SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois Department of Public Health is warning that there are a number of consumption advisories for fish coming from waters contaminated by methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) throughout the state.
The IDPH released an updated map of affected waters on Wednesday, including many in Central Illinois. In that update, three lakes were added to the list of waters with methylmercury advisories while seven lakes and rivers saw advisories for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) removed.
The lakes and rivers throughout Central Illinois that are subject to site-specific advisories are:
- Crystal Lake (Champaign County)
- Embarras River (Coles, Douglas Counties)
- Kaskaskia River (Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Moultrie Counties)
- Kickapoo State Park (Vermilion County)
- Lake Decatur (Macon County)
- Lake Fork Creek (Douglas, Piatt Counties)
- Lake of the Woods (Champaign County)
- Lake Sara (Effingham County)
- Lake Taylorville (Christian County)
- Little Wabash River and tributaries (Coles, Effingham, Shelby County
- Pana Lake (Shelby County)
- Sangamon River (Macon, Sangamon Counties)
- Spring Creek (Sangamon County)
- Vermilion River (Champaign, Vermilion Counties)
While there is no known immediate health hazards from eating contaminated fish, there are concerns about the effects of long-term, low-level exposure to PCB and methylmercury in fish. Sensitive populations – those who are nursing, pregnant, those who may become pregnant and children under the age of 15 – are advised to eat no more than one meal per week of predatory fish.
Predatory fish species that may be contaminated include black bass, gar, salmon, and trout as well as striped bass, white bass, walleye, sauger, flathead catfish, muskellunge, northern pike and associated hybrids.
More information about, including an interactive fishing advisory map for Illinois, can be found on the IDPH website.
