Dec 18
Native prairie grasses aren’t just pretty—they also improve water quality across the Midwest. Listen up: How do we love native grassland prairies? Let us count the ways—or at least, let us recount the number one water-related way: When restored, native grassland prairies can improve water quality big-time, and help prevent erosion during heavy rains. Once …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/green-infrastructure/prairie-grasses/
Nov 29
How much sustainably caught fish comes out of the Great Lakes each year? We cast around for answers—and caught ’em. Listen up: Throughout history, people have been hooked on fishing the Great Lakes, from Native Americans in birch bark canoes to commercial fishermen in modern boats. A century ago, nearly 150 million pounds of fish were …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/water-and-the-economy/fishy-business/
Nov 27
Could a city famous for its lakefront become better known for its rivers instead? CurrentCast investigates—listen up: The “riverfront city by the lake” has a nice ring to it. And yet, Chicago’s key rivers—the Chicago, Calumet, and Des Plaines—have historically played a more utilitarian role for the Windy City, making it a center of commerce …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/green-infrastructure/re-envisioning-our-rivers/
Oct 15
Chicago once reversed—and now may re-reverse—its river. Why? Listen up: More than a hundred years ago, pipes spewed sewage and factory waste directly into the Chicago River, which flowed into Lake Michigan, the city’s source of drinking water. Not surprisingly, waterborne diseases ran rampant. Chicago’s solution was as mind-boggling as its problem—to reverse the flow …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/water-and-the-economy/can-the-chicago-river-change-its-ways-again/
Jun 26
The Farm Bill and water resources: The Farm Bill is a huge piece of legislation that not only influences the food on our plates. It affects the water in our rivers and lakes. For example, it supports the ‘Conservation Reserve Program,’ which protects up to 24 million acres of sensitive land. The program pays farmers …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/a-farmland-retirement-program/
