Impacts of Commercial Navigation on Water Quality in the Illinois River Channel

Butts, Thomas A.; Shackleford, Dana B.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/75858 Copy

Description

Title

Impacts of Commercial Navigation on Water Quality in the Illinois River Channel

Author(s)

• Butts, Thomas A.
• Shackleford, Dana B.

Issue Date

1992

Keyword(s)

• Water quality
• water pollution effects
• water pollution abatement
• water management
• Illinois
• Illinois River
• navigation channel
• commercial navigation impacts
• transport
• barge tows
• barge traffic

Abstract

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shot down the navigation locks at the LaGrange and Peoria damson the Illinois River for repairs for 58 days daring summer 1987, which prevented commercial tows from traversing a 151-mile reach of the waterway. A study was designed to collect water quality and benthic data from the main channel during a30-day preshutdo wn period, during the shutdown period, and again during a30-day postshutdown period. Statistical tests were used to determine whether water quality conditions improved in the absence of commercial navigation. The results indicated that, at the present rate, commercial traffic does not significantly change overall water and benthic sediment quality in the channel.

Series/Report Name or Number

ISWS RR-122

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/75858

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