A new notification system is being proposed at access points along the Chicago River to warn recreational users when untreated wastewater has entered the waterway.

The decades-old St. Patrick's Day tradition routinely attracts tens of thousands of revelers to the riverfront, but in recent years it's also attracted criticism from environmentalists.

In just a handful of decades, the rusty crayfish has become dominant in the Great Lakes. Join us on a deep dive into this elusive invader.

The Trump International Hotel and Tower has been found in violation of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and deemed a “public nuisance” to the Chicago River.

Organizers of the Chicago River Swim have taken the city’s suggestion and will hold the open-water swim event in Lake Michigan on Sept. 22, with the goal of proving themselves for a 2025 plunge in the river.

The swim had been planned for Sept. 22, billed as the first such event in nearly 100 years.

Shedd Aquarium is once again offering an opportunity to explore the Chicago River while learning about efforts to take care of it. The Kayak for Conservation program offers pay-what-you-can tours.

“One of the biggest things about litter is it makes people think that the river is more polluted than it is,” said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River.

The nonprofit A Long Swim is planning an open water swim event in the Chicago River this fall. Proceeds will support ALS research and Learn to Swim, a program that teaches children in underserved communities how to swim.

“Chicago owns the most outfalls that discharge into the river system, and controlling what comes out of them is essential to reach our shared vision for a fishable-swimmable river that is accessible to everyone,” said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River.

Any development on the Chicago River should address concerns about climate resilience, biodiversity, sustainability and pollution, advocates say. "It would be an enormous mistake to not take that seriously," said Margaret Frisbie, of Friends of the Chicago River.

Freshwater mussels can be a river system’s best friend, but they’re missing from long stretches of the Chicago River. Here’s a look at one effort to reintroduce them.

Fireworks will launch from six bridges, with a countdown to midnight projected on the Merchandise Mart. 

The actor has been recovering since April, when he experienced an undisclosed medical complication, according to his daughter, Corinne Foxx. The star was in Atlanta filming at the time.

The giant snapping turtle spotted in the Chicago River became a viral sensation this week. But the river is home to lots of wildlife, thanks to ongoing efforts to clean up the waterway.

Every time you flush, the waste disappears in a swirly whirl, never to be seen again. It’s magic! Actually, it’s science and engineering. WTTW News Explains.