Section 302.402  Purpose

The Chicago Area Waterway System and Lower Des Plaines River standards protect primary contact, incidental contact, or non-contact recreational uses (except when designated as non-recreational waters); commercial activity, including navigation and industrial water supply uses; and the highest quality aquatic life and wildlife that is attainable, limited only by the physical condition of these waters and hydrologic modifications to these waters.  The numeric and narrative standards in this Part will assure the protection of the aquatic life, wildlife, human health, and recreational uses of the Chicago Area Waterway System and Lower Des Plaines River as those uses are defined in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 301 and designated in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 303. Indigenous aquatic life standards are intended for the South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River (Bubbly Creek), which is capable of supporting an indigenous aquatic life limited only by the physical configuration of the body of water, characteristics and origin of the water and the presence of contaminants in amounts that do not exceed the water quality standards listed in this Subpart D.  However, the Chicago River is required to meet the general use standard, including the water quality standard for fecal coliform bacteria applicable to protected waters in Section 302.209.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 4437, effective March 23, 2023)