Case Study

“Fish Hotel” on the Chicago River

Friends of the Chicago River with Adopt A River Downtown celebrated a success with the installation of the Michigan Avenue Fish Hotel. Fish Hotel design services were completed with team members Friends of the Chicago River, landscape architect WRD / Domenico D'Alessandro, and aquatic ecological services by Living Waters Consultants, Inc.

What is the Michigan Avenue Fish Hotel?
The fish hotel isn't really a hotel at all but a kind of island that is built the same way boat docks are made so that it floats. Once constructed the island is fixed with coconut fiber, which is filled with native plants that local fish and insects like. Then underwater there are boxes called fish cribs that provide places for fish to hide. The result is a floating garden that provides shelter, food, protection, and beauty in the river.

How Does it Work?
The aquatic habitat plants is located at multiple depths. Native plants were installed just above the water's surface. Aquatic habitat structures such as fish cribs and coir logs were suspended at varying depths below the water level to mimic what a natural river is like. The island itself is attached to the wall by upright poles so that when the water rises and falls, which is a regular occurrence in urban areas like Chicago, the island can rise and fall with it.

How Big is It?
The perimeter is made from polyethylene. Its dimensions are 10' wide, 42' long, and 9' deep. There are four 5' x 5' fish cribs suspended from the dock: one is 1' below the surface, two are 2' below the surface, and one is 4' below the surface. Then there is biodegradable coconut roll fiber with more than 215 plants of 20 different varieties planted in it. The planting area also includes logs that might attract turtles. The area is surrounded by protective chicken wire to prevent garbage from floating in and to keep ducks and other birds from eating the plants. The reflectors allow boaters to see the Fish Hotel at night. The hotel was designed to be out of the way of passing boats and can be made in any size or shape depending on where this kind of new habitat might be needed.