News Releases - 2003

Long Awaited Study Of Chicago River Will Begin

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Renee Cipriano announced today that a comprehensive multi-year evaluation of the current conditions and potential for expanded uses of the Chicago Waterway System is being launched by the Illinois EPA.

The study will be the first in-depth look at the system in nearly three decades.

“We are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of people who live and work along the Chicago River and its tributaries and this study will give us a better sense of what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done to clean up this waterway,” said Director Cipriano.

Camp, Dresser & McKee, Inc., a nationally recognized water quality and environmental management firm will work with the Agency on the Chicago Waterway project that will involve the Chicago River, its two main branches (North Branch and South Branch), as well as the Cal-Sag Channel, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and tributaries in an area extending from the metropolitan Chicago area to the Lockport vicinity.

“This study exemplifies Governor Blagojevich’s commitment to cleaning up our waterways and his belief that a cleaner environment is vital to our quality of life,” added Director Cipriano.

“This is a major step toward finishing the job of cleaning up the Chicago River and making it safe again for recreation and wildlife. We look forward to working with Illinois EPA and everyone involved to finally complete the full recovery of the river,” said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter.

As part of the study, a major public outreach seeking input from local municipal authorities responsible for wastewater and storm water drainage services, industrial dischargers, and other interest groups in the Chicago area will be developed. The extent and scope of this outreach effort will be determined early in the review effort. A stakeholders advisory group will be created and involved through the review process and the completed review will be posted for Internet viewing.

The Chicago Waterway System makes up the surface drainage network serving the majority of the Greater Chicago metropolitan area. The system receives discharge from three of the largest municipal wastewater treatment plants in the nation as well as releases from more than 100 individual combined sewer outfalls.

Since passage of the Clean Water Act, there have been major upgrades of treatment facilities along the Chicago Waterway under IEPA oversight, implementation of a program calling for extensive pretreatment as well as treatment of industrial wastes before discharge and the completion of the first phase of the Tunnel and Reservoir (TARP) project, the nation’s most ambitious long term combined sewer overflow control plan. Also known as the “Deep Tunnel” project, it directs combined sanitary waste and infiltrating rainwater into massive tunnels and collection reservoirs during periods of heavy rainfall.

When drier conditions return, the combined wastewater is pumped back to the treatment plants for full treatment prior to discharge, significantly reducing releases to the system, and preventing basement backups.

Jointly, these efforts have significantly improved conditions and public interest in the waterway, resulting in increased efforts to restore abandoned areas and provide public open spaces along the banks.

Recreational boating and other sports are on the rise within the system and improved fish populations and species diversity now support a modest recreational fishing use. These benefits indicate that the current use classification is outdated, making the planned study a timely undertaking.

The Agency is currently conducting a similar study on the Lower DesPlaines River, immediately downstream of the Chicago Water System. That review is addressing many similar issues to those that will be part of the Chicago Waterway System review.