The Des Plaines River flows southward for 150 miles (241 km) through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois[1] in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately 90 mi (144 km long in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the Channahon is a village in Grundy and Will counties in the US state of Illinois. The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 273 miles (439 km long in the U A tributary is a Stream or River which flows into a mainstem (or parent river The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Des Plaines is French for "of the plains" or "of the prairie. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. "
The river provided a transportation route and portage for native Americans, who revealed to early explorers how to traverse waterways of the Des Plaines watershed to travel from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi Valley. Portage refers to the practice of carrying a Canoe or other Boat over land to avoid an obstacle on the water route (such as Rapids or a Waterfall Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The river's name derives from the period of French exploration and colonization in the New World. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia.
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Course and character
The slow-moving Des Plaines River rises in southern Wisconsin just west of Kenosha and flows southward primarily through marshland as it crosses into Illinois. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States Kenosha (kəˈnoʊʃə is a city in and the county seat of Kenosha County, United States. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The river turns to the west and flows through woodland forest preserve districts in Lake County and Cook County (and through the city of Des Plaines), northwest of Chicago. Lake County is the farthest north-east County in the US state of Illinois. Cook County is a county in the US state of Illinois. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. There are numerous small fixed dams on the river starting in central Lake County and continuing through Cook County. A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees Eventually, the river turns to the southwest and joins with the Sanitary and Ship Canal in Lockport before flowing through the city of Joliet. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is the only shipping link between the Great Lakes (specifically Lake Lockport is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States that incorporated in 1853 Joliet is a city in Will county in the US state of Illinois, located 40 miles southwest of Chicago. In the heavily industrialized area around Joliet, dams control the river. A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees Just west of Joliet, the Des Plaines converges with the Kankakee River to form the Illinois River. The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately 90 mi (144 km long in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 273 miles (439 km long in the U
Parts of the Des Plaines River preserved in a mostly natural state are used for conservation and recreation, while substantially altered sections serve as an important industrial waterway and drainage channel. "Conservation Biology" redirects here For the Scientific journal, see Conservation Biology (journal. Recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's Body or Mind. Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale A waterway is any navigable Body of water. These include Rivers Lakes Seas Oceans and Canals In order for a waterway Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from a given area
The original course of the riverbed was moved to the west at the town of Lockport during the construction of the Sanitary and Ship Canal in 1905.
According to Chicago Wilderness Magazine, as the Des Plaines River runs 95 miles through four Illinois counties, it "changes from prairie creek to a suburban stream, to a large urbanized river, to a major industrial waterway. " [2]
Sections of the river in Lake County and Cook County Forest Preserve districts in Illinois create "a nearly continuous greenway though all of Lake County and the northern section of Cook County. " While canoe launching ramps are available, "The lack of ramps for trailered-boats makes this long river a quiet, family-friendly river. " [2] This greenway also supports the Des Plaines River Trail, a multi-use trail that roughly follows the course of the Des Plaines River through Lake County and into Cook County. The Des Plaines River Trail is a recreational multiuse Trail that follows the course of the Des Plaines River through most of Lake and part of Cook
Des Plaines River Bridge
The Des Plaines River Bridge in Joliet is a cantilever bridge that is six lanes wide—three lanes traveling eastbound and westbound. Joliet is a city in Will county in the US state of Illinois, located 40 miles southwest of Chicago. A cantilever bridge is a Bridge built using Cantilevers structures that project horizontally into space supported on only one end The bridge is signed as part of Interstate 80. Interstate 80 (I-80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States (after I-90)
The bridge is located on the south side of Joliet, and connects U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 52/Illinois Route 53. US Route 6, also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, is a main route of the U US Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Illinois Route 53 is an arterial north-south state Highway in northeast Illinois.
Flood control projects
A modern flood control study[3] report stated that flooding on the Des Plaines River has caused significant damage and economic impacts. The greatest recorded flood, in September 1986 caused an estimated $35 million in damage to 10,000 dwellings and 263 business and industrial sites. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) A Phase I flood control Project was authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 1999. Project features include levee, dam, and reservoir expansion at a total cost of $50. 5 million (in 2002).
On August 24, 2007, the river flooded by over 9 feet. [4]
References
- ^ American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- ^ a b Chicago Wilderness Magazine (online) -- http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/summer2000/IWdesplaines.html
- ^ Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Projects and Feasibility Study, Northwest Municipal Conference (http://www.nwmc-cog.org/jahia/Jahia/cache/offonce/pid/137)
- ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-flood_25aug25,0,1775422.story Chicago Tribute August 25, 2007
See also
External links
- 2000 Des Plaines River Watershed Orthophotography (by Illinois State Geological Survey) http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/nsdihome/webdocs/desplaines/
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