Река Сьюгар в Иллинойсе вышла из списка загрязненных водоемов благодаря масштабной экологической реставрации

Related - In 2011, Naval Station Great Lakes added composting and recycling bins. 3 years later, the Navy had diverted 300 tons of food and yard waste and recycled 114% more waste - In 2020, DC's DOEE restored 500 feet of stream at Branch Avenue Park. Six years later, a site where the streambed had eroded by more than 15 feet was transformed, opening parkland for people The creek, a major tributary to Lake Springfield, was listed under the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) in 2002 for dissolved oxygen and phosphorus impairments. Over the following years, projects across the watershed focused on reducing pollution from agricultural practices, erosion and other sources. By 2022, water-quality monitoring showed that Sugar Creek was meeting the state's dissolved oxygen standard, leading to the removal of its dissolved oxygen impairment from the list. Pollution was affecting Sugar Creek and Lake Springfield Sugar Creek flows northeast into Lake Springfield, a major drinking water source. The surrounding region is dominated by row crop agriculture, with urban runoff also contributing to pollution in the lower watershed. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizer applications, livestock waste and eroded soil can promote algal growth. When algae die and decompose, the process consumes oxygen in the water and lowers dissolved oxygen levels. Illinois generally interprets its dissolved oxygen standard for warmwater streams as a minimum of 5.0 milligrams per liter. Cleanup projects expanded across the watershed A Lake Springfield Watershed-based Management Plan was completed through a 2014 Clean Water Act Section 319 project. Two additional Section 319 projects received funding in 2017 and 2020 to continue implementing the plan, including work that directly affected Sugar Creek. Across the three projects, 7,120 acres of cover crops were installed, along with 32 acres of grassed waterways, nutrient management plans covering 9,750 acres, 4,700 feet of streambank stabilization and two water and sediment control basins. The projects also included green infrastructure for stormwater control. Within the two Sugar Creek watersheds, the projects supported nutrient management plans covering more than 4,500 acres, along with water and sediment control basins, streambank stabilization, cover crops and grassed waterways. Oxygen levels improved after the restoration work Data collected through intensive basin surveys showed an increasing trend in dissolved oxygen levels, which rose above 5.0 milligrams per liter after the initial 2014 project work was completed. Illinois EPA water-quality monitoring showed that Sugar Creek was meeting the dissolved oxygen standard. As a result, the creek was removed from the Section 303(d) list for dissolved oxygen impairment in 2022, while the phosphorus impairment remained. (Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates. (Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates.