The Des Plaines River Undammed
November 13, 2025
7:00pm – 8:00pm
Riverside Public Library1 Burling Rd, Riverside, IL, 60546
Dam Removals and Expansion of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan Yields Restoration Milestones for the Des Plaines River
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources conducts fish surveys on the Des Plaines River and tributaries on a five-year rotation. The results of these surveys provide an indication of the river’s water quality and capacity for supporting aquatic life. Between 2018 and 2023, the overall rating of the Des Plaines River increased. The improvements can be attributed to both enhancements to the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP/”Deep Tunnel”), as well as the removal of 11 dams along the Des Plaines. To highlight the importance of dam removal to improve habitat, water quality and fish passage, pre- and post-dam removal survey data from the Hoffman Dam and other Des Plaines River tributary dams will also be discussed.
View the Riverside TV recording of this presentation:
Tristan Widloe is a Region II Streams Specialist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Tristan grew up in Shorewood, next to a tributary of the DuPage River. He has always been fascinated by aquatic ecosystems; exploring a nearby creek throughout his youth, bringing home turtles, snakes and crayfish, as well as on dozens of family trips to northern Wisconsin. Tristan holds a master’s degree in biology with an emphasis in aquatic ecology from Western Illinois University. In 2011, Tristan accepted a biologist position with the IDNR Division of Fisheries. Since 2018, he has held the position of IDNR River and Streams Biologist for Northeastern Illinois. Tristan lives in unincorporated Plano with his wife, Amanda, and their dog and cat, Fergus, and Ophelia.