Everyday Environment Podcast

While the City of Chicago and many of its surrounding communities have access to water from Lake Michigan, the rest of Northeast Illinois relies primarily on groundwater aquifers for all its drinking water.  These groundwater aquifers provide a wide range of opportunities for drinking...

This week we chat with Kara Salazar from Purdue Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant about how communities approach sustainable development around their water resources. Kara discusses the challenges of managing stormwater, green infrastructure solutions like bioswales and permeable...

The history books often referred to the reversal of the Chicago River as an engineering marvel, but how did they do it? Why did they do it? and Why is it important to learn about it? Join Phil Nicodemus from Urban Rivers as he discusses the history of the...

Join the Everyday Environment team as we chat with Layne Knoche, Stormwater Outreach Associate, to explore the importance of rain gardens and how they help manage stormwater, support biodiversity, and improve water quality. We chat about some good design tips and ideas, the basic make-up of a...

Everybody has a part to play in protecting the valuable resource that is water. So what is the part of farmers? As producers of our food, fiber, and fuel, farmers are essential to our economy, our plates, and our way of life. Learn from Rachel Curry about the options farmers have to protect...

From the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan, Illinois’ waters are incredible environmental and economic resources, supporting a diversity of plants and animals, providing drinking water for millions of people, and allowing for transportation and recreation. However, aquatic invasive species...

In this episode, we talk with Eliana Brown, Water Quality and Stormwater Specialist with University of Illinois Extension.  Eliana explains how we can do simple things that improve lakes and rivers and why it's important to do so. This podcast complements Extension's...

When people think about ‘contaminants of emerging concern’ in our waters, it sounds like a scary, complicated thing. But in truth, it’s not. There are a number of things in our everyday lives that can pollute our water –  even medicine, clothing, and what we use to keep our homes safe and...

Illinois RiverWatch is a statewide community science (i.e. citizen science) program that trains volunteers to monitor water quality in their local streams. Learn how volunteers across the state use small...

Watersheds are everywhere, adjusting and reforming all the time - they are not static. Watersheds are a reflection of natural and human activities: as activities change so do watersheds as well as the waterways within them. Whatever happens upstream goes downstream. Hear from State Hydrologist...