Section 303.204  Chicago Area Waterway System and Lower Des Plaines River

The Chicago Area Waterway System and Lower Des Plaines River Waters are designated to protect for primary contact recreation, incidental contact or non-contact recreational uses (except where designated as non-recreational waters), commercial activity (including navigation and industrial water supply uses), and the highest quality aquatic life and wildlife attainable, limited only by the physical condition of these waters and hydrologic modifications to these waters.  Except for the Chicago River, these waters are required to meet the standards contained in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 302, Subpart D, but are not required to meet the general use standards or the public and food processing water supply standards of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 302, Subpart B and C, except that the waters designated as Primary Contact Recreation Waters in Section 303.220 must meet the numeric water quality standard for fecal coliform bacteria applicable to protected waters in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 302.209. Designated recreational uses and aquatic life use for each segment of the Chicago Area Waterway System and Lower Des Plaines River are identified in this Subpart.  The Chicago River must meet the general use standards of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 302, Subpart B, including the numeric water quality standard for fecal coliform bacteria applicable to protected waters in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 302.209.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 4575, effective March 23, 2023)