HR0937 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0937 LRB102 28972 LAW 40871 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the Rend Lake Conservancy District, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of building Rend Lake; and

WHEREAS, The area surrounding Rend Lake and the Rend Lake Conservancy District has a rich history and heritage unique to the Southern Illinois region; and

WHEREAS, Despite plentiful rainfall and its location between two of the nation's great rivers, the Mississippi and Ohio, the land surrounding Rend Lake was originally plagued by a lack of water for decades; and

WHEREAS, Southern Illinois first flourished as a coal mining area in the early 1920s, with coal miners such as Colonel William P. Rend establishing towns like Rend City, from whom Rend Lake takes its name; and

WHEREAS, By the 1950s, the onset of an economically devastating three-year drought took its toll on the region; as a result, plans to construct a large water supply lake to solve the area's water problems began to take form; those plans became the Rend Lake Project; and

WHEREAS, With the support of the Rend Lake Conservancy District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the 87th Congress of the United States authorized the building of Rend Lake near Benton, Illinois with the Flood Control Act of October 23, 1962; and

WHEREAS, The Flood Control Act gave the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the responsibility for Rend Lake's development; the $60 million dollar project was completed ahead of schedule; and

WHEREAS, The authorized purposes of the Rend Lake Project include flood control on the Big Muddy and Mississippi Rivers, water supply, water quality control, fish and wildlife conservation, recreation, and area redevelopment; and

WHEREAS, Today, Rend Lake is a multipurpose gem of Southern Illinois that has greatly enhanced the region's quality of life, supplying over 15 million gallons of water per day to 300,000 persons in over 60 communities; and

WHEREAS, Rend Lake continues to have a positive impact on the community, bringing millions of tourists, sportsmen, and adventure seekers to the region, further boosting the economy of Southern Illinois; and

WHEREAS, A celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Rend Lake, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Rend Lake Conservancy District, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, featuring local and regional elected officials, was held at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rend Lake Project Office & Visitor Center on Saturday, September 10, 2022; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the Rend Lake Conservancy District, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the 50th anniversary of building Rend Lake; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to officials of the Rend Lake Conservancy District, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an expression of our esteem and respect.