A big thank you to WILL-TV for broadcasting the documentary Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story. This one-hour program airs at 9pm on Monday, August 5.
Troubled Waters tells the story of the unintended consequences of farming on the health of the Mississippi River. Fertilizers and pesticides leave farm fields during storms and make their way into our river systems. These Midwest rivers then drain into the Mississippi River, which finds its end at the Gulf of Mexico. Every year during the summer, a Dead Zone forms in the Gulf because of this pollution.
Prairie Rivers Network works with other conservation organizations, watershed groups, agricultural organizations, and government agencies to reduce water pollution from farms. For example, on August 8 we are co-sponsoring a workshop on soil health in Sublette, Illinois; farmers and other attendees will learn about conservation practices that improve soil health and reduce erosion.
If you are unable to watch Troubled Waters on PBS, you can watch it anytime online.
