Greater Chicago Watershed Alliance

The goal of the Greater Chicago Watershed Alliance is to advance climate resilience by creating alliances between various government agencies, organizations, private sector partners, and academic institutions.

In 2020, Friends of the Chicago River initiated the Greater Chicago Watershed Alliance (originally known as the Chicago-Calumet River Watershed Council) to establish a forum in harnessing the power of nature for watershed-based stormwater management.

The 32-member Watershed Alliance coordinates work among public agencies, conservation groups, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, individuals and other practitioners to build collective efforts in advancing policies, projects, and programs that advance multi-benefit nature-based solutions for a more resilient Chicago region. Our mission is to strengthen cross-jurisdictional collaboration on comprehensive stormwater management, with an emphasis on nature-based solutions and green infrastructure to complement gray infrastructure for maximized social, environmental, and economic benefits for the 156-mile Chicago-Calumet River system.

Since its formation, the Watershed Alliance has leveraged $8 million in grant funding through the shared expertise, coordination, and project prioritization analysis from the Natural Solutions Tool, demonstrating the strength of this collaboration.

Our main objectives are to:

  • Capture stormwater, improve water quality, and mitigate flooding
  • Drive sustained investments in green infrastructure
  • Support environmental justice and community health
  • Protect, expand, and restore natural areas
  • Enhance and protect biodiversity
  • Increase climate resiliency
  • Expand inclusive opportunities for recreation and respite

Watershed Alliance current collaborative projects include:

  • Project prioritization analysis called the Natural Solutions Tool 
  • Indian Ridge Marsh-South ecosystem restoration project
  • Joint funding opportunities for watershed work
  • Supporting policy updates such as Chicago’s GSI Strategy and MWRD’s Watershed Management Ordinance to advance equitable nature-based solutions
  • Documentation of existing watershed plans and grant opportunbities
  • Creation of a project pipeline through the Watershed Alliance's Implementation Working Group

Together the Watershed Alliance will continue to identify projects and work with each other to build healthy, equitable, biodiverse, protected and connected landscapes and communities.

Get Involved

The Watershed Alliance meets regularly in general meetings and working groups to co-develop projects to realize the vision of the Watershed Alliance. Currently active working groups are the Implementation Working Group, Calumet Stormwater Collaborative, Policy Working Group, and Natural Solutions Tool Technical Advisory Team. To learn more about membership, refer to the Watershed Alliance Processes and Procedures document. If interested in joining the Watershed Alliance, please email tmurray@chicagoriver.org. 

Watershed Alliance Executive Committee Member Organizations:

Alliance for the Great Lakes

Center for Neighborhood Technology

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

Chicago Park District

City of Chicago

Cook County

Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program

Lake County Stormwater Management Commission

Metropolitan Planning Council

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Openlands

Trust for Public Land

Past Meeting Materials:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

For more information, please email tmurray@chicagoriver.org.