Effects
Severe weather events as recent as the early 1990s have forced water management agencies to pump excess wastewater into the lake and river in order to prevent flooding. These incidents have been reduced as more of the Deep Tunnel system has become operational. Long considered an open sewer, the Chicago River now hosts more than 50 species of fish and increased wildlife along its shores. Riverfront property has begun to be classified more as an asset than a liability, and substantial development is occurring along many portions. Canoeing is once again allowed on the waterway, but swimming is still prohibited due to high pollution levels.
On October 3, 1986, a heavy thunderstorm drenched the southern portion of the Deep Tunnel area with several inches of rain in a short period of time. While the Deep Tunnel system performed satisfactorily by absorbing excess water, water within the system itself rushed past the north side of Chicago and near the Bahá'í Temple in Wilmette. Geysers of over 65 feet (20 m) were reported in both locations for up to an hour as the water was redistributed more evenly through the system. A 30 ft (9 m) geyser erupted downtown at the corner of Jefferson and Monroe. A system of watertight bulkheads has since been installed to prevent the event from occurring again.
During the Chicago Flood of 1992, the water from the Chicago River that leaked into the then-forgotten underground freight tunnel system was eventually drained into the Deep Tunnel network, which itself was still under construction.
Read more about this topic: Tunnel And Reservoir Plan
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