Meghan Hodges
The New River, which flows from Mexico into California, is often referred to as the most polluted river in North America. It is filled with raw sewage, industrial chemicals, and garbage. However, the Ohio River, which provides drinking water for 5 million people, has also been named the most polluted river in the US due to contamination from fracking industry waste, toxic releases from the industrial sector, and a lack of regional oversight. Other polluted rivers in the US include the Mississippi River, the Tijuana River, the Blanco River, and the Buffalo National River. These rivers face various environmental hazards, including waste from industrial facilities, agricultural runoff, plastic pollution, and other contaminants, which pose risks to human health and biodiversity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| River Name | Ohio River |
| River Location | Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania |
| Causes of Pollution | Fracking industry waste, lack of regional oversight, toxic releases from the industrial sector |
| Impact | More than 43,000 fish, crustaceans, and other marine life died in nearby streams |
| Other Endangered Rivers | Buffalo National River, Boundary Waters, Hoback River, Blackwater River, Mississippi River |
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What You'll Learn
The New River, California
The New River, which flows from Mexico into California, is one of the most polluted rivers in the United States. The river originates in the Mexicali Valley in Mexico and travels about 60 miles through Imperial County, California, before discharging into the Salton Sea.
The New River has a long history of pollution, with sewage loading increasing as the population grew in the 1960s. In the 1980s, Mexico and the United States began to work together to address the issue, but it was not until 1992 that the magnitude of the problem was fully recognized, with up to 20 million gallons of raw sewage entering the river daily as it entered California. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the 1990s also contributed to the pollution, as industrial manufacturing increasingly used the river as a waste drainage system, taking advantage of Mexico's relatively lax environmental regulations.
The New River is polluted by a variety of contaminants, including bacteria, silt, nutrients (such as nitrate and phosphate), pesticides, trash, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds. The water quality is monitored by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, which has been working to improve the river's sanitation since 1975. In 1995, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) provided funds for monthly water quality assessments at the International Boundary.
Despite these efforts, the New River continues to face significant pollution problems. In 2009, AB1079 was signed into law, directing the California-Mexico Border Relations Council (CMBRC) to develop a strategic plan to address the ongoing water quality issues. The law led to the creation of the New River Improvement Project Strategic Plan, which aims to improve the river's water quality through binational cooperation. However, as of 2025, the river is still heavily polluted, with high levels of contaminants such as mercury, DDTs, PCBs, and selenium. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a warning against consuming fish caught in the New River due to these elevated levels of toxins.
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Ohio River, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
The Ohio River, which runs through Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Illinois, is considered one of the most polluted rivers in the United States. The river, which serves as a source of drinking water for approximately 5 million Americans, has a long history of industrial and population-related pollution.
For decades, beginning in the 1950s, the Ohio River was contaminated with hundreds of thousands of pounds of PFOA, a fluoride-based chemical used in the production of Teflon by the DuPont chemical company. This pollution originated from an outflow pipe at the company's Parkersburg, West Virginia, facility. The Ohio River has also been impacted by a high-profile train derailment, contributing to its ranking as one of the most polluted watersheds in the country.
The river's extensive industrialization and population density have made it a convenient dumping ground for local cities and industries for generations. Regular barge traffic carries cargoes of oil, steel, and other industrial goods produced in the region. Major cities located along its banks include Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Louisville, Kentucky; Evansville, Indiana; and Cincinnati, Ohio. The river's drainage basin covers 203,940 square miles, encompassing 14 states in four regions.
Efforts to improve the water quality of the Ohio River have been made through the establishment of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) in 1948. ORSANCO is an interstate commission with commissioners appointed by the federal government and the governors of eight member states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. While there has been some progress in cleaning up the river, it continues to face challenges from toxic algae blooms, high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, and the legacy of fossil fuel extraction along its banks.
The Ohio River's pollution has had significant environmental and economic impacts. The river provides recreation and fisheries for millions of Americans, and its pollution has led to concerns about water quality and public health. Environmental groups are urging the Ohio River Commission to maintain strong clean water protections and pollution control standards to address these issues.
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Mississippi River
The Mississippi River, the second-longest river in the United States, is a significant source of drinking water and a principal route for inland waterborne commerce. However, it is also one of America's most polluted rivers. The river's extensive use for commercial purposes since the 19th century has led to severe ecological degradation.
The Mississippi River's banks, once rich in biodiversity, have suffered from the introduction of pollutants from industrial activities, agricultural runoff, and waste disposal. This has resulted in a decline in water quality and the disappearance of various species. Engineering projects aimed at enhancing navigability and preventing flooding have further exacerbated the impacts on ecosystems. The construction of levees and dams has altered natural flood patterns, creating areas of hypoxia, or "dead zones", particularly at the river's mouth.
Agricultural runoff is one of the leading causes of water pollution in the Mississippi River. Chemical runoff from farms, particularly nitrogen, has polluted the waterway from its northernmost reaches down to the Gulf. As a result, numerous species of fish and wildlife have disappeared from the upper river as pools and backwaters between dams became silted. The high levees below St. Louis caused wetlands adjacent to the river to dry up, further eliminating habitats for many species.
In addition to agricultural runoff, cities and towns have also dumped waste into the river. Chemical plants have discharged toxic waste into the Mississippi, polluting it with toxins such as furan, trichlorobenzene, DDT, trichloroethane (TCA), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These issues have become particularly concentrated farther south, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the mouth of the river, where chemical plants and oil refineries are prevalent.
Despite these challenges, there have been legislative efforts and environmental initiatives aimed at restoration. Environmental groups such as the Izaak Walton League and Greenpeace have advocated for the protection of the Mississippi's ecosystems, leading to government-sponsored environmental management plans and modest programs to reduce pollution. While monitoring by government and private groups has resulted in a reduction in point-source pollution, nonpoint source pollution, especially from agricultural regions, persists and has been much harder to control.
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Tennessee's Duck River
However, the Duck River is facing several threats that have led to its inclusion on the list of America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2024. One major threat is excessive development and unsustainable water consumption. Tennessee is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, and the explosive growth in Middle Tennessee is putting immense pressure on the river. Local water utilities are trying to increase the amount of water they withdraw from the Duck River, which could drain the river during periods of low flow and drought, endangering the river's aquatic life and threatening the long-term water supply for local communities.
Another threat to the Duck River is pollution. The river is used for drinking water, agriculture, and large-scale manufacturing processes, and the demand for water is outpacing what the river can sustainably provide. In addition, a small Tennessee town's sewage system may be polluting the river. Groups are challenging the unsustainable withdrawals from the Duck River, and there have been proposals for new rules to help the river during times of drought.
The Nature Conservancy and other organizations are working to protect the Duck River and ensure that any water withdrawals occur in a way that supports the river's incredible wildlife, including many endangered and threatened species. Strategies include working with farmers to implement conservation practices, protecting riparian areas, and spearheading restoration efforts that reduce sedimentation in the watershed. The Duck River's freshwater mussel populations, in particular, are incredibly diverse and play an important role in promoting water quality as filter feeders.
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Tijuana River, California and Mexico
The Tijuana River, which flows through California in the United States and the city of Tijuana in Mexico, has been the subject of great concern due to its high levels of pollution. The river's watershed is plagued by untreated wastewater, contaminated sediment loads, and trash influxes, which have severe environmental and public health impacts.
The Tijuana River rises in Mexico, where it is known as the Arroyo de Alamar, and flows through the city of Tijuana in a concrete channel to the international border. From there, it continues west through the Tijuana River Valley for about nine miles to the estuary and eventually empties into the Pacific Ocean. The river's lower reaches provide the last undeveloped coast wetlands in San Diego County, California, despite the surrounding highly urbanized environment.
The Tijuana River has been identified as a significant source of pollution, with an estimated 13 billion gallons of polluted water entering the oceans since December 28, 2022. Public health officials have detected high levels of fecal microbes and pathogens such as enterococcus, E. coli, salmonella, and MRSA in the beach waters of south San Diego County. Exposure to these contaminants can lead to various health issues, including diarrhea, vomiting, fever, headaches, respiratory illness, infections, rashes, and meningitis.
The pollution in the Tijuana River is a result of transboundary flows from Mexico into the United States due to inadequate water infrastructure. During wet weather events, the water diversion infrastructure in both countries becomes overwhelmed, leading to untreated wastewater, sewage, and debris flowing into the Tijuana River Valley and Estuary. This pollution has resulted in beach closures throughout the year in the city of Imperial Beach, California, and has also impacted the public's access to the coast.
In recognition of the severity of the issue, the governments of Mexico and the United States have signed agreements to address the wastewater treatment crisis in the Tijuana River basin. These agreements aim to fund and expedite several wastewater treatment projects and improve water infrastructure to protect the environment and the health of residents living along the river.
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Frequently asked questions
The New River, which flows north from Mexico into California, is considered the most polluted river in the US. It is filled with raw sewage, industrial chemicals, and garbage.
The Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and the Tijuana River are also considered highly polluted. The Blanco River in Texas is dammed up and dry for large parts of its length.
River pollution in the US is caused by a variety of factors, including industrial waste, agricultural runoff, plastic pollution, and other contaminants.
River pollution has severe impacts on the environment and human health. It can lead to the death of marine life, contamination of drinking water sources, and increased incidence of waterborne illnesses such as gastroenteritis and ear infections.
