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News
Forecast for Fox River: Murky at best : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisForecast for Fox River: Murky at best
| Biologist cites negative impact of dams and development pressures at Oswego forum
| by John Etheredge
| 2/4/2010
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The future of the Fox River from an environmental standpoint is murky-at best.
That was the message that Steve Pescitelli, a streams biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), had for a gathering of local residents at Oswego Village Hall Monday evening.
When asked if he expects the condition of the river will improve over the next 30 years, Pescitelli said he is not optimistic due to the continued presence of man-made dams and development pressures in the river's watershed.
"I can't think of how it could get better unless we got rid of some of the dams," Pescitelli said. "That would help a lot."
He added that if the economy picks up and development resumes at a pace similar to what was occurring prior to the 2008-09 recession, the river will be under further pressure.
"That's not going to help," Pescitelli said of the impact of continued development. "It won't make (the river) any better and it's my feeling it will probably go downhill."
One resident questioned why the IDNR--which owns several of the dams--won't remove them if they are serving to degrade the river's environmental quality.
So far, the IDNR has declined to remove the dams due to local opposition, according to Pescitelli.
Referring to the dams, he said, "They've always been there and people are afraid of what the river will look like if they are taken out. It's just fear of change, essentially."
Opposition to removing the dams has come from local residents, officials and even area fisherman, he added.
"We've had some fishermen who have really complained about taking out the dams," Pescitelli said. "When we talked about taking the Yorkville dam out they complained. They think the dam attracts the fish and it's a convenient spot to fish. So some of the fishermen have been really opposed to dam removal."
Pescitelli added, "Most people think if you take the dam out it keeps water in the river. It doesn't matter how much you try to tell them that if you take it out, the water will still be in the river flowing. It's hard to convince them."
Pescitelli said the IDNR almost had the Batavia dam removed a few years ago.
"The city council approved it, but there was a referendum and 60 percent of the people-without knowing anything about it-said keep the dam," Pescitelli said. "People don't like change."
He added, "I wish we would just do what is best for the river-it would save money. But this is the reality we work in."
Responding to other questions from residents, Pescitelli said, most of the wastewater treatment plants along the river are doing a "great job" in meeting federal treatment requirements before pumping the water into the river.
He suggested, however, the treatment plants could do more to help improve the river's condition.
Pescitelli said, "There is a great debate going on right now regarding nutrients because a lot of other states and, in fact, the federal EPA is trying to get Illinois to regulate nutrients. The plants aren't required to treat for nutrients. Phosphorous is a big one and nitrogen is another. They don't have to treat for them."
He said the nutrients pumped into the river by the treatment plants are "really bad" because they cause algae blooms in the summer.
"I don't know if you remember, but in the summer of 2005, the river turned green," Pescitelli noted.
Another resident asked Pescitelli if it is safe to eat fish caught in the river.
"For the most part." I think there is a consumption advisory throughout the whole state for mercury and PCBs (in fish)," he said.
Under the advisory, he said, children and pregnant women should avoid eating the fish. Other adults, however, can eat the fish, but in moderation, Pescitelli said.
"If you catch a fish and want to eat it, it's not going to hurt you," he said. "But you probably want to limit yourself to a meal of carp once a week...I don't know who eats carp more than once a week."
Pescitelli added, "The problem with the Fox (River) is that during the summertime, because of the algae, the fish get kind of an off taste, especially the channel catfish and the smallmouth bass. Walleye aren't so bad. But the taste is the main problem."
Home composting
topic for next talk
Pescitelli's presentation was part of a continuing series of monthly "Conservation @ Home" talks sponsored by the village's ECO Ecologically Conscious Oswego Commission.
Alison Giangrasse, a planner for the village, said the free talks are scheduled on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at village hall and everyone is welcome to attend.
Home composting is the topic for the next talk and is scheduled for March 1, Giangrasse said.
Erin Tuttle of the Conservation Foundation will be the featured speaker, Giangrasse said.
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