What body of water runs through Chicago?

Chicago River, navigable stream that originally flowed into Lake Michigan after being formed by the north and south branches about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the lake, in Chicago, northeastern Illinois, U.S. The Chicago River system flows 156 miles (251 km) from Park City (north) to Lockport (south); some 45 bridges span …

Does Chicago have a waterway?

Over 100 miles of rivers and canals form the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), which connects Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River via the Lower Des Plaines and Illinois rivers.

Where does Chicago get most of its water?

The Chicago City Council approved the preliminary 100-year, billion-dollar deal this week. Communities in Cook and DuPage counties get most of their water from Lake Michigan, while Kane, McHenry, Kendall, Will and western Lake counties get theirs from groundwater.

Why does the Chicago River flow backwards?

When raw sewage and other pollutants were dumped in the river, they flowed into Chicago’s primary source of drinking water. As the city grew, fear of disease spread, and officials decided to permanently reverse the river’s flow, sending its polluted water to the Mississippi River instead.

Which is part of the Chicago area waterway system?

Over 100 miles of rivers and canals form the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), which connects Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River via the Lower Des Plaines and Illinois rivers. The CAWS includes the Chicago River, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the Cal-Sag Channel and the Calumet Rivers.

How does the city of Chicago manage its water?

We also remove waste water and storm runoff through the sewer system. Our mission is to efficiently provide the highest quality drinking water to the Chicago region while protecting our most precious natural resource- Lake Michigan.

How many rivers and canals are in Chicago?

Over 100 miles of rivers and canals form the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), which connects Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River via the Lower Des Plaines and Illinois rivers.

Where does the Chicago Lake get its water from?

Raw water is enters the crib about 2-miles out in the lake and is sent to one of two purification plants where the water is treated and impurities removed. The water then flows by gravity to 12 pumping stations strategically located throughout Chicago.