The Mississippi River is the second-longest river in the United States, stretching 2,320 miles from its source at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. Cleaning the Mississippi River is an immense challenge due to its length and complexity, but there are a number of proactive steps that people can take to protect and restore its water quality.
Understanding the Problem
The Mississippi River has been described as the world’s most heavily impacted, congested and over-utilized waterway. In addition to being used for shipping and transport, the river’s watershed drains the runoff from a large section of the midwestern and southeastern United States, which includes heavily populated urban areas, cropland, livestock farms, and industrial centers. All of these can contribute pollutants to the river, from sediment and agricultural chemicals to oils and heavy metals.
The Mississippi River offers vital habitat for numerous vulnerable species, such as the endangered pallid sturgeon and piping plover. These animals are adversely affected by the presence of pollutants, which can decrease their access to food and cover, reduce water quality and make them more susceptible to disease.
Best Practices
There are several steps that individuals, communities and government can take to reduce or eliminate the sources of pollution in the Mississippi River.
At a personal level, it’s important to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals used in everyday life, such as household cleaners and pesticides. This is especially true for agricultural runoff, as certain chemicals can leach into the river and threaten water quality.
Communities can join forces to introduce new initiatives that reduce pollutants in the watershed. This includes wastewater treatment plans, green infrastructure projects, and stormwater management.
The government also plays an important role in cleaning the Mississippi River. Governments can set and enforce water quality standards and regulations. They can also encourage conservation, restoration, and management of the watershed.
Economic Costs and Benefits
The health of the Mississippi River is important for both economic and ecological reasons. The river is an important resource for regional agriculture, recreation, and power generation, as well as providing habitat for numerous species of plants and animals.
Cleaning the Mississippi River will require resources, and there will be economic costs. But there are also economic benefits. Improved water quality can reduce health risks and provide economic opportunities, such as improved access to recreation and energy generation. Cleaner water can also attract tourism and attract new businesses and investment to local economies.
Monitoring and Tracking Progress
Tracking progress and monitoring pollutants in the Mississippi River is essential to ensuring the success of any cleanup effort. Governments and environmental organizations can employ monitoring programs to measure certain water quality indicators. These include measuring for nutrients, sediment, and toxins such as mercury. Monitoring programs can also assess the abundance of fish and other aquatic plants and animals.
In addition, community groups and individual citizens can take an active role in monitoring the river. People can measure water temperature, clarity, and other indicators to gain a better understanding of local water quality conditions. Organizations such as the Mississippi River Network and Mississippi Water Monitoring Coalition provide training, resources, and support for local citizens.
Outreach and Education
To ensure effective and long-term protection for the Mississippi River, outreach and education about best practices and river stewardship is key. Local, state, and federal governments should work together to create and promote public awareness campaigns targeted to all segments of the population. This includes educating the public about the importance of river conservation, addressing any myths and misconceptions, and empowering individuals to take action to protect the river.
Educational resources should also be made accessible to local schools and organizations, so that students, educators, and other volunteers can learn about the river and how to protect it. Citizen science programs, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Quality Monitoring Network, provide both data and hands-on experiences to teach people about watershed management.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Successfully protecting and restoring the Mississippi River will require strong cross-sector collaboration. Governments, industry, non-profits, academic institutions and community groups should work together to identify and address threats to the river’s water quality. Organizations such as the Mississippi River Network can help to bring these different stakeholders together, foster communication, and provide resources.
Collaborative projects to restore the Mississippi River are already underway. The Mississippi River Collaborative is working to improve water quality through the implementation of creative solutions such as wetland restoration, green infrastructure, and improved agricultural practices. The efforts of these and other organizations highlight the need for a unified effort to clean up the Mississippi River.
Legal Actions
The US Environmental Protection Agency has a number of legal authorities to help protect the Mississippi River. These include the Clean Water Act, which requires states to maintain clean water standards and prevent the degradation of water quality. The EPA also has the power to enforce environmental laws that directly address issues such as wastewater discharges, vessel sewage treatment, and runoff from farms and factories.
In addition, the EPA has several other programs that promote the protection of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi Basin Partnership is a new program that seeks to engage and empower stakeholders in the basin to accelerate improvements to water quality. The EPA also works in cooperation with states to enforce the Reduce pollution from vessels rule, which places strict limits on oil and grease emissions from commercial vessels.
Advocacy and Change
Protecting the Mississippi River requires more than government action—it requires citizen advocacy and action. Individuals and organizations should use their voices to pressure legislators and regulators to take action to reduce water pollution and improve water quality. This can include writing letters and making phone calls, as well as attending rallies and engaging in other grassroots initiatives.
Individuals can also join advocacy organizations to support their efforts. Organizations such as the Mississippi River Network work to raise awareness about water quality issues, advocate for stronger government policies, and promote collaboration within the watershed. Together, these efforts can help to clean up the Mississippi River.
