The Mississippi River flows through Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, carrying vast quantities of nutrient-rich freshwater and sediment to the Gulf of Mexico. Agricultural and urban runoff, primarily from fertilizers, animal manure and wastewater discharges, increase nitrogen and phosphorus in the river, resulting in hypoxia zones. These so-called dea...

The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) is a statewide plan designed to reduce nutrients entering Illinois waterways from agriculture, wastewater treatment plants and urban stormwater runoff. This plan is updated and expanded every two years through biennial reports. The most recent 2023 Biennial Report highlights the efforts, investme...

Nutrient runoff in Illinois waterways contributes to eutrophication, which eventually makes its way to the Gulf of Mexico, creating dead zones. These zones have low oxygen and cannot support the aquatic ecosystem. The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) is a collaborative effort across the state to limit the amount of nutrients, partic...

When nutrient-rich runoff, which is water containing high levels of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, manure and sewage enters waterways, it causes excessive algae blooms. This leads to a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication blocks the light that seagrass and other underwater plants need to survive – and that's just ...

A watershed is an area where water flows downhill into streams, lakes, rivers or wetlands. In natural watersheds, such as forests, about 50% of rainwater infiltrates the soil. In urban watersheds, 30-70% of rainfall runs off into storm drains and natural water bodies. Layers of asphalt and concrete, known as impervious surfaces, reduce the land&rsq...

Although it is regulated at the federal level, stormwater management — and associated expenses — primarily fall under the responsibility of local governments. Many of these governments depend on federal and state funds to manage expenses. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater program regulates point-sour...

Water quality management is serious. Municipalities must manage the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of surface water and groundwater to facilitate a healthy community, which is no small task. Water quality is determined by various factors, including dissolved oxygen (essential for aquatic life), salinity, turbidity (water clarity)...