruce Colravy
President, USRC
USRC HAZEN BRIDGE CLEANUP
SEPTEMBER 18, 2010
USRC and PACA (Preservation and Conservation Association of Champaign County) volunteers chain-sawed, piled up debris, cut, sawed, trimmed, inventoried plants, targeted invasive plants for removal, cooked, ate, and just enjoyed the afternoon at the Hazen Bridge Saturday, September 18. Special thanks to Dan Olson of CCFPD (Champaign County Forest Preserve District) for working with us on our site management plan and providing lots of advice about our stewardship of the plants on this 5 acre site. Special thanks also to neigboring property owners Anne Moore and Mike Henry for their generous support (and free parking).
The Hazen Bridge, on the National Register of Historic Places, is a true landmark for the Sangamon River and a landmark for Champaign County. In cooperation with PACA, the site owner, the USRC has been tasked with stewardship and caretaking of this beautiful site.
August 28, 2010
Kayak Raffle Winners selected on stage at Sangamon River Music Festival!
We all had a great time participating in the Sangamon River Music Festival, staffing our display tent, which is looking very impressive, by the way, and participating in the parade – featuring dancing kayaks and all, and culminating in drawing our winners for the First Annual USRC Kayak Raffle. Here are the winners:
First – Glenna Weith, Potomac 10 foot kayak
Second – Jon Hanson, O'Neill Life Vest
Third – Eddie Colravy – Paddling Illinois and Illinois Wildlife
Fourth – Laura Campbell – Paddling Illinois
Fifth – Duane Dassow – Illinois Wildlife
Congratulations to all who bought tickets – you're all winners since your donation supports the good work of the USRC. Try again next year, this is certain to be something we'll try again!
May 29, 2010
HAZEN BRIDGE CLEANUP – USRC is assuming 'stewardship' responsibility for the historic old Hazen Bridge north of Mahomet. We cleared trees and other brush, replaced a few boards on the bridge decking, mowed and cleaned up the historical marker on the west end. The bridge was built in 1893 and is a "Pratt Thru Truss" style, one of only two left standing in the state.
The bridge is on CR2600 where it crosses the Sangamon River. To get there head north on SR47 from Mahomet to CR2600, turn right (east) and go about 1 and a 1/2 miles. Parking is very limited, which we hope to work on, but you can park at the West End on the South side of CR2600.
May 22, 2010
RIVERWATCH MONITORING, CROOKED CREEK.
A few of us collected samples of macro-invertabrates in Crooked Creek north and west of Mahomet as an indicator of stream health. Stream health will be assessed during Riverwatch workshops in August. Stay tuned!
