Signs of a Healthy River: So Many Fish!

Last week, Friends of the Chicago River Conservation Manager Kristine Lorenzo joined researchers from the Illinois Natural History Survey including Philip Willink, co-author of Fishes of the Chicago Region, for a fish survey at multiple locations on the Upper North Branch of the Chicago River in northern Cook County. The survey provided a firsthand look at the remarkable diversity of fish now thriving throughout the Chicago-Calumet River system.

In the 1970s, fewer than 10 species of fish could be found in the river system. Decades of restoration, advocacy, and collaboration by Friends of the Chicago River and our partners have helped transform the river system into a healthier, more biodiverse habitat that now supports nearly 80 species of fish. During the survey, researchers documented a variety of species, including Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), White sucker (Catostomus commersonii), Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus), Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), Rosyface Shiner (Notropis rubellus), Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and Giant Floater mussel (Pyganodon grandis)  After each fish was identified and recorded, all were safely released back into the river.

“Seeing such a variety of fish species in the river system is a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come and why continued protection and restoration work matters,” said Lorenzo. “Every fish we find tells a story about the health of our rivers and the positive impact that years of hard-fought policy investments and conservation efforts can have on the river system.”