Will history look kindly on our use of natural resources?
When news broke about the global technology outage sparked by faulty software, and the rather cataclysmic aftermath across a wide swath of computer networks, it brought to mind a litany of other bad ideas that triggered even worse ripple effects across our environment.
- European starlings. Imported into the U.S. for pest control, they became the pest. Flocks numbering in the thousands devastate crops and crowd out native species.
- The European rabbit. Brought over during colonial times as a source of food and as a homage to their homelands, they have multiplied exponentially — breeding, well, like rabbits.
- Invasive plants. Kudzu, sold as a garden plant for food, spreads rapidly and can kill native plants. Water hyacinth, native to Brazil, imported into North America in 1884 for a New Orleans exposition, can double in size within a week. It blocks sunlight and prevents oxygen from reaching plants below the surface. Then there are a couple shrubs whose infamous reputation precedes them: Buckthorn, native to Europe and Asia, was introduced to North America in the 1880s as an ornamental plant. Bush honeysuckle, also from Eurasia, was introduced into the United States in the mid- to late-1800s as ornamentals, wildlife food and cover, and to control erosion.
- Asian carp. Bighead, black, grass, and silver carp were imported to the United States in the 1970s to control algal blooms in wastewater treatment plants and aquaculture ponds, as well as for the pet trade and for sport fishing. Not only are they voracious eaters, these invaders stir up sediment and crowd out native species.
A great deal of money and effort is being spent to keep carp from reaching Lake Michigan — an unrivaled recreational resource and a pivotal supply of fresh water for a host of communities, including Des Plaines. It is among a growing list of municipalities that receive Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago and the Northwest Water Commission. The commission also supplies water to Arlington Heights, Palatine and Buffalo Grove.
Des Plaines and neighboring Mount Prospect also tap into lake water as part of the Northwest Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency, another consortium that serves several area communities and which South Barrington is looking to join. Last year Joliet announced a 100-year agreement to purchase treated Lake Michigan water starting in 2030.
City Engineer E.N. Fletcher predicted the use of Lake Michigan water back in 1946, when Des Plaines drilled its second deep well at a cost of $65,000.
According to the Illinois State Water Survey, the 90-square-mile Lake Michigan watershed is the smallest in the state, but it also has the highest population density. The watershed covers 45,600 square miles in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, not including the lake — an additional 22,300 square miles. Most of the runoff originates from tributaries in Wisconsin and the lower peninsula of Michigan, with the Fox, Menominee, Grand and St. Joseph rivers draining more than 4,000 square miles.
The re-engineering of the Chicago River in the early 20th century, redirecting water through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Cal‐Sag Channel, ultimately diverts 673 square miles of the Chicago and Calumet rivers into the Des Plaines River. Thank goodness its cleanliness has improved since 1933 when communities along the river called for a broad “purification” program and end of sewage being dumped into it.
Stephen Altman, water resource department manager for Illinois, said some 230 communities are using or contemplating the use of Lake Michigan water — which is reallocated every 10 years. Each municipality must present evidence that their water delivery systems are running at peak efficiency with minimal leaks, and that their access to underground water supplies is insufficient.
“They have to make a case to get Lake Michigan water. Is it the best source for them? We’re trying to be wise since we can only divert so much,” Altman said. “Also, what we’re starting to see is transporting water is expensive. The farther away from Lake Michigan you are, the more pipe you have to build and maintain.”
Will history look kindly on our use of this natural resource? Time will tell.
Coffee Talk: Manufacturing in Chicagoland
Join Barbara Barrett at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, when she presents “Made in Chicago: The Golden Age of Manufacturing in Chicagoland 1872-1972” at the Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St.
For much of the 20th century, Chicagoland was the manufacturing capital of the world. More appliances, bicycles, candy, clothing, electronics, furniture, musical instruments, office equipment, pinball machines, toys, tools, tractors, watches, etc. were mass produced in the Chicago area than anywhere else on the planet.
Register by calling (847) 391-5399 or emailing contact@desplaineshistory.org. Village Bank & Trust and the Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines help defray the cost of monthly Coffee Talks, but donations are appreciated.
For information about other upcoming events, visit DesPlainesHistory.org.
• Kurt Begalka is executive director of the Des Plaines History Center. He may be reached at kbegalka@desplaineshistory.org.