Prairie Rivers Network is Illinois’ advocate for clean water and healthy rivers.
We work to reduce water pollution, preserve river habitat and flow,
and promote river stewardship through the following programs and campaigns:
Clean Water Policy and Advocacy
Watchdogging Permits
Sewage treatment plants, coal mines, ethanol plants, factory farms, and many other industrial facilities dump large amounts of polluted water into our rivers and streams. Prairie Rivers Network reviews the permits that regulate these discharges and advocates for strict pollution control and innovative treatment practices.
Visit our Clean Water Act page for more information; or visit our Wastewater posts for recent news.
Curbing Agricultural Pollution
Sediment, pesticides , herbicides, and excess nitrogen and phosphorus—these water pollutants are byproducts of our modern industrialized agricultural system. Prairie Rivers Network advocates for the use of best management practices that minimize the harmful impacts of industrial farming. With the Mississippi River Collaborative and others, we are working at both the policy and the farm level to promote pollution-reduction strategies.
Visit our Agriculture Conservation page for more information; or visit our Agriculture posts for recent news.
Protecting Clean Water in the Coalfields
Prairie Rivers Network advocates for federal and state policies to protect drinking water and the health of our rivers from coal pollution. Organizing the many communities and groups engaged on this issue is an essential component of our larger effort to use advocacy and legal tools to reduce the harmful impacts from the coal industry on drinking water, rivers and wetlands, and the natural wealth of Illinois.
We’ve led the formation of the new Heartland Coalfield Alliance- created to make a just transition from a coal economy to a sustainable, clean-energy economy.
Visit our Coal Pollution page for more information; or visit our Coal posts for recent news.
Factory Farm Watch
Prairie Rivers Network works to reduce water pollution from factory farms. When factory farms do not manage animal waste properly, streams, lakes, and groundwater can be contaminated. Water pollution from factory farms is a common, significant, and largely ignored problem.
For more information on how to prevent water pollution from factory farms visit our Factory Farm page; or for recent news visit our Factory Farm posts.
Ensuring Enforcement Against Polluters
Even very strict water pollution permits mean nothing if they are not followed. Prairie Rivers Network monitors water pollution permit compliance, identifies permit violators and pursues enforcement actions against the worst offenders.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for making sure that entities that have a permit to discharge pollution into a waterway are doing so according to the law. Prairie Rivers Network is creating an on-line interactive map to help citizens locate bad actors and notify the agency.
Crafting a Legislative Agenda for Water
Prairie Rivers Network is recognized as a leading authority on water issues in Illinois.
With a team of environmental organizations, we are crafting a legislative agenda for environmental protection. With this group and others, Prairie Rivers Network monitors legislation expected to impact clean water.
Visit our Accomplishments page to read about the work we have done to protect Illinois’ environment.
Stormwater Solutions
As towns and cities expand, pavement and other hard surfaces prevent rain water and snowmelt from being absorbed into the ground. Urban pollution such as lawn chemicals and fertilizers, pet waste and trash gets washed directly into streams. The results are polluted water, and flooding and erosion problems downstream. Prairie Rivers Network advises individuals, businesses and government bodies on ways to capture more water where it falls so we can reduce these harmful impacts.
Visit our Stormwater Runoff page for more information; or visit our Stormwater posts for recent news.
Conservation and Habitat Protection
Outstanding Resource Waters
“Outstanding Resource Water” is a legal designation to protect special waterways from new pollution sources. This designation is bestowed upon streams, rivers, and lakes that have been identified as true treasures worthy of extra protection. Unfortunately, Illinois does not have a single designated Outstanding Resource Water. We certainly have outstanding waters though, and Prairie Rivers Network is working to get them protected as such.
Visit our Outstanding Resource Waters page for more information.
Protecting and Connecting Riverside Habitat
Rivers and riverside habitat are critical for the survival of the remaining wildlife of North America. Prairie Rivers Network works to protect in-stream water flow, wetlands, and riverside habitat, to provide needed refuges and migration pathways for species forced to adapt to a changing climate.
Visit our Wetlands page for more information; or visit our River Restoration posts for recent news.
Restoring the Mississippi River
In less than 100 years, the Mississippi River’s floodplains, bottomland forests, wetlands and other natural systems have been destroyed or radically altered by the construction of 49 dams and levee systems, 27 of which are located along Illinois’ western border. Prairie Rivers Network is working to ensure that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fulfills its legal responsibilities to ensure proposed projects contain accurate cost-benefit analyses, and to continue ecosystem restoration projects in the Upper Mississippi River System.
Visit our Mississippi River Restoration page for more information; or for visit our River Restoration posts for recent news.
Preventing the Spread of Asian Carp and Other Invasive Species
Asian Carp are the latest in a long line of invasive species that threaten the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. These huge fish reproduce rapidly and are voracious eaters, destroying the habitat of native fish species. At stake is a $7 billion fishing industry, as well as the industries built on recreational boaters, anglers and other tourists.
Prairie Rivers Network is working with state and national partners to demand that the half-measures that constitute current policy be replaced by a permanent solution to the problem: restoring the divide between the basins.
For background information, visit Asian Carp in Illinois–The Problem and Solution; for recent news visit our Asian Carp posts.
River Stewardship and Awareness
Training and Networking among Watershed Groups and Conservationists
A network of engaged citizens, groups, and agencies are needed to protect the clean water flowing through our rivers and streams and to safeguard natural areas surrounding our river banks. Prairie Rivers Network, in partnership with other nonprofits, watershed groups, private businesses, and agencies is working to increase the capacity and technical skills of watershed groups and river organizations to carry out this important work.
Visit our For Watershed Groups pages for more information.
Events! Connecting People with Rivers and the Ways to Protect Them
Prairie Rivers Network partners with other organizations and businesses who are clean water advocates to create events that bring together concerned citizens for education, networking and fun!
Visit our 45 events celebrating our 45th anniversary page or our complete events calendar for more details.