The DuPage River Coalition was founded in 1988 by a group of concerned citizens that wanted to “clean up” the West Branch of the DuPage River.  The group met with The Conservation Foundation (www.theconservationfoundation.org) to gain support for their work and so the West Branch Project was born.   Although the group did discuss developing a watershed plan, many of them were not interested in talking about doing things, they just wanted to do them.  These volunteers helped in the development of the first citizen stream monitoring program in the state, they also coordinated the first River Sweep in DuPage County and began the Storm Drain Stenciling Program.

Over time interest in river protection expanded and the East Branch DuPage River was included at which time the group took on the name of the DuPage River Coalition.  In the mid 1990’s The Conservation Foundation hired an education staff person that helped coordinate the volunteer effort and in 1996 the DRC returned full circle and started work on the first watershed plan for the Upper DuPage River.  The Plan was completed in 1998 with the help of nearly 100 stakeholders and grants from the DuPage Community Foundation, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).  The original plan outlined goals and objectives as well as action items and recommendations to achieve our goals.  All of the communities in the two watersheds signed resolutions of support for the watershed plan.

In 1998 the DRC also became an Ecosystem Partnership, a technical assistance and grant program through the Illinois DNR.  This status made the watershed eligible for Conservation 2000 grants which fund habitat acquisition and restoration projects as well as environmental education and research projects.  To date the Conservation 2000 program has funded 16 projects with over $813,600.  The C2000 funds were further leveraged with over $2.2 million in matching funds for a grand total of more than $3 million.  To maintain the Ecosystem Partnership status, the DRC adopted Rules of Operation and elected officers in 2003.   This process has helped the DRC gain local leadership but still remain associated with The Conservation Foundation which serves as the fiscal and administrative agent for the DRC.

In 2005, The Conservation Foundation received a Section 319 grant that was administered thru the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to update the watershed plan to meet new criteria developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  The updated watershed plan is being presented in a new and innovative way. This website is the watershed plan and much, much more.  By using this format we will be able to continually update information on new technologies, projects and monitoring results without wasting time and resources on printed materials.  Meeting these new criteria will keep the entire watershed eligible for Section 319 grant funds for Nonpoint Source Pollution Control projects administered by the Illinois EPA.   This grant program has funded over 20 projects with more than $6 million in the watershed since 1998.

The mission of the DRC is to: Increase awareness of the DuPage River Watershed of those who live in it and improve the river’s water quality through the active involvement of the community.

The DuPage River Coalition is supported through membership dues as well as public and private grants.  Please consider joining the DuPage River Coalition today to support local stream and watershed protection and restoration.