Peoria County, IL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- One acre graded
- Drainage law
- Illinois Drainage Code
- Districts
- Cover outlying farmland
- Field tile
- No obstruction without consent
- Neighbor runoff
- Creates civil liability
Summary
Grading in Peoria County answers to two systems: the ILR10 stormwater permit for one-acre disturbances, and the Illinois Drainage Code, since drainage districts and field tile blanket the flat farmland beyond the bluffs.
"Drain" includes ditch and means any water course or conduit, whether open, covered or enclosed, natural or artificial, or partly natural and partly artificial, by which waters coming or falling upon lands are carried away.
Full Breakdown
Earthmoving in Peoria County runs into two rules. First, disturbing one acre or more triggers Illinois EPA's ILR10 stormwater permit and its pollution-prevention plan. Second, drainage: much of the outlying county lies inside organized drainage districts under the Illinois Drainage Code (70 ILCS 605), and thousands of acres drain through buried field tile. You cannot break, fill, obstruct, or reroute a district drain or regulated tile without the drainage commissioners' consent. On the river bluffs, cut-and-fill grading that dumps concentrated runoff onto a downhill neighbor creates civil liability. Inside the cities, grading permits and drainage review apply through local engineering standards.
Violations & Fines
Grading an acre without ILR10 coverage, or cutting, filling, or obstructing a drainage-district drain or field tile without consent, brings enforcement, stop-work orders, and civil liability for the drainage damage caused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I break or reroute the drain tile crossing my land?
My neighbor regraded and now water floods my lot. What can I do?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Peoria County
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