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“So, how is the Mississippi River?”
Welcome
It’s a question we get asked quite oten and it can behard to know how to respond.Forty years ater the passage o the ederal Clean Water Act, the river has come a long way. Gone arethe days o sewage and industrial wastes choking thelie out o the river. Fish and aquatic species have re-turned. Yet agricultural and urban runo continues topollute the resource, invasive species pose new threats,and industrial contaminants — some with rightening potential health risks — are being discovered in theriver.So, how is the Mississippi River? We wanted to nd outhow to answer that question accurately, and we knew a lot o people would be interested. So Friends o theMississippi River (FMR) and the National Park Serviceteamed up to develop this report.Te
State of the River Report
highlights 13 key indicatorso river health so that non-scientists can understand whatit means. Te report examines the status and trends o each indicator, and highlights key strategies or improve-ment moving orward. We hope to update the reportperiodically, ollowing these key indicators over time andadding new ones as appropriate.o help readers make use o this inormation in theircommunities, we’ve also created two companionguides. Te
Stewardship Guide
provides practical stepsthat individuals can take in their home, yard, andcommunity to improve the health o the Mississippi.Te
Policy Guide
oers priority actions that ederal,state, and local leaders can take or the river. Visit
to learn more.Clearly, as individuals and as a society, we can makechoices that aect the river both or good and ill. While the Mississippi River has suered rom carelesstreatment in the past, the big river is also resilient andcan heal itsel, i given a chance.Te conservationist Aldo Leopold said, “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, andbeauty o the biotic community. It is wrong when ittends otherwise.” We agree. We believe the long-termhealth o the Mississippi River is actually, itsel, an indi-cator o the health o our community. We hope the
State of the River Report
can help lead ustoward a more healthy and sustainable Mississippi Riv-er, or ourselves and or generations yet to come.For the river, Whitney L. Clark, Executive Director,Friends o the Mississippi RiverPaul Labovitz, Superintendent, National Park Service,Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
P h o t o c r e d i t : G o r d o n D i e t z m a n , N a t i o n a l P a r k S e r v i c e
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STATE
OF THE
RIVER
INTRODUCTION
Acknowledgments
............................................................ page 4
The mighty Mississippi River
................................... ...... page 5
The Mississippi River and Lake Pepin watershed
......... page 6
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
............page 7
Indicators overview and critical terms
........................... page 8
REPORT FINDINGSRIVER FLOW
Flow
.....................................................................page 10
SWIMMING & RECREATION
Bacteria
.............................................................page 14
Phosphorus
FISH & FISHING
Fish consumption
...........................................page 20
Fish survey
Asian carp
ECOLOGICAL HEALTH
Sediment
............................................................page 28
Nitrate
.................................................................page 30
Mussels
...............................................................page 32
Bald eagles
.......................................................page 34
OTHER CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN
Triclosan
............................................................page 38
PFOS
.....................................................................page 40
Additional contaminants of concern
...... page 42
Summary and conclusions
................................................ page 45
Sources and notes
.............................................................. page 46
Table of Contents
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