Although you can't see it the Chicago Reader says the biggest news in water quality improvements in decades is the addition of sewage effluent disinfection at two of sewage treatment plants discharging to the Chicago River. "Friends and our partners worked tirelessly for over a decade to see this day," said Margaret Frisbie, Friends' executive director.

Bringing the total of channel catfish released into the Chicago River system by Friends and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to over a quarter of a million fish, on May 18 an additional 82,000 juvenile catfish were allowed to swim free in the Little Calumet River.

On Tuesday, May 17 Friends of the Chicago River and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) released 2,000 juvenile northern pike into the North Shore Channel. Part of a project to restore the channel funded through the Chi-Cal Rivers Fund, Friends and IDNR will start planting water willow and lizard's tail next summer to improve conditions for fish and other aquatic life.

Great Rivers Chicago is wrapping up and thousands of people have weighed in with their hopes and dreams and thoughts about the Chicago River. Regarding the massive planning process, Friends’ executive director, Margaret Frisbie said, “I’ve been inspired to hear people speak about the river with passion and excitement." 

While the sun wasn't shining but over 2,500 volunteers were at Friends of the Chicago River's 24th annual Chicago River Day. Families, corporate teams, and community groups worked together at over 60 locations to pick up garbage (which is unsightly and harmful to wildlife), remove invasive plants, and spruce up river-edge trails.