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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to recognize the Rend Lake Conservancy 
4District, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and 
5the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the occasion of the 50th 
6anniversary of building Rend Lake; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, The area surrounding Rend Lake and the Rend Lake 
8Conservancy District has a rich history and heritage unique to 
9the Southern Illinois region; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Despite plentiful rainfall and its location 
11between two of the nation's great rivers, the Mississippi and 
12Ohio, the land surrounding Rend Lake was originally plagued by 
13a lack of water for decades; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, Southern Illinois first flourished as a coal 
15mining area in the early 1920s, with coal miners such as 
16Colonel William P. Rend establishing towns like Rend City, 
17from whom Rend Lake takes its name; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, By the 1950s, the onset of an economically 
19devastating three-year drought took its toll on the region; as 
20a result, plans to construct a large water supply lake to solve 
21the area's water problems began to take form; those plans 
 
 
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1became the Rend Lake Project; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, With the support of the Rend Lake Conservancy 
3District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the 
487th Congress of the United States authorized the building of 
5Rend Lake near Benton, Illinois with the Flood Control Act of 
6October 23, 1962; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, The Flood Control Act gave the U.S. Army Corps of 
8Engineers the responsibility for Rend Lake's development; the 
9$60 million dollar project was completed ahead of schedule; 
10and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, The authorized purposes of the Rend Lake Project 
12include flood control on the Big Muddy and Mississippi Rivers, 
13water supply, water quality control, fish and wildlife 
14conservation, recreation, and area redevelopment; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Today, Rend Lake is a multipurpose gem of 
16Southern Illinois that has greatly enhanced the region's 
17quality of life, supplying over 15 million gallons of water 
18per day to 300,000 persons in over 60 communities; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Rend Lake continues to have a positive impact on 
20the community, bringing millions of tourists, sportsmen, and 
21adventure seekers to the region, further boosting the economy 
 
 
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1of Southern Illinois; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, A celebration marking the 50th anniversary of 
3Rend Lake, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Rend 
4Lake Conservancy District, and the Illinois Department of 
5Natural Resources, featuring local and regional elected 
6officials, was held at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rend 
7Lake Project Office & Visitor Center on Saturday, September 
810, 2022; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
10HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
11we recognize the Rend Lake Conservancy District, the Illinois 
12Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of 
13Engineers on the 50th anniversary of building Rend Lake; and 
14be it further
  
 
15    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
16presented to officials of the Rend Lake Conservancy District, 
17the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. 
18Army Corps of Engineers as an expression of our esteem and 
19respect.