Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
5
County
Woodford
Location And Access
From east Peoria at jct. Hwys. 24 and 116, take Hwy. 116 northeast 1.1 miles to Hwy. 26, then go north 3.7 miles on Hwy. 26, then turn and go west on road to mobile home park 0.7 mile. The nature preserve is north of the mobile home park. It is about 2 miles south of Spring Bay and 0.75 mile west of Illinois Route 26.
Description
Spring Bay Fen is the only remaining example of an Illinois River cold water tall shrub fen in the state. The fen is a "bog-like" community dominated by several shrub species: red-osier dogwood, nannyberry, poison sumac and pussy willow. This community is similar to a bog in the structure of the peaty soil and springs, however, the pH of the spring water is different. The calcareous water flowing through the soil creates an alkaline pH to the soil-water, resulting in a fen community rather than an acidic bog. The plant communities have rare plants such as black ash, spotted phlox and highbush cranberry. More typical plants include skunk cabbage, blue iris, spreading goldenrod and spotted touch-me-not. Wood duck, heron, egret, bullfrog, garter snake and beaver are just a few common animal inhabitants. Record floods occurring in both 1983 and 1984 seemed to have had little adverse impact on the significant features.
Ownership
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Dedicated
November 1979
Size
26.6 acres with an additional 4.7 acres of buffer
Topographic Quad
Spring Bay
Topo Map
For Further Information
Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Jubilee College State Park, District Natural Heritage Biologist, 13921 W. Route 150, Brimfield, Illinois 61517 (309-446-9181).
