The Big Ditch

“The clear waters of Lake Michigan have invaded the Chicago River.”
-Chicago Daily Tribune, January 4, 1900

To protect the drinking water, the Sanitary District opted to reverse the river by digging the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This redirected the City’s waste away from the lake to the Mississippi River. Though a benefit to the health of Chicago’s population, those downstream objected.

Missouri sought to halt the canal with a court order, stating that the canal threatened their health. Hearing of Missouri’s move, officials secretly opened a temporary dam, allowing water to flow into the canal. Once it was “open,” Missouri could not stop the project.