Table 15 recapitulates the calculated annual gross income of $18.57 per acre that 
owners of Illinois bottomland water areas can expect to receive from fish and wildlife resources 
at 1944-1947 prices, Further development in management of the bottomland water areas would 
undoubtedly increase the returns, 
SUMMARY 
1, Extensive areas of the Illinois and Mississippi river bottomlands have béen drained 
and leveed, destroying fish and aquatic wildlife habitat and increasing flood heights, 
2. Many groups of people in Illinois are questioning the wisdom of spending public 
funds to build, maintain, and improve levees to perpetuate an uncertain agricultural economy in 
areas in which restored bottomland would furnish significant revenue from fish and wildlife 
resources and would reduce flood heights, 
3, The economic value of the fish and wildlife resources of bottomland lakes in Illi- 
nois was determined on the basis of the harvest of fish, fur, and ducks from various lakes, es- 
pecially Spring Lake, near Savanna, and Lake Chautauqua, near Havana, These are national 
wildlife refuges that were formerly drainage and levee districts. 
4, Public fish and wildlife values were appraised by determining amounts involved in 
the direct sale of commercial species and in the cost of hunting and fishing for the game species, 
Private values were calculated by determining the amounts involved in the lease of hunting 
rights, the rental of boats, cabins, and the like, and the income from commercial fish or fur 
taken, 
5. Bottomland lakes in the Illinois River valley were calculated to have an annual per- 
acre value to the public, 1944-1947, of $26.35, made up as follows: duck hunting $12,18; angling 
$2.40; commercial fishing $9.65; and fur trapping $2.12. 
6, Spring Lake, an abandoned levee district along the Mississippi River near Savanna, 
Illinois, was calculated to have an annual per-acre value to the public, 1946-1947, of $39.54, 
made up as follows: duck hunting $5,30; angling $24.56; and fish for restocking $9.68, 
7, Privately owned lakes in the Illinois River valley were estimated to be capable of 
producing an average yearly gross return to owners, 1944-1947, of $18.57 per acre, Under im- 
proved management of the habitat and the harvest, these areas could produce a higher income, 
ZS 
