The History of Richland Creek

Historically, I believed that Richland Creek’s headwaters were at the “Three Springs” in Shiloh, Illinois. These springs were documented to exist and were utilized by Native Americans when settlers first arrived. However, after visiting their location in Shiloh, I determined that the Three Springs most likely drained into the Silver Creek watershed. With the help of Vicki Thien Stasko, St. Clair County Highway Department Engineer, and Shiloh resident Bryan Schmittling, I pinpointed their original location behind the Methodist Church in Shiloh. Although I was told the springs were inactive, I believe at least one of them still flows. The park off of Frank Scott Parkway East was named after these springs, even though they are not located there.

Some reports state that Richland Creek’s headwaters are at I-64 and Green Mount Road. However, today’s Richland Creek most likely starts at Acker Lake in Three Springs Park. Acker Lake is fed during wet periods by a series of seeps along its southern edge and runoff. On my visit on September 30, 2021, the seeps were not flowing. A Shiloh resident reported a spring just west of South Main Street, which has a small but constant flow. Despite my skepticism that it might be supplied by runoff, the flow did disappear underground with no evidence of a field drain or pipe.

Three Springs Park also features a wetlands restoration project that helps filter upstream runoff before it enters Acker Lake. According to a recent fish survey by the Illinois Fisheries Department, this project has benefited aquatic life in Richland Creek. The creek eventually flows into the Kaskaskia River just north of Baldwin Lake.

One of the first settlers in what is now Belleville, Illinois, was George Blair. A Scottish American who arrived in St. Clair County in the 1790s, Blair became the county sheriff. After 1800, he moved to a 200-acre farm in the Clinton Hill Precinct. On March 10, 1814, he negotiated with a county commission to make his farm the county seat to comply with territorial government requirements. In return for moving the county government from Cahokia to his land, Blair donated one acre to the county for the Public Square, platted a town he named Belleville (French for "beautiful city"), and promised to donate every fifth lot to the county.

Early settlers like Blair had access to water from shallow surface wells, natural seeps, and springs. Springs were more common in the past due to higher groundwater levels. Blair’s property was said to have an old Indian campground with a spring that "gushed in a stream the size of a mans arm." This spring likely influenced Blair’s decision to settle there in 1806. In 1832, Hinkley’s Mill, a steam-powered mill, was constructed on this site, reportedly in the block bounded by Second and Third South Streets and Illinois and Spring Streets.

Another notable spring in Belleville was in Southside Park, used as a spring house. A spring house is a small building built atop a spring for storage and refrigeration. Although referred to as the Milk House, I found no historic documents supporting this name. Growing up in Belleville in the late fifties and sixties, I recall seeps flowing from Cleveland Hill (formerly Eimer’s Hill) on the south border of Southside Park. After heavy rains, seeps also appeared in the roadway access on the east end of the park.

I’m sure other seeps and springs once contributed to Richland Creek's early flow. However, today, aside from the seeps in Three Springs Park, no seeps or springs flow into the basin. This change is partly due to the deeper groundwater level, now more than twenty feet, and the paving of parking lots, building of homes, deforestation, and draining of wetlands, which have increased runoff speed and reduced soil absorption in the creek basin.

Richland Creek’s history has been marked by fluctuations in water levels and quality. Floods and droughts, as well as varying water quality, have been part of the creek’s story. Belleville had no regular water system in its early days, relying on private wells and a town pump on the public square. The public well sufficed until the summer of 1854 when many private wells dried up due to low rainfall, leading to high demand and unrest when a lock was placed on the pump at night.

As the city grew, more wells and reservoirs were established, but they provided insufficient water. In 1885, Edward Abend headed a company that laid the first water pipes in Belleville. In 1888, work began on a thirty-acre reservoir, now Lake Christine, and five years later, Lake Lorraine was constructed, increasing the city’s water capacity to 230,000 gallons. In 1897, a series of 500-foot deep artesian wells were sunk at Water Tower Hill. However, water shortages persisted until 1912, when the Mississippi River was tapped to supply water.

The quality of Richland Creek’s water has historically fluctuated. Pollution from tanneries, breweries, and sewage in the mid-late 1800s tarnished the creek’s reputation. However, prior to that, the water quality was quite good. George Neuhoff opened the Star Brewery near Richland Creek in 1854, claiming the creek’s water made his beer superior. Yet, by June 1857, the Tribune reported foul odors from the North distillery's residue polluting the creek. The creek was also blamed for the 1849 cholera epidemic, though it is now believed stagnant overflows from previous flooding were the cause.

This cycle of good and bad water quality continued. In March 1907, the News Democrat reported the return of animal life to the creek due to new sewage and septic systems. Despite this improvement, the creek's water quality has remained a concern. However, I can report that as of September 2021, fish, reptiles, and crustaceans reside in Richland Creek, indicating improved water quality. Yet, storm sewers still pose a risk during heavy rains, and plans for storm drainage holding ponds in Belleville aim to mitigate this threat.

Richland Creek has a history of erratic behavior, from flooding to drying up. The first recorded flood in 1848 destroyed bridges down to the Kaskaskia River. A significant flood on March 4, 1897, broke the dam at Lake Christine, flooding coal mines and causing extensive damage. Another flood on August 19, 1915, required hundreds of rowboat rescues. The most severe flood recorded was on June 15, 1957, when up to 13.75 inches of rain caused extensive damage and evacuations, with over $3 million in damages in Belleville alone.

In the 1960s, funds were approved for channel improvements and reservoirs to provide flood protection. However, a bond referendum defeat led to channelization as the city's primary flood control method. The 1996 flood prompted the implementation of the Richland Creek Greenway Master Plan, acquiring and demolishing properties in flood-prone areas to create open spaces and parks.

Today, 1,707 properties in Belleville have a greater than 26% chance of severe flooding over the next 30 years. Flooding can cut off access to utilities, emergency services, and transportation, impacting the area’s economic well-being. While Belleville has moderate flood risk, flooding is likely to affect daily life.

Urban streams like Richland Creek require management to prevent damage to homes and infrastructure. Channelization has helped reduce flooding in upstream areas, but lower reaches still experience increased flood levels. Belleville’s efforts to transform flood-prone areas into greenways and parks seem to be working, reducing the risk of downtown flooding.

Richland Creek’s history is one of adaptation and change. Early settlers dealt with natural overflows, but urban development necessitated flood control measures. Wetlands that once absorbed floodwaters have mostly disappeared, replaced by engineered solutions. Belleville’s greenway project aims to balance flood control with recreation, improving the quality of life for residents while mitigating flood risks.

References

• SCI Engineering wins merit award for Three Springs wetland mitigation project. Read more.