The downtown Chicago Riverwalk will open this spring and, in preparation, City Hall has issued a “notice of availability” to find concessions operators for the “2015 season only" which runs from May 3 to Nov. 1. 

Although the Chicago River faces potential attack from Asian carp, it now has an active and caring group of Friends who are working hard to defend and improve it.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources has found "eDNA" (or DNA found in the water, not on the fish) of Asian carp in the Chicago River, but no actual fish. 

The Chicago Department of Transportation opened bids this month to begin Phase 3 construction on the Chicago Riverwalk.

New Year's is often a time of reflection; and as we enter into 2015, we have been reflecting on many things here at Friends, including our website. 

Today the Chi-Cal Rivers Fund announced $1.1 million in grants to benefit the Chicago River system including $175,000 to Friends of the Chicago River for in-stream habitat improvement. "This grant is an exciting extension of our work to improve water quality to protect the health of people and fish," said Margaret Frisbie, Friends' executive director.

This week Friends of the Chicago River and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are installing the first 25 channel catfish nesting cavities of 400 total planned. The project, funded by the Chi-Cal Rivers Fund, will provide constructed nesting habitat in reaches of the river system where natural habitat is lacking.

On Sunday, November 9 Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel cut the ribbon for the new boathouse at West River Park, further improving river access which Friends has been striving towards for the last 35 years. The River Park boathouse will open to rent canoes and kayaks  starting next spring. The mayor also announced that the funding is in place for the final boathouse that will be built at the mouth of Bubbly Creek.

Last Friday a barge that was being loaded with clay from a construction site on the South Branch of the Chicago River broke down the middle, spilling its contents into the water. The construction company in charge, Clark Construction, said clay was not in any way contaminated but was unwilling to share any more details.

On Tuesday, October 7 Friends of the Chicago River and IDNR released another 25,000 channel cats into the Chicago River as part of the channel catfish spawning project that started this year.