Friends of the Chicago River partners with EarthEcho International to share water quality data gathered by students participating in our Chicago River Schools Network (CRSN) and Adopt A River Schools (AARS) programs. If your students have tested anywhere within the Chicago-Calumet River watershed, please create an account and upload your data to the EarthEcho Water Challege website. Their database is free and available to the public.

 Visit the EarthEcho Water Challenge

Chicago-Calumet River data on the EarthEcho Water Challenge website

• Water Chemistry
  Water Quality Index based on nine parameters of water quality: pH, phosphate, nitrate, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, change in temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids, and fecal coliform.

• Macroinvertebrates
  Presence of water quality indicator species of macroinvertebrates. Macros are small (but not microscopic) animals that live in the river. They include insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and worms. They are good indicators for determining water quality as they exist in great numbers and form the foundation of the river food web.

View a list of AARS member schools and a map of the AARS schools' adopted sites. If you have questions or want specific water quality data, please contact our education staff.

Photo by Brittany Harthan.

Drawing by Clark, Dewey Elementary.