SCHEELS Invests $200,000 to Upgrade Infrastructure at Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area
Hunting opportunities will be expanded from six to 80 locations at the 402-acre walk-in unit
October 23, 2025 •
2
min read
Gale Construction
This year, SCHEELS partnered with Ducks Unlimited (DU) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to advance a critical wetland restoration effort at the Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (SFWA) walk-in, a 402-acre unit open to public waterfowl hunting in the fall. SCHEELS’ $200,000 donation helped repair berms and replace outdated water-control structures at the Walk-In Unit, which expanded the number of hunting locations from six to 80.
“Historically, the Walk-In Unit has been subject to flooding and sedimentation, negatively impacting wetland habitat and waterfowl use,” said Jena Herrick, DU manager of Conservation Programs. “The berms around the unit required constant maintenance and repair, and water-control structures were undersized and washedout during floods. During the 2024-25 waterfowl season, the old infrastructure failed again when a breach drained all the water that had been pumped into the unit.”
DU and the IDNR have restored water level management capabilities at the Walk-In Unit by building an armored emergency spillway that can quickly equalize hydrologic pressure, minimizing damage to wetland infrastructure. A new water-control structure was installed to better manage water flow into and out of the unit.
The improved management capability increases the IDNR’s ability to provide quality habitat for diverse wildlife species and ensure public use opportunities, such as hunting, fishing and birdwatching, are abundant at the SFWA year-round. The upgraded infrastructure in the Walk-In Unit will also enhance floodwater storage and water quality through improved sediment capture and water control.
"At SCHEELS, we are proud to partner with Ducks Unlimited and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in our shared mission to protect and enhance wildlife habitat,” said Patrick Bertelsen, Springfield SCHEELS store leader. “This project represents an investment in conservation, recreation, and community - values that have long been at the heart of our partnership and our company.”
More than 70 years ago, the Corps of Engineers began straightening the Sangamon River to help prevent flooding in Springfield and surrounding communities. The project's result made the Sangamon River wider and shallower. Sand siltation continues to expand and intensify, causing blockages along the Illinois River near Beardstown and the Sanganois bottomlands.
The Sangamon River is being forced to flow back to its natural route. Unfortunately, Sanganois SFWA stands in the river’s path, resulting in dozens of cuts that lead into Coon Slough, the Baker Unit, the Walk-In Unit and the Lower Country area. For years, the IDNR staff would have to pump water into the Lower Country to have enough water for the hunting season. The Sangamon River now runs through the Lower Country year-round. The current only gets stronger and carries more volume with it each season.
“The Sanganois SFWA landscape is an incredible mix of Illinois River floodplain, backwaters, bottomland, and prairie habitat,” said Herrick. “Spanning over 10,000 acres, it is one of the largest state-owned waterfowl refuges in Illinois. DU and the IDNR must continue to work together to steward the habitat that millions of migrating waterfowl depend upon. We couldn’t do that without partners like SCHEELS.”
