Friends is advocating for stronger nutrient standards with the Illinois EPA, and this unwanted increase in duckweed is a good reason why they should be approved.

Water-quality monitoring conducted ahead of the 2025 Chicago River Swim found that samples from eight locations along the Main Stem consistently met the standard for swimming, offering new evidence of just how far the river has come and what a swimmable future could look like.

Nearly a decade after Friends and Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita launched the Big Jump swim organizers are bringing it back.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Friends of the Chicago River’s Chicago-Calumet River Schools Network (CRSN) and World Rivers Day on September 27, all donations to Friends through September 30 will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $10,000!

As the cultural anchor of the Chicago Riverwalk, the Bridgehouse Museum welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each season to explore the history and future of the river system.

Nearly 150 people explored the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum on August 28 during Beats on the River, a free, artistic event that explored how sound and music can deepen our connection to the Chicago-Calumet River system.