Editing Chicago River (section)

===Main stem===
[[File:20090524 Buildings along Chicago River line the south border of the Near North Side and Streeterville and the north border of Chicago Loop, Lakeshore East and Illinois Center.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|View west along the main stem of the Chicago River from the Outer Drive Bridge, 2009]]
[[Image:DowntownChicagoILatNight.jpg|thumb|right|The main stem of the river, [[Wrigley Building]], and [[Tribune Tower]] at night.]]
[[File:Kayakers at Wolf Point, IL.jpg|thumb|Kayakers take a break at Wolf Point with 333 West Wacker, Lake Street Bridge and the south skyline in the background]]

Since the late 19th century, the source of the main stem of the Chicago River is Lake Michigan. Water enters the river through sluice gates at the Chicago River Controlling Works with a small additional flow provided for the passage of boats between the river and Lake Michigan through the [[Chicago Harbor Lock]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=García|first1=Carlos M.|last2=Oberg|first2=Kevin|last3=García|first3=Marcelo H.|title=ADCP Measurements of Gravity Currents in the Chicago River, Illinois|journal=Journal of Hydraulic Engineering|date=December 2007 |volume=133 |issue=12 |pages=1356–1366 |doi=10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2007)133:12(1356)}}</ref> The surface level of the river is maintained at {{convert|0.5|to|2|ft|m}} below the Chicago City Datum ({{convert|579.48|ft|m|disp=x| [|]}} above mean sea level) except for when there is excessive storm run-off into the river or when the level of the lake is more than 2 feet below the Chicago City Datum.<ref>{{cite web|title=Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations 207.420|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/207/420|access-date=November 19, 2011|archive-date=March 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314172943/https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/33/207.420|url-status=live}}</ref> Acoustic velocity meters at the [[Columbus Drive (Chicago)|Columbus Drive Bridge]] and the T. J. O'Brien lock on the [[Calumet River]] monitor the diversion of water from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River basin, which is limited to an average of {{convert|3200|cuft|m3}} per second per year over the 40-year period from 1980 to 2020.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Jaffe|first=Martin|title=Water Supply Planning in the Chicago Metropolitan Region|journal=Sea Grant Law and Policy Journal|date=June 2009|volume=2|issue=1|pages=1–21|url=http://nsglc.olemiss.edu/SGLPJ/Vol2No1/Jaffe.pdf|access-date=November 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425232844/http://nsglc.olemiss.edu/SGLPJ/Vol2No1/Jaffe.pdf|archive-date=April 25, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The main stem flows {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} west from the controlling works at Lake Michigan;<ref>{{cite web|title=Chicago River & North Shore Channel River Corridors & Wilmette Harbor|url=http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/cmp/Documents/TAG_K_ChicRiv_NorthShoreCh_2009_02_19.pdf|publisher=Illinois Coastal Management|access-date=November 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419004229/http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/cmp/Documents/TAG_K_ChicRiv_NorthShoreCh_2009_02_19.pdf|archive-date=April 19, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> passing beneath the [[Outer Drive Bridge|Outer Drive]], [[Columbus Drive (Chicago)|Columbus Drive]], [[Michigan Avenue Bridge|Michigan Avenue]], [[Wabash Avenue Bridge|Wabash Avenue]], [[State Street Bridge (Chicago)|State Street]], [[Dearborn Street Bridge|Dearborn Street]], [[Clark Street Bridge|Clark Street]], [[La Salle Street Bridge (Chicago, Illinois)|La Salle Street]], [[Wells Street Bridge (Chicago)|Wells Street]], and [[Franklin Street Bridge|Franklin Street]] bridges ''en route'' to its confluence with the North Branch at Wolf Point. At McClurg Court it passes the [[Centennial Fountain]], which was built in 1989 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the [[Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago]]; between May and October the fountain sends an arc of water over the river for ten minutes every hour.<ref>{{cite book|title=A Native's Guide to Chicago|year=2004|publisher=Lake Claremont Press|isbn=978-1-893121-23-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/nativesguidetoch00lake/page/48 48]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/nativesguidetoch00lake/page/48}}</ref> On the north bank of the river, near the Chicago Landmark Michigan Avenue Bridge, is [[Pioneer Court]], which marks the site of the homestead of [[Jean Baptiste Point du Sable]] who is recognized as the founder of Chicago.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Baumann|first=Timothy E.|title=The Du Sable Grave Project in St. Charles, Missouri|journal=The Missouri Archaeologist|date=December 2005|volume=66|pages=59–76}}</ref> On the south bank of the river is the site of [[Fort Dearborn]], an army fort, first established in 1803. Notable buildings surrounding this area include the [[NBC Tower]], the [[Tribune Tower]], and the [[Wrigley Building]]. The river turns slightly to the south west between Michigan Avenue and State Street, passing the [[Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago)|Trump International Hotel and Tower]], [[35 East Wacker]], and [[330 North Wabash]]. Turning west again the river passes [[Marina City]], the [[Reid, Murdoch & Co. Building]], and [[Merchandise Mart]], and [[333 Wacker Drive]].

Since the early 2000s, the south shore of the main stem has been developed as the [[Chicago Riverwalk]].  It provides a linear, lushly landscaped park intended to offer a peaceful escape from the busy Loop and a tourist attraction.  Different sections are named Market, Civic, Arcade, and Confluence. The plans reflect ideas first proposed by the [[Burnham Plan]] as early as 1909.