Friends of the Chicago River

Friends works across sectors and boundaries with elected officials, businesses, frontline organizations, government agencies, municipalities, nonprofits, and volunteers to repair past environmental harm and illuminate the river as a valuable natural resource instead of a sewage and shipping canal.

The Flatwater Classic and a report entitled "Waterways for Our Future," published by Friends, Openlands, and the Chicago Civic Federation, led to the establishment of new recreational water quality standards approved in 2011 by the Illinois Pollution Control Board, which protects much of the river system for swimming.

Friends also secured funding for fish habitat at the Jetty on the Chicago Riverwalk and launched an instream native planting project using highly adaptive water willow and lizard's tail to provide high-quality habitat for aquatic organisms, protect shoreline from bank erosion, create shelter for aquatic life during floods, and improve the aesthetics of the river for recreational users, adapted from a successful program on the Fox River.

In 2023, Friends received a National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Coastal Resilience Fund[4] grant of $630,000 to expand this project to the entire 156 mile system.

First-year jumpers from all levels of government include U.S. congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), U.S. congressman Mike Quigley (IL-5), Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Friends' Executive Director Margaret Frisbie.

This project resulted in the immediate colonization of the high quality creek by five new species and helped to restore the adjacent land through invasive plant removal and addition of new native shrubs and trees.

The project partners were Friends, the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

Friends' staff provide training and one-on-one support for educators, sharing techniques and strategies to engage students in environmental issues and activities solving everyday problems the river faces.

Friends of the Chicago River initiated the Greater Chicago Watershed Alliance in 2020 to establish a cross jurisdictional forum that would result in the expanded use of nature-based solutions to manage stormwater which will reduce combined sewer overflows, community flooding, the urban heat island effect, air pollution while building climate resilience, protecting wildlife and their habitats, and improving public health and wellness.