The Friends of the Mississippi and the National Park Service have produced an in-depth review of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities area.
The report, issued Thursday, Sept. 27, examines the health and safety of the river’s water for the organisms that live in it and for the humans who drink it and swim and fish in it. The report describes the Mississippi as much cleaner than it was years ago, but still suffering from too much phosphorus, too much nitrogen and too much sediment.
It also describes a new danger: increasing concentrations of dioxins formed from triclosan, a chemical used in many anti-bacterial hand soaps, cosmetics and deodorants.
Read the 48-page State of the River report. Read a Star Tribune article about the report.