Agencies
Services
Land and Water Reserve Area
5
County
Macon
Location
The site is in central Macon County, immediately southwest of Decatur. It lies east of Interstate 72 and south of U.S. Route 36.
Description
Rock Springs Land and Water Reserve is composed of one contiguous swath of floodplain and upland forest along a 1.88-mile stretch of the Sangamon River. The site consists of old fields succeeding to forest (both floodplain and upland), restored prairie, and a planted walnut grove. While the Sangamon River itself is outside of the reserve, the river directly benefits from having its banks protected and managed (including reducing runoff and erosion due to native ground cover restoration, and enforcement of encroachment activities along the banks). Breeding bird counts have confirmed the presence of 72 bird species utilizing Rock Springs during the breeding season. Of these bird species, 13 are considered Species in Greatest Need of Conservation and 15 are sensitive to forest fragmentation. A total of 369 plant species have been identified including wild leek, lead plant, prairie milkweed, side-oats grama, pale green sedge, white prairie clover, purple prairie clover, and rattlesnake master.
Ownership
Macon County Conservation District
Natural Division
Grand Prairie Section of the Grand Prairie Natural Division (#4a)
Registered
February 2018
Size
421 acres
Access
The site is open to the public. It is best accessed by the Macon County Conservation District’s Rock Springs Nature Center located at 3939 Nearing Ln, Decatur, IL 62521.
Topographic Quad
Harristown
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686
DNR.INPC@illinois.gov