RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 9, 2025
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the 125th anniversary of the reversal of the Chicago River
Body
WHEREAS, January 2, 2025 marked the 125th anniversary of the reversal of the Chicago River, a remarkable feat of engineering that forever changed the trajectory of Chicago and set a global precedent for innovation in water management; and
WHEREAS, at the close of the 19th century, Chicago faced a dire public health crisis. The city’s rapid population growth and industrial expansion were outpacing its infrastructure. Flooding was occurring consistently and, more alarming, the Chicago River, which naturally flowed into Lake Michigan, carried waste from the city directly into the lake-the same lake that served as the source of Chicago’s drinking water; and
WHEREAS, the Sanitary District of Chicago was established in 1889, and its first assignment was to reverse the flow of the Chicago River, redirecting it away from Lake Michigan and toward the Mississippi River basin. This task required the construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a 28-mile waterway that remains one of the largest earth-moving projects ever undertaken; and
WHEREAS, the reversal was officially completed on January 2, 1900, and its impact was immediate and transformative. The water discharged to the Des Plaines River, where it flowed into the Illinois River and eventually the Mississippi River; and
WHEREAS, the canal construction is still considered one of the world’s largest public works excavations and was named one of the “Seven Wonders of American Engineering” by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Several of the engineers involved in the project used this experience to help build the Panama Canal; and
WHEREAS, today, the Chicago River reversal is recognized an engineering triumph. It demonstrated the power of proactive, large-scale public works projects to address urgent challenges, laying the groundwork for modern water management practices worldwide; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, do hereby recognize the 125th anniversary of the reversal of the Chicago River; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: January 9, 2025