Bronte Wells
The Illinois River has been the subject of a 20-year lawsuit against some of the country's largest poultry companies, including Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, and Cargill, for polluting the river and nearby Lake Tenkiller. The river, which extends from northwest Arkansas to northeast Oklahoma, has suffered from waste contaminating its waters, with phosphorus pollution leading to adverse effects such as low dissolved oxygen, abundant algae, and decreased transparency. Human activity has also introduced invasive species, altered water flows, and discharged pollution and sediment into the river, affecting water quality and the surrounding ecosystem. The health of the Illinois River and its surrounding communities is a pressing issue that requires attention and action to restore and protect its natural state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pollution sources | Agricultural runoff, industrial and municipal waste, poultry waste |
| Invasive species | Asian carp, dozens of other aquatic invasive species |
| Algal blooms | Blue-green algae, microcystin, cylindrospermopsin |
| Water quality issues | Low dissolved oxygen, abundant filamentous green algae, decreased transparency, adverse health effects on humans and pets |
| Human alterations | Changes to water flows, drainage systems, diverted rivers, locks and dams, reservoirs, levees |
| Legal actions | Litigation against poultry companies, Senate Bills to regulate poultry farming, Clean Water Act |
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What You'll Learn
Poultry industry pollution
The Illinois River, which runs between Oklahoma and Arkansas, has been polluted by the poultry industry. In January 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frizzell ruled that Arkansas poultry companies had violated trespassing and public nuisance-related laws by allowing their contract growers to dispose of chicken and turkey litter within the Illinois River watershed. The ruling came after a 2005 lawsuit filed by then-Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmonson, which alleged that poultry companies knew their chicken litter was polluting the Illinois River.
The poultry industry in Arkansas boomed during and after World War II, as chicken was one of the few meats not rationed during the war. The hundreds of chicken farms in the Illinois River Watershed produce a large amount of manure, which is used as a low-cost fertilizer on fields and hay meadows. Chicken litter, composed of poultry manure and bedding such as wood shavings and rice hulls, contains nitrogen, which farmers use to spur plant growth. However, this litter also contains phosphorus, which is a key food source for algae. Phosphorus causes excessive algae growth, which reduces water clarity and dissolved oxygen levels, leading to adverse effects on fish populations and overall water quality.
The civil case, now in its 20th year, could have far-reaching environmental consequences for the Illinois River region. Oklahoma has asked the court to order poultry companies to reduce their waste distribution and pay for cleanup costs. In response, the poultry industry has developed new practices to reduce environmental harm and remove poultry litter from the watershed. While mediation between the Attorney General's Office and poultry companies was initially unsuccessful, the industry has expressed willingness to improve waste disposal methods and ameliorate the extent of the problem.
In addition to poultry litter, other sources of phosphorus pollution in the Illinois River include cattle waste, which contributes an estimated 3,136 tons of phosphorus annually to the watershed. Human activities such as agriculture and alterations to the landscape have also impacted the river's health. The Clean Water Act has helped reduce pollution from discrete sources, but unregulated agricultural runoff remains a significant issue in Illinois, leading to invasive species and disruptions to the ecosystem.
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Invasive species
The Illinois River is threatened by dozens of aquatic invasive species, which compete with native species for limited resources, reduce biodiversity, and can even cause the extinction of native plants and animals. Human activity is often the source of these invasive species. For example, there are numerous invasive species threatening to move out of the Great Lakes and into Illinois' rivers via the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), a man-made connection between the Mississippi River basin and the Great Lakes. The CAWS is a hotspot of concern for the transfer of aquatic invasive species between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins.
Illinois' centralized location and extensive transportation networks provide many ways for pests to arrive. Climate change also creates opportunities for species to become invasive as they seek new habitats. Unregulated invasive species of concern in Illinois include Flowering rush, Brazilian egeria, Hydrilla, Purple loosestrife, Eurasian watermilfoil, Curlleaf pondweed, Narrowleaf cattail, Spiny water flea, Zebra mussel, Asian carp, Chestnut lamprey, Round goby, and Silver carp.
Asian carp are perhaps the most well-known invasive species in Illinois' rivers. Silver carp, in particular, have been introduced from Asia into fish ponds in Arkansas and have now spread throughout the Mississippi River basin. Bighead carp, another invasive species, have also been introduced from Asia and now spread throughout the Mississippi River basin. There are concerns that these carp species will make their way into the Great Lakes.
Aquatic invasive species are introduced and spread through a variety of ways, including those associated with boaters, anglers, water gardeners, aquarium hobbyists, and educators. For example, mud and plant fragments can hide aquatic invasive species that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, so it is important for boaters to remove, drain, and dry their equipment before leaving a body of water.
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![Saline-water contamination in Quaternary deposits and the Poplar River, East Poplar Oil Field, northeastern Montana / by Joanna N. Thamke and Steven D. Craigg ; prepared in cooperation [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61IX47b4r9L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Algal blooms
While most blue-green algal blooms are harmless, some can produce toxins that pose health risks to humans and animals when exposed to large quantities. These algal toxins, such as microcystin and cylindrospermopsin, can cause adverse health effects, including skin irritation, nausea, vomiting, throat irritation, allergic reactions, and difficulty breathing. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has confirmed the presence of microcystin above the health advisory limit set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Illinois EPA has implemented the 2023 Harmful Algal Bloom Program, which consists of Routine Monitoring and Event Response. Routine Monitoring is conducted at public-water-supply intakes, lake beaches, and Lake Michigan nearshore areas. Event Response investigates potential cyanobacteria blooms that may threaten public health, with toxin samples sent for analysis. The Illinois EPA also provides educational resources, such as virtual workshops, to train staff and the public on identifying and responding to algal blooms.
To identify a blue-green algal bloom, look for water that resembles spilled blue or green paint, thick puffy foam on the surface, or swirling colors beneath the surface. These blooms can also produce floating scums or mats on the water surface and may have distinct odors described as grassy, fishy, or septic. It is recommended to treat every algal bloom as potentially dangerous and avoid recreational contact with affected water. Anglers are advised to wait a week or two after a bloom dissipates before consuming fish from those waters due to the uncertainty of algal toxin accumulation in filets.
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Agricultural pollution
Agriculture is the most obvious example of landscape alteration in Illinois, with about 75% of the state's total land devoted to it. Urban and suburban land uses, while more concentrated in terms of acreage, often involve even more radical changes to the landscape. Land cover changes alter the timing of water flows and greatly affect water quality, particularly through the discharge of pollution and sediment into waterways, as well as through the alteration of water temperature.
Illinois has a particularly acute problem with agricultural pollution, and state leaders, especially in the agricultural sector, have been criticised for failing to acknowledge the issue. The state has failed to meet its goals for reducing nutrient pollution, with pollution from non-point sources such as agricultural runoff driving an overall increase in nutrient pollution. Excessive levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in waterways can cause excessive algae growth, lower oxygen levels, endanger aquatic life, and contribute to unsafe drinking water.
The management and disposal of animal waste from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) is largely unregulated in Illinois, despite the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attributing 20% of all pollution in rivers, lakes, and streams to CAFOs. While the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) has introduced new rules for CAFOs, these only apply to a small percentage of operations.
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Water flow alterations
Agriculture is a major contributor to water flow alterations in Illinois, with about 75% of the state's land devoted to agricultural practices. These practices can lead to increased runoff and sedimentation in waterways, as well as changes in water temperature and the introduction of pollutants. For example, the hundreds of chicken farms in the Illinois River Watershed contribute to pollution in the river through the disposal of poultry waste and the application of poultry litter to croplands and pastures. This has resulted in increased phosphorus levels, reduced oxygen levels, and the growth of filamentous green and blue-green algae, which can have adverse effects on the health of both humans and animals.
Urban and suburban land uses, while more concentrated in terms of acreage, can also have radical effects on water flow alterations. The construction of levees, for example, can deliberately disconnect floodplains and restrain the natural flow of rivers. Additionally, changes to the landscape, such as the conversion of land for urban development, can alter drainage patterns and further contribute to pollution through the discharge of industrial and municipal waste.
The Illinois River is also impacted by invasive species, which are often introduced through human activities. The Chicago Area Waterway System, a man-made connection between the Mississippi River basin and the Great Lakes, poses a threat of invasive species moving into the Illinois River. These invasive species can compete with native species for resources, reduce biodiversity, and cause economic harm.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Illinois River is polluted. The pollution is caused by waste from poultry companies, agriculture, and invasive species. The river has high levels of phosphorus, low dissolved oxygen, and abundant algae.
The pollution has had detrimental effects on the river's ecosystem, reducing the number and diversity of fish species. The river's water quality has also deteriorated, with an odd smell and an opaque bluish-green color.
Efforts are being made to hold poultry companies accountable and improve waste disposal practices. Litigation and regulations aim to reduce pollution and protect the river's health, but it is a complex issue involving competing interests.
