RPG Releases Water Quality Report

By Bob Barbieri

The River Prairie Group released its latest report on the quality of streams in DuPage County. The report, “DuPage County’s Rivers--A System on the Mend,” illustrates water quality monitoring done by the group and puts it in context of other work in DuPage River and Salt Creek watersheds and the rest of the state of Illinois.

Photo by Bob Barbieri

The study shows that water quality in DuPage County streams continues to reflect the urbaniza­tion of the county. In particular, monitoring shows elevated levels of nitrate and phosphate. These nutrients come from fertilizer runoff and discharge from wastewater facilities. The nutrients feed algae and aquatic plants which cause low levels of dissolved oxy­gen or big fluxes in dissolved oxygen, which are detrimental to aquatic life. The group also found chloride levels that often violate national aquatic life criteria because of road salt use in the wintertime. Additionally, the report summarizers the work done by state, county, and municipalities to improve water quality. Finally, the report highlights the work done by the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup, in conjunction with several DuPage County agencies and municipalities, to increase the health of the waterways through river habitat restoration. One of the best methods of river habitat restoration is through dam modification or removal. 

The RPG river monitoring network is one of a number of Sierra Club Water Sentinel groups in Illinois. Water Sentinels work to protect, improve, and restore our waters by fostering alliances to promote water quality monitoring, public education, and citizen action. The group’s river monitoring network is entirely volunteer-run, and this report is a result of over a decade of monitoring and involve­ment in local environmental planning efforts.

The report is important for the volunteer water collectors and testers because it gives meaning to the data so they are not just a bunch of numbers generated month after month. Collectors get up at the crack of dawn on Saturday mornings, rain, snow, or shine, and drop a bucket over the bridge then deliver the samples to the tester for analysis. The report puts problems in the spotlight, honoring the volunteers' contribution.

Photo by Bob Barbieri

The report highlights St. Joseph Creek, a tributary of the East Branch of the DuPage River, noting its low nutrient levels, which are seldom observed throughout the rest of the watershed. The group says that its excellent water quality would make it a perfect candidate for restoration. It also notes that St. Joseph Creek and other streams often have high levels of Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons, which come from coal-tar based road sealants and are carcinogenic. The report recommends a ban on toxic sealants as well as a ban on phosphorus-containing fertilizers and suggests increasing vegetative buffers and more Green infrastructure to protect DuPage County waterways from pollution. There is still much work to be done at the federal, state, and local level to improve water quality in Illinois and downstream in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

Collectors:

Jane Foulser (collector trainer), Shannon Burns (collector trainer), Joe Dick, Patti Schiewe, Keven Clower, Judy Toth, Karen Tredinnick, Chris Cyrsler, Dennis Clark, George Gibson III, Jessica Klaibor, Melinda Keith-Singleton, Jill Spealman, Celestia Boughner, Jane Keefe, and Dave Wilderman

Testers:

Bob Barbieri (program administrator), Bonnie Blake (co-administrator), Mary Ann Ciesla (monitoring assistant), Kate LaGory, Linda Volin, Luke Novak, John Zelasco, Jon Shuptar, Alison LaBarge, Kathleen Fischer, and John Cooper

The report can be found at the RPG Web Site: DuPage County Rivers.