Water woes: the Souris River

The Souris River is important to me. It runs through my hometown, and every summer, it stinks. It’s called eutrophication. Nominally, it’s an excess of plant nutrients in the river. But the results are unmistakeable: algal blooms and fish kills. The EPA and IJC has identified it as an issue all across the basin. Algae covers the river’s oxbow lakes, and sometimes, the river itself. It’s polluted to all heck, and it’s not all our fault even. Canada has just as much of an agricultural presence in the basin, and even uses the river for industrial purposes.

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