Chicago’s waterways system is one of the city’s trademarks. Meandering among many of the most famous streets and landmarks, the Chicago Area Waterways System (CAWS) consists of 78 miles of canals and modified streams within Cook and surrounding counties, including the Chicago River and its two main branches (South and North), the Cal-Sag Channel, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and Lake Calumet, as well as some tributaries.
In 2003, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency contracted with CDM to evaluate the waterway’s existing condition and to recommend use designations and associated water quality standards to achieve the highest attainable uses consistent with Clean Water Act goals. Known as a use attainability analysis, this comprehensive and in-depth evaluation will help determine how the waterways have changed and if, as a result, any other uses (such as limited recreation) are appropriate.
Integral to the successful implementation of the entire use attainability strategy is stakeholder involvement. Throughout the process, CDM communicated with and involved the public—identifying their preferences and working to incorporate those preferences into affordable and implementable solutions.
Read more about Chicago's Use Attainability Analysis (pdf).