To date, there is little evidence of traceable amounts of pesticides, herbicides, or algaecides in the Fox River’s water or its sediments. However, there may be periodic accidental inputs to the river or its tributaries which typically kill fish in the stream in the immediate area of the spill. Usually the concentration of pesticide is quickly diluted and impacts far downstream of the source are minimal to non-existent.

Impacts to Ecosystem:

• Pesticides, even in small concentrations can kill aquatic organisms, including fish, turtles, macroinvertibrates, etc. Pesticides can also bio-accumulate in the tissues of organisms and destroy their reproductive capability, which eventually wipes out the species population, which in turn causes a negative chain reaction throughout the ecosystem.

Impacts to Drinking Water:

• Carcinogenic compounds can cause cancer in those who consume water with these compounds.

Impacts to Recreation:

• Once ingested by animals such as fish, the pesticide compounds can remain inside the fish's body tissue, which poses risk to people who catch fish and eat them. Waterfront property values can also be significantly reduced if adjoining waterbody is known to have dangerous concentrations of pesticides.