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Why are our rivers brown?

03/13/2017  |  BY cancelprint_rfw

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As Fort Wayne’s rivers move, they collect soil, sediment and debris washed from farm fields and developed land when it rains. You may have noticed that after a heavy rain, the rivers look even more brown than when it hasn’t rained for a while. This is because of the kind of soil we have in northeastern Indiana is made up of very tiny particles that tend to float easily.

In areas of the country where the soil is sandy, river water is clearer because the sand sinks to the bottom. But even though our rivers will never be completely clear and pure, we can do a lot to make them cleaner.