The Chicago River:

Creating Habitat in the Urban

Environment

John Quail
Director of Watershed Planning
Friends of the Chicago River
 Founded in 1979
 ~3000 Members
 Areas of Focus
 Policy and Planning

 Outreach and Education

 On the Ground Projects

Courtesy of Chicago Historical Society
Courtesy of Chicago Historical Society
Courtesy of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Courtesy of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Sustainability in an Urban(izing) Ecosystem

- Restoration v. Naturalization
- H2O Quality
- Habitat
- Infrastructure (Blue and Grey)
- Social Impacts
- Environmental Justice
- Right to Clean Water
- Right to Access
 SOURCES OF STREAM DEGRADATION

CHANNELIZATION
URBANIZATION
-effluents
-run-off
-flow alteration

SEDIMENT NUTRIENTS
 BIODIVERSITY INDEX OF FISH SPECIES IN CHICAGO AND
CALUMET RIVER SYSTEMS BETWEEN 1974 AND 2005

70

SEPA Operational

60

50
TARP
Number of Fish Species

Operational

40
Cessation of WRP Effluent Chlorination

30

20

10

0
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year
 Habitat Impacts

- Habitat Loss
-Fish, Macros, Mussels
- Sedimentation from Upstream Development
- Connectivity
- How are we fixing it?
Habitat Creation and Enhancement

- Pool and Riffle Complex

- Fish Hotel
- Dam Modification
Chicago River Fish Hotel

Solution to habitat in urban setting

Pool and Riffle Complex
Northbrook Before
Northbrook After
Dams
Dam issue background:

Environmental Effects of Dams

Local Effects System-wide Effects

 Degraded habitat  Fragmented river

 Degraded water quality  Barrier to fish/mussel migration
 Degraded fish and macro-  Prevent recolonization of
invertebrate communities restored reaches
 Isolate important habitats
 Reduce biodiversity

“Dams are a major cause of declines in aquatic biodiversity and sport fisheries
in temperate rivers and streams”

(Literature reviews: Nehlsen et al. 1991, Moyle and Leidy 1992, LaRoe et al 1995, Pringle 2000).
 Complete Lowering * Fishways*
dam and and
removal > ramping > bypasses
 Improved habitat  Limited habitat  Partially
improvement reconnected
 Improved water
river
quality  Reconnected river
 Reconnected river

*higher maintenance costs

Am. eel
Bm. buffalo
Bl. buffalo
Gz. shad
Bl. redhorse
Hf. carpsucker
Ln. gar
Mooneye
Ri. carpsucker
Ri. redhorse
Sauger
Sn. gar
Sj. herring
Sm. buffalo
Speckled chub

Upstream Downstreram
North Branch Dams
 TOTAL GAME
SPECIE SPECIE TROUT/
S S SALMON
Downstrm
West
River 44 15 6
Park Dam
Upstrm
West
22 5 0
Winnetka Road
Chick Evans
Tam O’Shanter
West River Park
Chicago River Blue
- 1st Year 2010
- Big Fish Ball
- Recognize river-edge
developments that provide
consideration of:
- H2O Quality
- Habitat
- Access
Questions?

jquail@chicagoriver.org
312-939-0490 ext. 20

Don’t Forget:
www.chicagoriver.org
- Urban Canoe Trips
- Restoration Volunteers
- File a Public Comment for Clean H2O
Flatwater Classic – October 3