Des Plaines Days

We left Chicago excited about paddling the Shipping and Sanitary Canal, located about 20 miles south of Downtown Chicago.  However, after talking with some locals, calling multiple people who called other people who then called us again, and talking with the U.S Coast Guard, who just happened to be boating past, we quickly realized this was not going to be feasible. 

There were several barriers (literally) preventing us from being able to paddle the canal.  First, the canal is constructed from huge limestone walls that at times are 10+ feet above the water level, preventing quick access out of the canal.  Second, the Army Corps of Engineers built several electric barriers to prevent the spread of invasive carp traveling through the Canal into Lake Michigan.  You can’t safely travel through the barrier in boats smaller than 20 feet (our canoes are about 17 feet) and we learned our only option was to portage 2 miles around the barriers if we were going to paddle the Canal.  I’m glad the Army Corps is taking steps to prevent the spread of Asian Carp.  However, I was disappointed to learn they didn’t think about paddlers in smaller boats coming from Chicago that may need to travel around the barriers.    

The group before we launched for our first day on the Des Plaines

With electric barriers and limestone walls preventing us from paddling down the Canal we decided our next best option was to launch from the Des Plaines River paralleling the Shipping and Sanitary Canal.  When we arrived, we were happy to find a nice place to launch our boats on the edge of a prairie preserve.  A man approached us who was there with a group picking up trash in the area.  He told us there is a group of volunteers maintaining the small picnic spaces in the area along the edge of the preserve by the water.  He said his hope for the area was to provide a nice spot where anyone could come down and enjoy the water. 

  

During our days on the Des Plaines we experienced the contrast between beautiful natural spaces and industry on the Des Plaines.  We had stretches of paddling where we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the River.  Egrets, Kingfishers, Cormorants and Blue Herons were frequent visitors on the river bank and large stretches of the river included beautiful prairie, forests, and wetlands.  

We enjoyed running (a term used to describe paddling through rapids) the multiple rapid sets that we unexpectedly found ourselves encountering.  Dispersed among the stretches of seemingly pristine landscape we paddled among power plants, railroads, and other industrial buildings.  Randomly as we paddled we would be reminded of our proximity to the Shipping and Sanitary Canal when the wall of limestone would creep into view on the left side of the river bank.  Sometimes we could see a barge peaking over the top of the wall.  Once, we approached the wall and noticed we could climb up the rocks on the bank to look over and see into the Canal.  When we arrived at the top, we were surprised to find we were standing just upstream from the Lockport Lock and Dam.  I felt strange looking into the concrete walled space of the Lock and Dam after being on the Des Plaines.  I can remember feeling like I was looking into a prison for water, lacking any plant life and beauty.  I was thankful to return back to the Des Plaines and paddle among the trees and birds.       

The Lockport Lock and Dam from on top of the Canal

-By Liz Just

Des Plaines Days

Flagging down the Coast Guard at the Canal

We left Chicago excited about paddling the Shipping and Sanitary Canal, located about 20 miles south of Downtown Chicago.  However, after talking with some locals, calling multiple people who called other people who then called us again, and talking with the U.S Coast Guard, who just happened to be boating past, we quickly realized this was not going to be feasible.  

There were several barriers (literally) preventing us from being able to paddle the canal.  First, the canal is constructed from huge limestone walls that at times are 10+ feet above the water level, preventing quick access out of the canal.  Second, the Army Corps of Engineers built several electric barriers to prevent the spread of invasive carp traveling through the Canal into Lake Michigan.  You can’t safely travel through the barrier in boats smaller than 20 feet (our canoes are about 17 feet) and we learned our only option was to portage 2 miles around the barriers if we were going to paddle the Canal.  I’m glad the Army Corps is taking steps to prevent the spread of Asian Carp.  However, I was disappointed to learn they didn’t think about paddlers in smaller boats coming from Chicago that may need to travel around the barriers.    

With electric barriers and limestone walls preventing us from paddling down the Canal we decided our next best option was to launch from the Des Plaines River paralleling the Shipping and Sanitary Canal.  When we arrived, we were happy to find a nice place to launch our boats on the edge of a prairie preserve.  A man approached us who was there with a group picking up trash in the area.  He told us there is a group of volunteers maintaining the small picnic spaces in the area along the edge of the preserve by the water.  He said his hope for the area was to provide a nice spot where anyone could come down and enjoy the water. 

The group before launching on the Des Plaines river  

During our days on the Des Plaines we experienced the contrast between beautiful natural spaces and industry on the Des Plaines.  We had stretches of paddling where we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the River.  Egrets, Kingfishers, Cormorants and Blue Herons were frequent visitors on the river bank and large stretches of the river included beautiful prairie, forests, and wetlands

 We enjoyed running (a term used to describe paddling through rapids) the multiple rapid sets that we unexpectedly found ourselves encountering.  Dispersed among the stretches of seemingly pristine landscape we paddled among power plants, railroads, and other industrial buildings. 

Randomly as we paddled we would be reminded of our proximity to the Shipping and Sanitary Canal when the wall of limestone would creep into view on the left side of the river bank.  Sometimes we could see a barge peaking over the top of the wall.  Once, we approached the wall and noticed we could climb up the rocks on the bank to look over and see into the Canal.  When we arrived at the top, we were surprised to find we were standing just upstream from the Lockport Lock and Dam. 

The Lockport Lock and Dam from on top of the Canal

 I felt strange looking into the concrete walled space of the Lock and Dam after being on the Des Plaines.  I can remember feeling like I was looking into a prison for water, lacking any plant life and beauty.  I was thankful to return back to the Des Plaines and paddle among the trees and birds. 

-By Liz Just 

Risks on the River

There are inherent risks associated with river recreation, which all of the Paddle Forward expeditioners have experience managing. For this reason, we always wear PFD's and are careful around the water while paddling, recognizing and respecting its great power. The Chicago River and Des Plaines River present a new hazard that I have never had to think about during any paddling I have done in the past. The water itself is a hazard. All along the way there are signs that say:

CAUTION

THIS WATERWAY IS NOT SUITABLE FOR:

• Wading
• Swimming
• Jet Skiing
• Water Skiing/Tubing
• Any Human Body Contact

This means that along the stretch between Chicago, and a ways downstream, we had to take extra precautions. We were careful as we were getting in and out of our boats not to splash ourselves. If we lifted our boats out of the river and our hands got wet, we were sure to wash them. We kept careful attention to minor cuts and abrasions, which are inevitable on this type of expedition, to keep them extra clean since the river presented a high risk of infection. We could not rinse our bandanas, clothes, feet, outside of our water bottles, or even the inside of the canoes with river water, as we usually do on a canoe trip.

How are these rivers so contaminated that human contact is not advisable? Why are these rivers different from other rivers in the U.S.?

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Great Chicago filters, but does not disinfect, most of its wastewater before sending it downstream. It is the only major water reclamation district in the country that practices this. Between 60 and 85% of water in the Chicago area water system comes from human waste. This means that bacteria counts of fecal coliform, which can cause diseases such as e. coli, salmonella, typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis, and other diseases, can be as high as 34,000 per 100 milliliters. A count of 300 fecal coliform per 100 milliliters is considered safe for recreation. 

Since the Clean Water Act of 1972, which requires facilities releasing wastewater to have a permit, water quality in the Chicago area water system has improved significantly. The construction of Deep Tunnel, an underground wastewater storage system, which holds 2.3 billion gallons of wastewater until it can be treated and released, has helped control the discharge of untreated sewage into the waterways. Chicago has a combined sewer system, so both stormwater runoff and water flushed down toilets and sinks is ultimately sent to Deep Tunnel. However, when large rain events occur, which is happening more and more frequently due to climate change, this system is overwhelmed, and it forces the city to release untreated wastewater into our waterways. This water ends up both in the river system and in Lake Michigan--the source of Chicago's drinking water. Construction is currently underway to increase Deep Tunnel's capacity to from 2.3 billion gallons 17.5 billion gallons by 2024. 

I was not aware of the water quality issues of the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers, and it is very concerning that we are letting this happen. However, it also seems that the solution is neither mysterious nor complicated. Yes, it will require a significant investment to begin disinfecting wastewater and to install various forms of green infrastructure to help control runoff throughout the city of Chicago but really, this goal is not unattainable. Rather, it would get the Chicagoland area merely up to speed with the rest of the country. 

The Illinois EPA is considering beginning to disinfect wastewater, and much of this shift is happening because of increased recreation on the Chicago area water systems, and the recognition of the need to protect these citizens from disease. This shift highlights the political influence that outdoor recreation can have. By simply going outside and enjoying the natural amenities that exist in our backyard, government agencies and representatives must recognize the role that these areas play in our daily lives, and in turn create policy and practices that reflect the value that citizens place on these resources. It is Wild River Academy's hope that by paddling the Chicago, Des Plaines, and Illinois Rivers, we highlight the recreation and learning opportunities that abound along these water trails. So join us in utilizing, appreciating, and exploring your backyard! And bring some friends along!

-By Anna Johnson

Augsburg College Guest Post: Introduction

Hey Everyone!  This is the first guest blog entry for Paddle Forward’s Illinois River Expedition.  We are a group of Augsburg College students and a professor (and one recent Augsburg graduate) who just finished paddling 115 miles of the Upper Mississippi, from St. Paul to Winona.  We are now back on campus as part of a class on Environmental and River Politics at Augsburg College, and will be following the Illinois River trip and contributing to the trip blog.  Students in the class will be researching some of the topics and issues encountered by the Paddle4ward crew, and seeing how that trip compares to the one we just finished on the Mississippi.

In our class we have Lucie, Alex, Emily, and Charles, who are all environmental studies majors; Lily, a Chemistry major, and Rachel, in Biology.  We are also working with a history major, Kevin, who has been studying the tunnels, sewers, and storm water drain systems in Minneapolis and St. Paul.  They will each be researching different aspects of the Chicago and Illinois Rivers.

We have a personal connection to the expedition since our trip was led by Liz Just, who is also part of the Paddle Forward crew.  We had a great time hearing from Liz about the trip down the Mississippi River last fall, and looking forward to hearing about this new trip as well.

On our trip we studied water quality, the impact of the lock and dam system, and the multiple and often competing uses of the Upper Mississippi River.  Human civilizations grew up around rivers for a reason.  We use them for all sorts of things:  drinking water, waste disposal, transportation, habitat for fish and other wildlife, recreation, spirituality, and as cooling water for power plants.  The rich farmland along rivers makes them important locales for human community.  But we saw as well how all these uses put a huge strain on the health of the river ecosystems.  The locks and dams along the Mississippi dramatically alter the physical characteristics of the river, and the Army Corps of Engineers work to maintain the 9-foot channel for the barges means that the river is constantly being engineered to stay in one place, when it naturally wants to be shifting and changing.

We learned directly from the river, but also from the people we met along the way—river rats, duck hunters, fishermen, wildlife biologists, lock operators, local business owners, and people who just like being down by river.  Everyone had their own stories and perspectives on the river, but everyone loved it and wanted to protect it, which was great to see, because we do too.

Over the next few weeks we will be contributing stories and research to the Paddle Forward blog on topics such as transportation, the impact of farming, the threats posed by invasive species, and economic development along the river.

We are psyched to be following the Paddle Forward group as they explore the Chicago and Illinois River, and share our thoughts and reflections on these great rivers and their place in our lives.

Meet Lee!

Hi! Hello! Hey!

My name is Lee Vue and I previously paddled the Mississippi River last year with Paddle Forward. I can’t wait for another amazing time on the river!

Who is Lee?

I grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota and currently work as a freelance photographer and consultant. I obtained my BA in Political Science from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities.  These past few years, I have been traveling and volunteering my time in other countries. I recently just returned from the Philippines after spending a month helping with the earthquake disaster relief efforts on the island of Bohol. My first experience into the great outdoors was at the age of thirteen and since then I have continued to spend time among lakes, tall trees, rising mountains, and rolling rivers. My love for the wilderness and rivers is ever growing with an insatiable need to find new adventures every year.

Why did she join Paddle Forward: Illinois River?

It was a great learning experience to be part of building the overall vision of Paddle Forward’s pilot year last year. It was fascinating to learn about the role rivers play into the development and sustainability of towns and cities along the route and implementing an adventure-learning curriculum. This year, we’ve finessed the curriculum and made it the primary focus so I’m looking forward to connecting with K-12 students and sharing discoveries on the trip. I’m excited for all the students to get excited about rivers and nature beyond the means of textbooks and classroom walls.  I hope they get inspired to go on their own adventure one day and continue learning about water and nature conservation.

What will she gain from this trip?

I strive to do what I love and measure life on a happiness scale. Paddling rivers, participating in Paddle Forward, and supporting Wild River Academy are among my list of “Things I Love To Do.” I’m looking forward to those unexpected moments and chance meetings with people along the river that will make the experience more than just an outdoors adventure. It’s about making connections (new friends), living in a micro-community, mobility by canoeing, and finding the simple joys at moving in a slow pace under the open skies.

Paddle Forward is Back!

Hi everybody! I am excessively excited to kick off the 2014 Paddle Forward blog (not to mention the trip itself). My name is Mark Emmons, but you can refer to me as Blog Editor-in-Chief! Just kidding. But actually, I’ll be the main blogger during the month-long expedition, though the other five paddlers will also take turns at blog posts.

The purpose of this blog is twofold:

1) like a typical travel blog, I will update you with stories of our discoveries, encounters, triumphs, frustrations, etc. and

2) it will serve as a learning tool for the K-12 students who will be following our trip online. Ooooo, the power of blogging!

If you are reading this, you are wondering what’s going on with the trip! Well, we’re 15 days away from our September 6th launch date, and most preparations are in order. For the past month and a half, the whole crew (6 paddlers and 2 support team members) has been contacting schools, media, river town leaders, and other folks who might be able to help us during our travels. Our goal is to meet with as many people as possible who have some stake in the river. Why, you ask? Because we believe that the best way to get to know the Illinois River is by talking to the people who interact with it daily. Makes sense, right? Our hope is that these interviews will yield all sorts of educational insights for our adventure learning videos, where we’ll make connections between the different nuggets of knowledge that our interviewees give us. If you were following last fall’s Paddle Forward expedition down the Mississippi River, you may know that the paddlers were kept busy filming a documentary and covering a whole lot of miles. This year, the focus will be more strongly on adventure learning (for the sake of the children!) and the key to its success is in meeting interesting people.

Of course, to make our adventure learning efforts meaningful at all, we need students to participate. Thanks to fellow expeditioner/U of MN student/champion of champions, Jess Colbaugh, we already have 43 schools signed up to follow our expedition online! There is still room to register to be a River Ambassador school - more information at http://paddle4ward.com/information/. On top of that, we’ll be stopping at a number of schools along the way to visit classrooms in person. Another fellow expeditioner, Marissa Madej, is the mastermind behind these visits. I imagine that it will be the most exciting day of class ever! If you are involved in a school along the river that would want us to stop by, contact Marissa at marissa.madej@gmail.com

To kick it all off, the excitement will begin in Chicago. Wild River Academy founder Natalie Warren, who will sadly not be paddling with us on the river, has set up a big shebang for our Chicago sendoff. On September 7th, there will be a mass paddle through the city with local paddling groups, and speakers to follow. If you are in the Chicago area at the time, contact us at paddle@wildriveracademy.com to join the fun! If you can’t join us, you can at least experience the glory online through all of our social media platforms coordinated by fellow expeditioner/social media queen, Lee Vue. You can follow us on Google +, Facebook, and Twitter.

That’s all for now. Now we wait. 15 days! 15 days! 15 days!

Paddle Forward Expeditioner Spotlight: Jess

Hello!

My name is Jess and I’m new to the Paddle Forward team! I’m very excited to be involved with Wild River Academy!

Who is Jess? 

I am a student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I'm studying Fisheries and Wildlife with an emphasis in Conservation Biology. I grew up in Isanti, Minnesota—about an hour north of the cities. Growing up, my summers were mostly spent on lakes. I developed a love for anything and everything water and the outdoors.  While at the University I've worked various jobs. I began as a tutor for local schools and after school programs. I left that to work as a research assistant only to realize I really missed teaching and working with children. I decided to combine my passions and am now getting involved in outdoor education. I'm really passionate about sharing the value of nature. I also have eight siblings, am proficient in German, and I'm learning to tap dance. I love sunrises, biking, and playing tennis.

Why did she join Paddle Forward: Illinois River? 

I am very excited for the Paddle Forward trip down the Illinois River in the fall! It’ll be a great experience to explore nature and to see how people interact with the water. I love water systems and a whole month in a canoe sounds like a dream. I also look forward to connecting with students and teachers along the way! It will be fun sharing our experiences through adventure learning.

What will she gain from the trip? 

I am taking a directed study at the U of M to help me develop the K-12 curriculum that classrooms will use as they follow us on the trip. The professors here are so insightful and encouraging! I am lucky to get to take this trip and have it count towards my schooling. Professor Karen Oberhauser will be mentoring me on the project and I’m thrilled for her expert guidance. Overall I hope to do an analysis of the usefulness of adventure learning for K-12 classrooms. I want to see if teachers and students like learning through this type of partnership and to find ways to make it better.

I am so grateful for all of the support and encouragement from my family and friends. Also, the Wild River Academy team is so amazing!

I look forward to the adventures to come and the opportunities to learn!

-Jess

River Talking

Members of Wild River Academy’s Paddle Forward trip have been busy doing presentations about their voyage down the Mississippi River, in addition to gearing up for the summer season. On April 15, Martha and Anna spoke at the River Management Society’s conference, titled “Managing Rivers in Changing Climes.” They had a great time meeting and learning from experts in the field of river management, and were honored to be included in the conference. Peter Hark, son of beloved Larene “Ma” Hark, whom the groups stayed with on day 6 of the Paddle Forward expedition, was in the audience.

The duo also did a presentation at Colorado College, their alma mater in Colorado Springs. They told stories about their adventures, talked about the value of paddling in non-wilderness areas, and detailed how they were able to fund their adventure post college, as graduates are no longer eligible for adventure grants through the institution.

Over the weekend of April 26 and 27th, five of the Paddle Forward crew spoke to a friendly audience at the Midwest Mountaineering expo. The expo is always a fun and exciting event, and Wild River Academy enjoyed tabling throughout the weekend and meeting new folks interested in the organization. It is exciting and heartwarming to see people’s enthusiasm for watershed education.

On May 2 and 3, the WRA crew was in Granite Falls for the River History weekend put on by Clean Up the River Environment (CURE). It is always a delight to connect with our friends and allies in southwestern Minnesota working hard to protect and maintain the Minnesota River valley, and this weekend was no different. The “Don’t Worry, We’ve Got This” event on Friday night was an energizing way for young leaders to connect. On Saturday morning, Nick, Natalie, and Anna led a canoe water safety training. That evening, they were warmly received when they spoke about their travels down the Mississippi River at the CURE annual meeting. WRA was thrilled to be included in the celebration of the hard work that CURE and the greater Granite Falls community is doing to protect and restore the local environment.

There are presentations in our future as well! The WRA crew is looking forward to speaking with students at the School of Environmental Studies on June 11. Natalie will be talking with a group of professors in Madison on Thursday about incorporating adventure learning into the college setting.

Thank you to everyone who has attended our presentations! We look forward to continuing to share our story with others, and hope that you will share your story with us.

The Future of Paddle Forward

In fall 2013, Wild River Academysent eleven young adults down the length of the Mississippi River under the name Paddle Forward. This expedition was originally envisioned as a one-time event. After 70 days of thinking time and conversation on the water, Wild River Academy staff began to envision a new role for Paddle Forward Expeditions under Wild River Academy's umbrella.

Paddle Forward trips do more than just take a few ambitious young adults out to experience urban water trails. Our goal is to implement an adventure learning model to engage students all across the nation in watershed education.

Adventure learning is an educational model that provides students with opportunities to explore real-world issues through authentic learning experiences within collaborative online learning environments, and is anchored in experiential and inquiry-based learning. Teachers can register as a River Ambassador school to follow Paddle Forward expeditions, access watershed curriculum resources, receive trip updates, send paddlers questions and comments in the field, and request the expeditioners to visit specific towns and schools along the route.

Watershed education is what we are all about. Whether we are presenting for a class, sharing our story online during a Paddle Forward Expedition, or leading students down their local river, we strive to deepen our society's understanding of what makes a healthy watershed.

The Mississippi River Watershed

We paddled the Mississippi River. Now, every fall, we are going to paddle the length of its major tributaries. Starting with the Illinois River in 2014. Moving to the Minnesota River in 2015. If you have any connections for us in these areas, please email paddle@wildriveracademy.com.

This year's expedition has something/someone that last year's trip did not. You'll be hearing from her in our next blog! Just know that we are PUMPED about the future of this program!

With love,
The WRA Team
Nick, Natalie, Liz, Anna