The Fox River Watershed

This Web site was created by a group of students at Summit Academy, in Elgin to help educate people about the problems facing the Fox River.

The Fox River is the third largest tributary of the Illinois River. The Fox River is over one hundred miles long. It starts in Northern Waukesha County, Wisconsin, and then flows through northern Illinois emptying into the Illinois River.

Throughout the Fox River Basin, there is a total of more than four hundred lakes! It also has 18 glacial lakes and river segments that are recognized as Biologically Significant Streams due to the fact that they support threatened or endangered species, or have high fish and mussel diversity. 44 percent of all of Illinois' native plant and animal life occur in the basin (1,389 species). Out of these, 77 are state endangered and 25 are listed as state threatened.

Early settlers built towns near the Fox, just like they did with many other rivers in America. As more people moved into these towns, they grew into cities, and that has added to the pollution of the Fox River ever since. Many people now live within 100 miles of the Fox River, and the population is expected to continue to grow. There are many hotels, recreational areas, businesses, and industries near the Fox River. Click here to find out more about the recreational and commercial uses of the Fox River. Every year, over 3 million people visit the watershed each year, which has made 37 million dollars.

The Fox River flows through some far western suburbs of Chicago, near where our school is located. These towns include Elgin, Geneva, St. Charles, and Batavia. All these cities use the river for drinking and their sewage plants discharge into it as well. Industries along the river add to the pollution, although the Clean Water Act has limited the amounts and kinds of wastes that may be discharged. There are dams near all of those cities. In Illinois alone there are 15 different dams. All contribute to the Fox having been on the Ten Most Endangered Rivers in America list. Click here to find out how to help the Fox River.

Besides urban sprawl, industrial discharge, and dams, other threats include non-native plants and animals and urban and chemical runoff.

Threats to the Fox River:

Dams on the Fox River	Urban Sprawl
Urban Runoff	Zebra Mussels
Chemical Pollutants	Purple Loosestrife

Field Study Results and Photos

Another Science Website Created by Summit Academy Students

You can email us with your questions or comments.