September 1993 the monthly newsletter for people who live, work or play on the Upper Mississippi River Vol. 1, No. 9
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The Last Straw -
Lookout/-
Can Lessons from the Illinois River Help Save the Mississippi?
A Sampling of Some of the Finest River Views in North America
By Reggie McLeod
By Pamela Eyden and Reggie McLeod
The story of the straw that broke the camel's back
The steep bluffs of the Driftless Region offer
may help explain the near death of the Illinois River ecosystem. It may also contain a warning for the Mississippi and other large rivers. At the turn of the century the Illinois River was a bountiful resource. In 1908 the river provided 10 percent of the total U.S. harvest of freshwater fish, keeping more than 2,000 commercial fishermen busy. Ducks were abundant and the Illinois River and its backwater lakes attracted trainloads of hunters and anglers. The river suffered from the usual pressures. A canal connected it with Lake Michigan, so that Chicago could flush its raw sewage into the the river rather than into Lake Michigan, where it got its drinking water. Locks and dams were built to improve shipping. Farmers drained wetlands and planted row crops near streams that carried eroded soil into the river.
almost as many great views as there are twists and turns in the river. The autumn paints the wooded bluffs crimson and gold, and the river mirrors the flashy display. The sampling of great overlooks on pages 4 and 5 is incomplete, but it includes views from Cassville to Red Wing. Most of the sites are accessible by car, but three require a brisk uphill hike. Most are free or require a state park permit. We are not the first to enjoy these views. From about 2,500 to 1,000 years ago the locals built hundreds of burial mounds along the tops of the bluffs overlooking the river. Many of these were effigy mounds - mounds in the shapes of animals, often bears and birds. Where they remain on the bluffs they offer a view into the past. The exposed layers of rock on the bluffs reveal a much more distant past. The layers of sandstone and limestone were formed when this land was at the bottom of an ancient sea. Much of the river valley was cut by waters from melting glaciers draining southward. You might think the water was pretty high this summer, but only a few thousand years ago it nearly filled the river valley. When you visit overlooks, bring binoculars and a map to help identify landmarks. You may also want to bring a field guide for birds or plants. Watch for eagles, hawks and vultures. If you're hiking up ¡ a bluff, you'll definitely enjoy What's inside. .. a canteen of water when you reach the top. Current Events 3 Flood Map 6 (Lookout!, continued on page 4) River Calendar 8
The commercial fish yield dropped from 178 pounds per acre in 1908, to 38 pounds in the 1950s, to as low as four pounds in the 1970s. The river's wildlife declined somewhat, but not as dramatically as one might expect. Then suddenly, in the early 1950s, the system collapsed. First aquatic plants disappeared. Then the fingernail clams and insects started vanishing, followed by the waterfowl and fish that ate them. The commercial fish yield dropped from 178 pounds per acre in
(Illinois, continued on page 2)