Recreation utilization of surface-mined lands
Seventy-one sites totaling 10,785 ha of surface mined land, are used for organized recreation in 15 Illinois counties; Fulton, Grunday, Perry, Randolph, Vermilion, and Will counties contain 80%. There are 54 private sites, 8 public, 5 use by permit, and 5 commercial. At least 1 city with 25,000 or greater population is located within 40 km of 60 (85%) sites. Fishing, picnicking, camping, swimming, other (primarily residential), and hunting are the most regularly documented uses/activities; greatest variety occurs in northeastern Illinois. Private sites offer most activities in contrast to public, permit, or commercial. Fifty-nine sites (6380 ha) were mined before the Illinois Open Cut Land Reclamation Act of 1962 took effect: 7 (4006 ha) were partly pre-law. Post mining characteristics of most sites were unsuitable for row crop agriculture due to steep slopes or surface stoniness. It is believed that future expansion or development of new recreation sites will occur in Grundy, Henry, Kankakee, Knox, Vermilion, and Will counties, due to demand for recreation areas and the availability and quality of pre-law mined lands. 13 references, 1 figure, 5 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale
- OSTI ID:
- 5394393
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-851213-
- Journal Information:
- Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States), Conference: 7. annual national symposium on surface mining, hydrology, sedimentology and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 8 Dec 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
LAND RECLAMATION
LAND USE
RECREATIONAL AREAS
DESIGN
PLANNING
SURFACE MINING
COAL MINING
CONSTRUCTION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
ILLINOIS
LAND POLLUTION ABATEMENT
REGULATIONS
SURFACE MINING ACTS
FEDERAL REGION V
LAWS
MINING
MINING LAWS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
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510500* - Environment
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012000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Mining