Eric Pepa

Fox fall color

2018 Annual Photography Contest

Our Annual Photography Contest has become a big hit, so we are excited to step it up this year! Our theme this time around is “SEASONS OF THE FOX RIVER.” We want you to try to capture the beauty of the Fox River in the context of a particular time of year. Spring, summer, fall … Read more

Carpentersville Dam

Dams of the Fox River, A Layperson’s View

by Eric Pepa When I became a member of Friends of the Fox River several years ago, one of the first things I learned was that we were not Friends of the dams of the Fox River. As a layperson (an architect by profession), my interest in the Fox River has been mostly recreational. I … Read more

2018 Calendar Cover photo

Winners of the 2017 Photo Contest

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Bradford Vineyard- Foggy Morning on the Fox River near Saw Wee Kee Park-  $100 Cabela’s Gift Certificate The panel selected this panoramic photo of a gaggle of geese as they lounge on melting ice near the bank of the Fox River. Thick, foggy air mists across the scene and hints at change … Read more

GS in kayak

Lessons from the Total Eclipse

By Gary Swick Picture yourself standing on the banks of the Fox River 1,000 years ago. Imagine experiencing a total solar eclipse without any knowledge of what is actually occurring, or why it’s happening. It is more likely that it would be regarded as frightening than interesting or exciting. After it passed, you probably would … Read more

2017 Annual Photo Contest Results

A beautiful foggy morning photo near Saw Wee Kee Park in Oswego. Photo by Bradford Vineyard Our 2017 Annual Photo Contest has ended and our selection committee is in the process selecting winners. We received a wonderful assortment of photos- 47 total- portraying this year’s theme of “The of Flora and Fauna of the Fox … Read more

Flooded Fox brings some Lessons

by Gary Swick Rivers and their tributaries usually have seasonal cycles of spring and fall flooding, with a “low flow” condition in summer. Flooding has benefits to the natural river system through nutrient distribution and scouring of sediment. The land areas that absorb the flood conditions are referred to as flood plains. Land use planners … Read more

2017 Annual Photography Contest

It’s that time of year again when spring is in full bloom and some of the best opportunities for photographing life on the Fox River abound. And the time has come for Friends of the Fox River’s Annual Photography Contest. So in keeping with the season, the theme for this year’s contest is the “FLORA AND … Read more

WATERSHED WATCHDOGS EXPAND TO AURORA AND CRYSTAL LAKE!

by Gary Swick Since the beginning of Friends of the Fox River, students have played a lead role in water quality protection. Citizen scientists have voluntarily collected data from over 100 monitoring sites throughout the watershed. In 1999, the Fox River Monitoring Network was established which through federal, state, and county funding. The network grew … Read more