DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE: THE 50 MOST POLLUTED RIVERS IN THE COUNTRYRank | River/Waterbody | States with toxic discharges contributing to water pollution | Total pounds of direct toxic discharges to water (1990-1994) | 1 | Mississippi River | TN, AR, LA, MO, IL, MN, WI, IA, KY, MS | 702,496,748 | 2 | Pacific Ocean | OR, HI, CA | 35,195,908 | 3 | Ohio River | IL, IN, OH, KY, WV, PA | 22,072,491 | 4 | Tennessee River | KY, TN, AL | 22,031,743 | 5 | Houston Ship Channel | TX | 18,235,338 | 6 | Ward Cove | AK | 14,261,169 | 7 | Savannah River | GA, SC | 13,968,965 | 8 | Delaware River | DE, PA, NJ | 13,329,248 | 9 | Thames River | CT | 13,312,639 | 10 | Grays Harbor | WA | 10,840,795 | 11 | Rock River | IL, WI | 8,165,469 | 12 | Straits Of Juan De Fuca | WA | 7,899,229 | 13 | Amelia River | FL | 7,461,070 | 14 | Gravelly Run | VA | 6,330,209 | 15 | Calcasieu River | LA | 5,427,508 | 16 | Ouachita River | AR, LA | 4,925,933 | 17 | Mobile River | AL | 4,572,055 | 18 | Columbia River | WA, OR | 4,368,387 | 19 | Holston River | TN | 4,098,240 | 20 | Genesee River | NY | 3,672,733 | 21 | Kansas River | KS | 3,420,965 | 22 | Martins Creek | MS | 3,339,065 | 23 | Indiana Harbor Ship Canal | IN | 2,578,038 | 24 | Brazos River | TX | 2,442,430 | 25 | Cuyahoga River | OH | 2,427,663 | 26 | Patapsco River | MD | 2,329,123 | 27 | Kanawha River | WV | 2,320,910 | 28 | Susquehanna River | PA, NY | 2,144,339 | 29 | Quinnipiac River | CT | 2,105,384 | 30 | Fenholloway River | FL | 1,896,369 | 31 | Cedar River | IA | 1,881,803 | 32 | Everett Harbor | WA | 1,749,650 | 33 | Hudson River | NJ, NY | 1,729,084 | 34 | Missouri River | NE, KS, MO, ND, IA | 1,727,759 | 35 | Neches River | TX | 1,645,307 | 36 | Alabama River | AL | 1,613,809 | 37 | Escambia Bay | FL | 1,568,522 | 38 | Wisconsin River | WI | 1,553,152 | 39 | Wabash River | IL, IN, OH | 1,532,308 | 40 | Blackwater River | VA | 1,488,346 | 41 | Detroit River | MI | 1,449,750 | 42 | Little Attapulgus Creek | GA | 1,431,183 | 43 | Androscoggin River | ME, NH | 1,388,133 | 44 | Escatawpa River | MS | 1,358,148 | 45 | Pigeon River | NC | 1,325,423 | 46 | Cook Inlet | AK | 1,322,140 | 47 | Cape Fear River | NC | 1,319,953 | 48 | Des Moines River | IA | 1,270,304 | 49 | Tombigbee River | MS, AL | 1,210,471 | 50 | Willamette River | OR | 1,202,737 | Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Toxics Release Inventory 1990-1994. |
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