October 29, 2026 – A regional partnership led by the City of Decatur will use federal funding to reduce agricultural runoff and protect Lake Decatur’s water quality.
Lake Decatur has been selected for $6.72 million in federal funding to expand watershed protection efforts, with a focus on reducing agricultural runoff into the lake.
The City of Decatur-led partnership will receive the funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2026 Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The grant will support agricultural conservation practices, including cover crops, no-till farming and grassy waterways, designed to reduce the amount of nutrients and sediment entering local waterways.
The project will focus on the Big Creek, Long Creek, Sand Creek and Finley Creek watersheds.
The new award builds on a previous $9.88 million grant received in 2022. According to the city, conservation practices supported by that funding prevented 22,000 pounds of nitrogen, 3,160 pounds of phosphorus and 2,940 tons of sediment from entering Lake Decatur.
This year’s funding round was highly competitive, with 42 projects selected from 179 applications nationwide. Decatur’s project was the only one selected in Illinois.
The city says its partnership with the Sanitary District of Decatur to reduce phosphorus loads affecting the Sangamon River was among the factors considered in the selection.
“This award shows national-level recognition for the strength of Decatur’s watershed protection programs and partnerships,” said Robert Weil, the city’s Water Production General Manager.
More information about Decatur’s watershed protection efforts and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program is available at decaturil.gov.
