ST. JOSEPH - Kaden Wedig (right) celebrates his first-quarter touchdown with his brother Logan in the end zone during St. Joseph-Ogden's opener against Prairie Central at Dick Duval Field. Kaden scored two more times on catches of 15 and 31 yards. The Spartans rolled to a 64-20 win over the Hawks. SJO travels to Paxton-Buckley-Loda next Friday to take on the Panthers, who lost to Central Catholic, 41-0.
Illini Prairie Conference Scores
Unity 30, Rantoul 8
Monticello 26, Illinois Valley Central 6
Central Catholic 41, Paxton-Buckley-Loda 0
Coal City 40, Pontiac 6
St. Joseph-Ogden 64, Prairie Central 20
Other area scores
Champaign Central 26, Danville 24
Westville 48, Iroquois West 8
Georgetown-Ridge Farm 36, Momence 25
Salt Fork 7, Clifton Central 6
Tuscola 63, Warrensburg-Latham 34
Mahomet-Seymour 33, Morton 15
Fisher 40, Cumberland 14
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 48, Villa Grove 22
Scores from around the state
Nashville 42, Roxana 14
Quincy 31, O'Fallon 28
Columbia 36, Breese Mater Dei 28
Althoff Catholic 53, Collinsville 20
Kaneland 49, Rock Island 7
Manteno 33, Johnsburg 20
Reed Custer 42, Harvard 6
Providence Catholic 28, St. Rita 21
Decatur MacArthur 48, Mattoon 0
Maroa-Forsyth 59, New Berlin 0
Kankakee 28, Edwardsville 7
Carterville 28, Marion 24
Huntley 49, Hampshire 0
TAGS: professional backyard pond installation services, when to hire a professional for pond construction, backyard pond excavation and drainage planning, public health rule, St. Joseph-Ogden 2022 football schedule, Ruby Tarr named to All-State softball team
Illinois drivers are facing the first Tollway rate increase in 15 years as a new state transportation law reshapes toll funding and creates a new board overseeing the region's major public transit systems.
Guohua Song/PEXELS
A $26.5 billion Illinois Tollway capital program will fund major infrastructure projects, including interchange work, resurfacing, bridge repairs and technology upgrades.
by Ben Szalinski & Brenden Moore Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — A recently passed state law is beginning to reshape Illinois’ transportation landscape, as drivers on state tollways will see rate hikes and a new oversight board is taking shape.
The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority on Wednesday approved the first toll rate increase in 15 years.
And Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday announced his appointments to the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority board, which will replace the Regional Transportation Authority next month as the body overseeing the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra commuter rail and Pace Suburban Bus.
Toll hike approved
The Tollway Board approved rate hikes for all vehicles on Wednesday that will take effect Jan. 1. Passenger vehicles will pay 45 cents more when passing through each toll while truckers will pay on average 30% more. Tolls will increase based on inflation every two years going forward without further approval from the board.
Toll rates vary depending on toll road, type of vehicle and whether the car has an I-PASS, but generally range from 45 cents to $3 for passenger vehicles under the current rates. Even with the increase, the Tollway claimed in a news release the average per-mile cost is still 5 cents below the national average.
The hike will fund a $26.5 billion capital program that includes major projects across the tollway system, which stretches as far west as Rockford and Dixon.
“Nearly 1.7 million drivers rely on this system every day, and our responsibility extends well beyond the next construction season,” Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said in a statement. “We know where congestion is growing, and we know how our infrastructure ages. Driving Connections gives us a responsible path to meet those needs and keep Northern Illinois moving for the next generation.”
Public transit overhaul
The toll hike was permitted by legislation passed last fall to reform and fund public transportation throughout the state, but especially in the Chicago area.
While the bill redirected Road Fund money away from road construction projects to public transportation, it also allowed the Tollway to substantially raise revenue to fund a new capital plan. It was part of a deal between lawmakers and labor unions to find a funding source for public transportation without substantially reducing road work in the state.
Marc Poulos from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 told lawmakers last year the increase could boost Tollway funding by $1 billion annually.
Gov. JB Pritzker defended the toll increase following a political rally at the State Fair. He touted measures he’s approved to lower costs and blamed Republican policies at the national level for raising the price of gas and groceries.
“We want to make sure that our roads are pothole-free, that we’re making sure to build more so that we can build our economy across the state of Illinois,” Pritzker told reporters.
Pritzker’s Republican opponent, Darren Bailey, slammed the toll hike during Republican events around the fair on Thursday and called for abolishing tolls entirely, though he did not specify a funding source for future road construction.
“What do you think happens to all the everyday prices of every item that is trucked into Chicago, into Illinois, all across the country?” Bailey’s running mate, Aaron Del Mar, told reporters. “That price raises up. So you can't talk about affordability at the same time as you're raising taxes.”
Among other projects, the Tollway plan includes reconstruction of the I-88/I-355 interchange outside the Tollway’s Downers Grove headquarters, a new interchange on I-294 at Irving Park Road south of O’Hare Airport, parking and employee access off I-490 on the west side of O’Hare, and resurfacing, bridge repairs and technology upgrades throughout the system.
Tollway officials argued these projects, while creating headaches for drivers initially, pay off later by reducing congestion. The Jane Addams Expressway expansion completed nearly a decade ago reduced travel times by 25 minutes, according to the Tollway.
Transit board taking shape
NITA’s 20-member board will be comprised of five members each appointed by Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Boad President Toni Preckwinkle, as well as one each by the county board chairs of Kane, Lake, McHenry, DuPage and Will counties.
The new board, which takes over Sept. 1, is designed to be a stronger version of the RTA, with broad authority to establish a universal fare system and coordinate schedules between the CTA, Metra and Pace. And under the new structure, several members of the larger NITA board will also serve on the three service agencies’ boards — enough to form majorities on those boards to promote cooperation and alignment across the systems.
Pritzker's appointees to NITA are Bashir Qaasim, Nedra Sims Fears, Nirali Shah, Rosa Ortiz and Vanessa Uribe. The governor also reappointed Neema Jha to the CTA board.
Qaasim, who will also serve on Metra's board, is vice president of The Whole Group, where he advises large organizations on how to deploy artificial intelligence. He previously held senior roles at tech companies Aforza and Accenture, advising on technology and organizational strategy, according to the governor's office.
Sims Fears, who will also serve on the CTA's board, is the executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative, which promotes investment and economic growth on Chicago's South Side. She previously worked in banking and community development financing at Fannie Mae, the city of Chicago and the Community Investment Corporation.
Ortiz, who will also serve on Pace's board, is an urban planner and the founder of 3e Studio, a planning and community development consulting firm. She's served on the CTA board since 2021 and was previously a deputy commissioner in the city of Chicago's Department of Housing and has held leadership positions in organizations like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Uribe is an associate vice president at The Chicago Community Trust and previously worked as chief deputy in the Illinois Secretary of State's executive office and as chief of staff and deputy director of the Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Uribe will only serve on NITA.
Jha, who will only serve on the CTA board, is a director at Charles River Associates, where she advises large organizations on technology infrastructure modernization. She's served on the board since 2021.
“My board members will play a critical role in modernizing Illinois’ transit systems so we can continue to strengthen operations, make necessary upgrades, and better connect communities across our state," Pritzker said in a news release. "I am proud to appoint highly qualified, dedicated Illinoisans who will help advance this important work.”
Pritzker's appointments are subject to approval by the Illinois Senate.
Johnson, Preckwinkle and collar county officials announced their picks for the boards of NITA and the three service agencies under its purview earlier this summer.
Unlike the RTA board, whose 15 appointed members elected an outsider as chair, the NITA Board will elect one of its own members chair by a simple majority vote at its first meeting. The chair will be subject to Senate confirmation until 2030. Suburban lawmakers criticized the new structure during legislative debate for potentially allowing appointees who live in Cook County to outweigh suburban members.
Kirk Dillard, the RTA's chairman since 2014, was not appointed to the NITA board.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Other stories you might like ...
TAGGED: Illinois Tollway toll increase January 2026, Northern Illinois Transit Authority board appointments, Illinois public transportation overhaul, $26.5 billion Illinois Tollway capital program, Illinois toll increases and transit funding, NITA replacing Regional Transportation Authority
A backyard pond provides a relaxing outdoor space and a natural retreat, attracting wildlife like frogs, bees, and birds. The soft sound of running water and sight of beautiful lillies help calm the soul.
Photo: Roman Fessler/Pixabay
A backyard pond is not only a relaxing oasis, but it can be a fun place to hangout with friends.
by Casey Cartwright Contributing Writer
A backyard pond can turn a plain outdoor space into a relaxing retreat. Moving water softens noise, aquatic plants add color, and fish bring activity. The finished feature may look simple, but the work beneath the surface demands careful planning.
Some parts of pond construction fit a confident weekend project. Other parts call for specialized tools, technical judgment, and experience with soil, drainage, electricity, and water movement. Knowing where to draw that line can prevent leaks, unstable edges, equipment failures, and costly repairs. A thoughtful division of labor also lets you enjoy hands-on work without taking on risks that belong with trained professionals. Here’s what you should leave to the professionals when building a backyard pond.
Start With a Professional Plan
Every successful pond begins with a detailed plan. A contractor can evaluate the yard, study the slope, identify drainage patterns, and recommend a location that supports the pond over time. These decisions affect water quality, structural stability, maintenance, and nearby landscaping.
Many homeowners choose a spot based on the view from a patio or window. That approach helps with enjoyment, but it doesn’t address runoff, tree roots, utility lines, or soil conditions. A low section of the yard may collect fertilizer, mulch, and muddy stormwater. A location beneath mature trees may fill with leaves and face pressure from growing roots.
A pond professional can also calculate the right depth, surface area, and water volume for the intended use. A shallow decorative pond needs a different design than a koi pond, wildlife pond, or large water garden.
Leave Excavation to Experienced Crews
Digging often looks like the most straightforward part of pond construction. In reality, excavation shapes the pond’s structure and controls how the liner, shelves, plumbing, and edge treatments will fit.
Professional crews use excavation equipment efficiently and create consistent contours. They can build plant shelves, fish zones, and deeper sections without leaving unstable walls or sharp transitions. They also know how to work around dense clay, loose soil, buried rock, and steep grades.
Hand digging may work for a very small pond in soft soil. Larger projects create heavy piles of dirt and demand careful measurements. A mistake in depth or slope can reduce water volume, expose liner near the edge, or create weak sections that collapse after heavy rain.
Trust Experts With Drainage
Poor drainage can ruin a pond even when the pond itself holds water. Rain can wash soil, lawn chemicals, and organic debris into the basin. Groundwater can also collect beneath the liner and push it upward.
A professional can direct surface runoff away from the pond with grading, swales, drains, or raised edges. The right solution depends on the yard’s shape and the amount of water that moves through it during storms.
Properties with high water tables need extra attention. Hydrostatic pressure beneath the liner can create bubbles, wrinkles, or severe lifting. An experienced installer may recommend underliner drainage, relief systems, or a different pond location.
Yaren Kılıç/PEXELS
A backyard pond can transform your outdoor space, but some jobs are better left to professionals. Here's when to call experts for planning, excavation, drainage, liners, plumbing, electrical work and waterfalls.
A small, simple pond with gentle curves may allow careful DIY liner placement. The homeowner still needs to remove sharp rocks, compact the base, add protective underlayment, position the liner without excessive tension, and leave enough material around the perimeter.
Large or complex ponds require more control. Heavy liner becomes difficult to move, especially when the design includes shelves, streams, waterfalls, bottom drains, or narrow channels. Professional installers can position the material with fewer damaging folds and less strain on seams.
A rushed installation may puncture the liner or pull it too tightly across corners. Those problems may stay hidden until the pond fills and settles. Professional work reduces the chance of finding a leak beneath stone, plants, and thousands of gallons of water.
Extension cords shouldn’t serve as permanent pond wiring.
Call a Plumber for Complex Systems
Pond plumbing controls circulation, filtration, drainage, and water features. Simple tubing for a small pump may fit a homeowner’s skill set. Bottom drains, skimmers, external pumps, pressure filters, and multi-line systems need professional design.
Pipe size affects flow rate and pump performance. Pipes that run too narrow can restrict circulation and force the pump to work harder. Poor layouts may also create air locks, weak suction, or difficult maintenance points. A pond contractor can match each pipe, fitting, valve, and pump to the total system.
Buried connections deserve special care because repairs require excavation. Professionals can reduce unnecessary joints, place shutoff valves where owners can reach them, and test the system before covering the lines.
Hire an Electrician for Power
Electricity and water require strict safety practices. Pumps, lights, aerators, heaters, and control systems need reliable outdoor power with appropriate protection.
A licensed electrician can install dedicated circuits, weather-resistant outlets, ground-fault protection, and safe conduit. The electrician can also calculate the load for current equipment and possible future additions. This step prevents overloaded circuits, exposed cords, and improvised connections across patios or lawns.
Extension cords shouldn’t serve as permanent pond wiring. They create tripping hazards and may not handle long-term outdoor exposure. Even low-voltage lighting needs the correct transformer, cable layout, and protected connections.
Let professionals manage the work that demands technical precision, then focus your energy on the creative details and daily enjoyment.
Get Help With Waterfalls
Waterfalls create movement, sound, and visual interest, but they also introduce several construction challenges. Water must follow the intended path without escaping behind rocks or spilling outside the liner.
Professionals shape the waterfall base, install liner with proper overlap, and place stones to direct flow. They understand how pump size, elevation, and spillway width affect the final appearance. A pump that lacks power may produce a weak trickle, while an oversized pump may splash water out of the system.
Stone placement also affects structural safety. Large rocks need stable support, especially on slopes or near pond edges. Contractors can use equipment to move heavy pieces without damaging the liner or injuring workers.
Handle Finishing Work Yourself
Homeowners can still take an active role after professionals complete the technical work. Plant selection, decorative stone placement, nearby seating, and routine care offer plenty of room for creativity.
Choose aquatic plants that suit the pond’s depth, sunlight, and purpose. Marginal plants soften the edge, floating plants add shade, and submerged plants support the underwater environment. Keep aggressive species in containers so they don’t overwhelm the pond.
You can also add pathways, a bench with a clear view, or low-voltage fixtures that a professional connects to a safe power source. These personal touches shape the pond’s character without risking its core structure.
Protect the Investment
A backyard pond should bring relaxation rather than constant repairs. Professional help costs more at the beginning, but it can protect the liner, plumbing, electrical system, and surrounding property from preventable damage.
Ask contractors about their pond experience, project process, warranty terms, and maintenance support. Review completed projects that resemble your planned design. A general landscaper may build attractive outdoor spaces, but a dedicated pond professional will understand circulation, fish health, liner behavior, and seasonal care in greater depth.
When you know what to leave to the professionals during a pond installation, you’ll understand which tasks to let them take over. It requires honest judgment about project size, property conditions, equipment needs, and personal skill. Let professionals manage the work that demands technical precision, then focus your energy on the creative details and daily enjoyment. With the right team and a clear plan, your backyard pond can become a lasting centerpiece instead of an ongoing construction problem.
Casey Cartwright is a passionate copyeditor highly motivated to provide compelling SEO content in the digital marketing space. Her expertise includes a vast range of industries from highly technical, consumer, and lifestyle-based, with an emphasis on attention to detail and readability.
More that might interest you
TAGGED: professional backyard pond installation services, when to hire a professional for pond construction, backyard pond excavation and drainage planning, DIY versus professional pond liner installation, professional pond plumbing and electrical installation, backyard waterfall pond construction tips
