Following an oil spill reported Wednesday evening, the USEPA Region 5 is leading the clean-up in Bubbly Creek. The agency arrived on site Thursday morning and are actively cleaning the area and still searching for the point source. There are crews working hard both on land and boat. Pockets of oil were discovered as far south as California Avenue. The windy conditions today are affecting the river’s current to head east towards the lake.

Nearly 200 anglers gathered for the first #ChicagoFishes event on Oct. 13, and the biggest and most surprising catch of the day was an American eel that came from 3,000 miles away to the Chicago River by five-year old, Richie Garcia.

 

Each year, Friends recognizes partners, stakeholders, and volunteers that help us achieve our vision of making the Chicago River one of the world’s greatest metropolitan rivers with its annual River Commitment Awards.  On October 18, 2017, we held our annual meeting and honored this year's most inspiring partners with the following awards:  the River Champion—awarded for going above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of their organization; Spirit of the River—for extraordinary efforts that embody the spirit of the river, and Volunteer of the Year—awarded to an exemplary volunteer who exceeds all expectations helping the river. 

On Wednesday, October 11, Friends of the Chicago River, the City of Chicago, and Metropolitan Planning Council received the “Best Plan” Award for “Our Great Rivers” as part of Friends of Downtown’s annual awards for those who advance the quality of life for downtown residents, workers, and visitors. It was Friends' 4th award this year.