The North Branch Chicago River Watershed Workgroup was formed in January 2018 to identify and assess water quality issues along the three forks of the North Branch Chicago River. The watershed encompasses over 95 square miles, with northern and southern boundaries roughly extending from Illinois Route 132 in Waukegan, Lake County, southward to Dempster Street in Morton Grove, Cook County. The workgroup membership consists of 42 separate organizations, including 24 MS4 communities and agencies, two of which are POTWs.
In 2019 and 2020, NBWW updated the NBWW work plan and progress report to evaluate progress. Illinois EPA approved the NBWW Quality Assurance Project Plan in April 2019 and the NBWW continued its water quality monitoring program. The monitoring program included:
- Identifying 25 sites in the watershed for consistent sampling.
- Collecting and analyzing water column chemistry samples from all 25 sites.
- Deploying yearly data sondes at multiple sites throughout the watershed for collecting dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and specific conductance.
- Collecting and analyzing fish, macroinvertebrates, habitat, and sediment samples at 14 of the 25 sites. The third cycle of bioassessment data was completed in 2021.
- Collecting and analyzing fish, macroinvertebrates, habitat, and sediment samples at 11 more sites. The fourth cycle of bioassessment data was completed in 2022.
- Receiving a draft comprehensive monitoring report detailing the second full cycle of monitoring data (2020-21). In 2023, the NBWW Monitoring Committee will be reviewing this draft to produce a final version of the comprehensive monitoring report.
- In 2021, a NARP workplan was developed; and in 2022, a consultant was hired to assist in the completion of that workplan. The first year of NARP work consisted of additional stream sampling to fill in data gaps, which will assist in the modeling of stream segments and data analysis of the entire watershed. Sediment oxygen demand was also tested to determine impact on certain stream segments. The next steps include additional monitoring of the Skokie River, development of modeling tools, watershed management scenarios, and the creation of an implementation plan. The NARP is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31, 2025.
The NBWW website can be found at nbwwil.org.
