What was once a polluted stretch of the Chicago River is now well on its way to becoming a nature haven for wildlife and people alike. Shedd, our partners and community members are working together to reimagine, research and rewild the Chicago River’s South Branch.
Floating Wetlands: Helping Animals, Helping People
The steel walls that line much of the South Branch, remnants of the river’s industrial past, don’t typically make good homes for fishes, turtles, birds and pollinators. But along with our partner Urban Rivers and community volunteers, we’re providing a place for animals to find food and shelter with the installation of nearly 4,500 square feet of floating wetlands along the river’s edge.
Lush, native plant species grow both above and below the water’s surface, providing critical habitat for animals and strengthening a surprising biodiversity hotspot. The floating wetlands help improve water quality and serve as a buffer between land and water, mitigating impacts of climate change such as flooding and erosion.
Shedd Aquarium is working alongside partner organizations and community residents to reimagine, research and rewild the South Branch of the Chicago River. This stretch of the river flows southwest from downtown through neighborhoods including Chinatown, Pilsen, Bridgeport and McKinley Park.
If You Restore It, Will Fishes Come? Yes! And Science Can Prove It
How are fishes in the Chicago River responding to a healthier ecosystem? Are they stopping at the floating wetlands? That’s one question Shedd Research Biologist Austin Happel, Ph.D., is trying to answer. Using audio receivers, Happel and partners are tracking how fish move throughout the river so we can better understand where key spawning grounds are as well as where fish overwinter during Chicago’s coldest months.
An encouraging study authored by Dr. Happel also showed that at least 24 species of fishes (out of about 60 species in the river) are breeding in the Chicago River, indicating that improvements to water quality have increased biodiversity thanks to dedicated restoration efforts.
Happel and team have also conducted visual surveys to identify key habitat features that turtles and herons use. By comparing where these animals are or aren’t, we can learn where restoration is needed on the river and what it should look like.
A Great Place to Recreate and Connect in Community
Along the shore near the South Branch’s floating wetlands are Park 571, Canal Origins Park and Canalport Riverwalk Park — a collection of a nature spaces managed by the Chicago Park District that welcome community members of all ages to the river to enjoy nature. Updated between 2023 and 2025, thanks in part to a joint federal grant secured by Shedd, the parks offer fishing stations, improved walking paths and a nature play space that create equitable access opportunities for recreation and connection with the natural world.
In the spring and summer, Shedd and Urban Rivers host community programming like catch-and-release fishing lessons and kayaking that fosters a sense of connection to the river.
Bringing Youth Closer to Nature
As restoration work progresses, the South Branch has become an experiential learning site for students across Chicagoland and in Shedd’s youth learning programs. Along the Chicago River’s shore, young people learn about this dynamic aquatic ecosystem, build connections with nature and cultivate positive environmental relationships. The experience builds their environmental literacy while developing essential skills like critical thinking, leadership and communication. The South Branch, and the impactful conservation-focused curricula that educators design, draws youth into conservation work and fosters a lifelong affinity for environmental stewardship.
The South Branch flows southwest from downtown through neighborhoods including Chinatown, Bridgeport, McKinley Park, Pilsen and Little Village.
A Storied Past and Resilient Future: About the South Branch
For generations, the Chicago River has been known as a polluted, neglected body of water. Starting in the mid-1800s, the river — and especially the South Branch — was heavily polluted by slaughterhouses, steel mills and leather plants that dumped their industrial waste directly into the water. The river was also drastically changed as it was dredged, channelized and widened. Steel walls were installed in place of natural riparian shorelines in many areas. These changes to the river favored urbanization and industry use over the needs and wellbeing of nearby communities and wildlife.
Shedd is grateful to work in collaboration with many partners including:
Chicago Park District
Urban Rivers
Friends of the Chicago River
Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization
McKinley Park Development Council
Neighbors for Environmental Justice
South Branch Park Advisory Council
Purdue University - Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
And thank you to our volunteers and supporters – our work together to rewild and restore the Chicago River’s South Branch wouldn’t be possible without you!
Shedd Aquarium, Urban Rivers and the Chicago Park District recently earned a Force of Nature Award from the Chicago Wilderness Alliance for their efforts to restore the South Branch of the Chicago River. Established in honor of the late zoologist Geroge B. Rabb, this award celebrates people, programs, projects and partnerships whose conservation, restoration, advocacy and educational activities are inspirational examples for the larger conservation community. Congrats to all for this incredible accomplishment!
