15 Facts About Illinois River

1.

Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River and is approximately 273 miles long.

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2.

The Illinois begins where the Des Plaines River and the Kankakee River converge, and its drainage basin extends into southeastern Wisconsin, northwestern Indiana, and a very small area of southwestern Michigan in addition to central Illinois.

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3.

Illinois River was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route connecting the Great Lakes with the Mississippi.

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4.

Illinois River is formed by the confluence of the Kankakee River and the Des Plaines River in eastern Grundy County, approximately 10 miles southwest of Joliet.

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5.

At LaSalle, the Illinois River is joined by the Vermilion River, and then it flows west past Peru, and Spring Valley.

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6.

South of Peoria, the Illinois River goes by East Peoria and Creve Coeur and then Pekin in Tazewell County.

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7.

Across from Havana, the Illinois is joined by the Spoon River coming from Fulton County and across from Browning, it is joined by the Sangamon River, which passes through the state capital, Springfield, Illinois.

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8.

The Illinois joins the Mississippi near Grafton, approximately 25 miles northwest of downtown St Louis and about 20 miles upstream from the confluence of the Missouri River and the Mississippi.

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9.

South of Hennepin, the Illinois River is following the ancient channel of the Mississippi River.

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10.

Illinois River valley has long been an important transportation route for civilizations.

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11.

The Illinois River Confederation were the primary inhabitants of the valley.

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12.

The Illinois River was once a major source of mussels for the shell button industry.

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13.

The Illinois River is still an important sports fishing waterway with a good sauger fishery.

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14.

The Illinois River is an important part of the Great Loop, the circumnavigation of Eastern North America by water.

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15.

City of Peoria is developing a long-term plan to reduce combined sewer overflows to the Illinois River, as required by the U S Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

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