Swimming Has Arrived; It Was Just a Matter of Time – Weblog

Headlines within the Chicago Tribune by Michael Hawthorne trumpeted swimming in May 2011 after USEPA dedicated that it must be a protected use for many of the Chicago-Calumet River throughout a protracted case that performed out earlier than the Illinois Pollution Control Board beginning in 2007.

The victory got here on heals of a greater than decade lengthy effort to enhance water high quality championed by Friends of the Chicago River, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Openlands, and Sierra Club Illinois Chapter that referred to as for improved water high quality requirements for recreation and aquatic wildlife. A June 2000 report by Friends, Openlands and the Civic Federation entitled “Waterways for Our Future” triggered a 5 yr examine by Illinois Environmental Protection Agency that led to the hearings. Swimming was a significant win.

Not each authorities company was onboard instantly, but in June 2011 the elected commissioners on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago voted 8 to 1 to disinfect effluent discharging to the river upstream of excessive use recreation areas on the North Shore Channel and Little Calumet River. That huge enchancment in water high quality set the stage for the Chicago River Swim and protected recreation for the 1000’s of people who find themselves utilizing the river to paddle, fish, row, jet ski, wade and swim (sure, they do swim) daily.

Today too many individuals are nonetheless stunned about swimming within the Chicago-Calumet River – and whereas the water is normally protected sufficient there are a lot of different elements to contemplate together with entry, egress, boat visitors, stormwater run-off, correct permission, and extra.

In 2024 Friends signed on to the Swimmable Cities Charter, in assist of a motion that we imagine can’t be stopped and is way wanted as we stare down the catastrophe that’s local weather change. (Heat is the primary local weather killer and rivers can present a spot to chill off.) Friends is working to get Brandon Johnson, the City of Chicago to signal onto Swimmable Cities and our neighboring municipalities too.

Watch for extra and verify this Outside journal story out. The time for swimming is now.