American Farmland Trust, with partners The Wetlands Initiative and Northwater Consulting, created a 9-element watershed-based plan for the Vermilion Headwaters Watershed in central Illinois.

The Vermilion River Headwaters (VHW) watershed plan includes 305,573-acres in Illinois and provides a road map to achieve goals developed by the VHW Partner Steering Committee. This plan is intended to be adapted and updated as work to enhance water resources and improve water quality continues to develop and cost-effective implementation activities continue to achieve the highest load reductions, especially for nitrogen which is the primary water quality concern.

The VHW Watershed Partnership—of which AFT is a part—is comprised of local stakeholders such as farmers, state and federal agency staff, local agricultural retailers, and non-profit groups and will support efforts and execution of this plan.

This plan was funded by the Illinois EPA.