National Water-Quality Assessment Project in the Upper Illinois River Basin-Geochemicals in Streambed Sediments

Maps of the distribution of 39 elements in streambed sediments from the upper Illinois River Basin are available in a report released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of the Interior. The survey is part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Faith Fitzpatrick, USGS hydrologist and senior author of the maps, said, "These maps will be useful to scientists and managers responsible for investigating and managing the surface-water resources in the study area. The data used in the maps are grouped into 4 categories based on the minimum concentration, the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, and the maximum concentration from 372 sites on rivers, creeks and ditches. The maps display areas of the basin that have relatively high or low element concentrations in streambed sediments compared with the rest of the basin. Elements analyzed include 10 heavy metals listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as priority pollutants, other metals, radioactive elements, and rare-earth elements.

The upper Illinois River Basin is in northeastern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, and southeastern Wisconsin, and includes the Chicago and Gary metropolitan areas. Major rivers in the basin include the Fox River, Du Page River, Des Plaines River, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Little Calumet River, Kankakee River, Iroquois River, and Illinois River.

The report, titled, "Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin-Spatial Distribution of Geochemicals in the Fine Fraction of Streambed Sediment, 1987" by F.A. Fitzpatrick, T.L. Arnold, and J.A. Colman has been released as U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4109. Copies are available for inspection at the U.S. Geological Survey, 221 North Broadway Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, and at large public and university libraries nationwide. Paper and microfiche copies can be purchased at cost from the U.S. Geological Survey, Branch of Information Services, Federal Center, Building 810, Box 25286, Denver, Colorado 80225 (phone number is (303) 202-4700). Orders must include check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of the Interior-U.S. Geological Survey and must specify report number WRIR 98-4109.