The History of the Chicago River
Before European settlement, The North Branch of the Chicago River was three small streams that headwaters near present-day Deerfield, Glencoe, and Winnetka. During this time, the Skokie area looked like wetlands and marshes. The Chicago River also flowed into Lake Michigan. Population started to grow during the 19th century. Which caused more pollution. As the population grew, a program known as the Reversal of the Chicago River was established to stop pollutants that harmed human health.
Three human modifications have occurred in the Chicago River within the last 150 years, these include:
Reversal of the Chicago River:
Until 1900, the Chicago River drained into Lake Michigan, along with all the sewage from the city; and the Des Plaines River west of Chicago emptied into the Illinois River, which eventually flows to the Mississippi. Chicago residents used drinking water from polluted areas of the lake near the mouth of the Chicago River, which lead to outbreaks of typhoid and other waterborne diseases.
By 1889, the Sanitary District of Chicago was organized to solve the city's sanitation problems. One of the District's first projects was a canal connecting the Chicago River with the Des Plaines River, cutting through a line of hills west of the city. This allowed a regulated amount of water to flow out of Lake Michigan, through the Chicago River, and into the Illinois River. The Reversal of the Chicago River program brought up a new multi-purpose project involving water supply, pollution control, transportation, and power generation. The North Shore Channel(had to be straightened) and the Cal-Sag Channel was used to prevent the polluted Lake Michigan water when entering the lake water. Sewage treatment plants(such as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District) were established after these programs were finished.
By 1889, the Sanitary District of Chicago was organized to solve the city's sanitation problems. One of the District's first projects was a canal connecting the Chicago River with the Des Plaines River, cutting through a line of hills west of the city. This allowed a regulated amount of water to flow out of Lake Michigan, through the Chicago River, and into the Illinois River. The Reversal of the Chicago River program brought up a new multi-purpose project involving water supply, pollution control, transportation, and power generation. The North Shore Channel(had to be straightened) and the Cal-Sag Channel was used to prevent the polluted Lake Michigan water when entering the lake water. Sewage treatment plants(such as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District) were established after these programs were finished.
Present Day of the Chicago River
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Today, the Chicago River is working towards be safe for society.
The changes from the river is slowly progressing to have clean quality water. The water after the changes from the river made it very clean and sanitary. New water acts passed by legislation worked for a better future in our water supply, especially in rivers in Illinois, Colorado, and Mississippi. One of the most notable acts implemented in the Chicago River is the Clean Water Act in the 20th century. After this act, people in the Chicago River started to work towards a brighter and cleaner future for the river, but problems still settle to this day. Present day pollutants are very similar to past pollutants. Types of pollutants that would be entering the water during the past would include pollutants like human and animal waste and waste from industrial plants. Most of the waste today includes industrial waste but human and animal waste are contribute to a large part of the pollutants as well. Intricate systems such as the Water Reclamation Center help keep the water from the river clean and potable. However this does not mean that people should be careless on how they treat water.
The changes from the river is slowly progressing to have clean quality water. The water after the changes from the river made it very clean and sanitary. New water acts passed by legislation worked for a better future in our water supply, especially in rivers in Illinois, Colorado, and Mississippi. One of the most notable acts implemented in the Chicago River is the Clean Water Act in the 20th century. After this act, people in the Chicago River started to work towards a brighter and cleaner future for the river, but problems still settle to this day. Present day pollutants are very similar to past pollutants. Types of pollutants that would be entering the water during the past would include pollutants like human and animal waste and waste from industrial plants. Most of the waste today includes industrial waste but human and animal waste are contribute to a large part of the pollutants as well. Intricate systems such as the Water Reclamation Center help keep the water from the river clean and potable. However this does not mean that people should be careless on how they treat water.
Problems the Chicago River Faces Today:
Why are we listing out the problems? Well we want to inform you about how some of your everyday actions, negatively affects our environment. Those actions can also have a critical impact on our health as a species. Again, the mission of the United States Environmental Protection Agency is the protection human health, as well as the preservation of our environment. To support the claim that the Chicago River still has problems look at our data that we have conducted.
Here are the eight problems the Chicago River faces present day(Provided by the Friends of the Chicago River):
- There are great losses of biodiversity and high-quality habitat.
- Toxins are present in the river water and sediments.
- Excess nutrients fill up the river. Excess nutrients will cause cultural eutrophication, which means that oxygen will be depleted in the river.
- Excess fecal coliform flourish the river. People fear that too much raw sewage(contains fecal coliform), will cause flooding in the river.
- Excess soil erosion causes the habitat for aquatic organisms to be more difficult to live in.
- The presence dams cause upstream flooding in the river.
- Lack of public access - people do not see the actual condition of the Chicago River. On the other hand, people that want to clean the river will not have any means of entry to the river.
- People are unaware about the importance of this river. There are also people that do not take action because they do not realize how much their actions impact our water system.