Prairie Rivers Network

Prairie Rivers Network is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization based in Champaign, Illinois, focused on protecting and restoring the state's rivers and streams. Founded in 1967 by Bruce and Patricia Hannon, the organization was initially established as the Committee on Allerton Park to successfully oppose a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam project on the Sangamon River that threatened to flood parts of Allerton Park. This 18-year effort concluded with the project's deauthorization in 1985.

The organization leverages a combination of scientific research, legal action, and community engagement to address water pollution and habitat degradation. As a registered 501(c)(3) entity and the Illinois state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, its work is funded by members and supporters. Key areas of focus include pollution from industrial agriculture, contamination from coal ash and mining, and promoting practices that restore soil health and biodiversity. The network has been involved in significant legal actions, such as a 2018 lawsuit against Dynegy (now Vistra Energy) over coal ash contamination along the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River.

Over the decades, the organization has evolved, changing its name to Central States Education Center in 1984 to reflect a broader statewide focus, and finally to Prairie Rivers Network in 1998. It continues to advocate for clean water policies, challenge polluters, and work with communities and farmers to implement sustainable land and water management practices throughout Illinois.

Keywords: environmental advocacy, water protection, river conservation, Illinois non-profit, watershed management, clean water, habitat restoration, soil health, legal action, community engagement, coal ash pollution, agricultural runoff, biodiversity, Sangamon River, Allerton Park, National Wildlife Federation affiliate, environmental law, ecosystem health, riparian restoration, land conservation