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Abstract
What's been done on Chicago Area Rivers is truly an inspiration. People's ability to improve these rivers shows what can be improved anywhere, even in a highly developed and complex urban setting like Chicago. A veteran staffer with the Friends of the Chicago River recently concluded: "People look at what's being accomplished on the Chicago River and say, `Wow, if you can do that on your trashed river, think what we could do on ours.'" There is no "right way" to do a river project. As you read the project summaries, you will notice that people's needs and desires for an area differ among projects as do the needs of the landscape. These projects are examples of what can be achieved, they are not formulas. The knowledge gained through the experiences of the many hundreds of people who were actively involved in these projects are contained in the general section "Things to Consider Before Getting Your Feet Wet" and the "Project Lessons" section of each project summary. Although the projects and the experiences specifically relate to Chicago Area Rivers, the insights and guidance offered in this handbook are valuable for any river.
Citation
Cohn, Naomi. 1998. What''s working on working rivers: a handbook for improving urban rivers: examples from Chicago area rivers. Chicago Rivers Demonstr. Proj. Handb. Milwaukee, WI: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. 37 p.
