Dredging of contaminated sediments began on the river in 2004. State and federal officials sued 10 paper companies and two cities in 2010 to pay for the cleanup. NCR Corp. and others produced the paper containing PCBs.
Who paid for the Fox River cleanup?
The companies responsible for the pollution, NCR Corporation, Georgia-Pacific and Glatfelter , are paying for the cost of the project and will continue to pay into follow-up costs as the river continues to recover from the pollution. Cleanup costs are estimated to have reached $1 billion.
How are PCBs being removed from the Fox River?
The project removed 6.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment through hydraulic dredging , installing engineered caps spanning over 275 acres of riverbed to contain PCBs. ... Approximately 10 billion gallons of river water was restored in what is one of the largest sediment cleanups worldwide.
Is Fox River clean?
Tests show nearly 90 percent reductions of the manmade chemicals in water and sediments compared to levels recorded in 2006, according to Cole. The Lower Fox River cleanup included dredging and removing 6.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediments.
Is the Fox River toxic?
While not officially designated as a U.S. Superfund site, the Lower Fox River bottom has some sections contaminated with toxic chemicals . These contaminated sediments are the river’s current environmental problem. One contaminant of special concern today is a group of chemicals called Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs.
Why is the Fox River so dirty?
Phosphorus —Excessive levels of phosphorus have led to algal blooms in the region. The resulting cyanobacteria make the water smell and kill aquatic organisms. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)—These manufactured chemicals have been widely dumped into the environment.
How are PCBs created?
To produce a multi-layer PCB, alternating layers of epoxy-infused fiberglass sheet called prepreg and conductive core materials are laminated together under high temperature and pressure using a hydraulic press . The pressure and heat causes the prepreg to melt and join the layers together.
Can you swim in the Fox River 2020?
The Fox River is safe enough to swim in , and the fish caught there are generally OK to eat. ... This diverse ecosystem also includes mercury, phosphorus, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), sediment and fecal bacteria – pollutants that can threaten aquatic life and impair the river’s other uses.
What is the deepest point of the Fox River?
Fox River is located in Kane County, Illinois. It is approximately 8 feet deep at its deepest point.
Why are there dams in the Fox River?
The Fox River system is heavily used for recreation . The dams in Illinois along the Fox River provide for that recreation by maintaining water levels needed for boating. Chain of Lakes
Does the Fox River freeze?
Drive south on Ill. Granted, the river from the Montgomery dam south to Oswego is generally swift moving and dotted with small rapids, but swift-flowing water isn’t the reason the Fox doesn’t freeze over , because it used to just a few decades ago. ...
Who escaped from Fox River?
Theodore Bagwell and Fernando Sucre were the only Fox River 8 escapees who were never captured by Alexander Mahone. Michael and Lincoln were temporarily recaptured, but escaped. 3 of the Fox River 8 escapees were leaders of prison gangs in Fox River: Theodore Bagwell, Benjamin Franklin, and John Abruzzi.
Does the Fox River flow into the Mississippi?
| Fox River | • location mouth | • average 2,346.01 cu ft/s (66.432 m 3 /s) (estimate) | Basin features | Progression Fox River → Illinois → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico |
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Can you drink water from the river?
Never drink water from a natural source that you haven’t purified, even if the water looks clean. Water in a stream, river or lake may look clean, but it can still be filled with bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can result in waterborne diseases, such as cryptosporidiosis or giardiasis.
Why is Green Bay water green?
For decades, blue-green algae blooms, the less-scientific name for cyanobacteria, have flourished in parts of Green Bay, including shallow areas near Bay Beach. The algae releases cyanobacterial toxins that can sicken people and dogs if ingested, and irritate skin.
