Illinois River

This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. For other rivers with this name see Illinois River (disambiguation).

Description

It is formed by the confluence of the Kankakee and Des Plaines rivers in western Grundy County, approximately 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Joliet. It flows west across northern Illinois, passing Morris and Ottawa, where it is joined by the Fox River. At La Salle it is joined by the Vermillion River, then flows west past Peru, and Spring Valley. In southeastern Bureau County it turns south, flowing southwest across western Illinois, past Lacon and downtown Peoria, the chief city on the river.

Related Topics:
Kankakee - Des Plaines - Grundy County - Joliet - Morris - Ottawa - Fox River - La Salle - Vermillion River - Peru - Spring Valley - Bureau County - Lacon - Peoria

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South of Peoria it is joined by the Mackinaw River and then passes through the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge. Opposite Havana it is joined by the Spoon River. Opposite Browning it is joined by the Sangamon River. It is joined by the La Moine River approximately 5 mi (8 km) southwest of Beardstown.

Related Topics:
Mackinaw River - Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge - Havana - Spoon River - Browning - Sangamon River - La Moine River - Beardstown

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South of its confluence with the La Moine, it turns south, flowing roughly parallel with the Mississippi across southwestern Illinois. It is joined by the Macoupin Creek on the border between Greene and Jersey counties, approximately 15 mi (24 km) upstream from its confluence with the Mississippi.

Related Topics:
Macoupin Creek - Greene - Jersey

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For the last 20 mi (32 km) of its course, it is separated from the Mississippi by only 5 mi (8 km). It joins the Mississippi near Grafton, approximately 25 mi (40 km) northwest of downtown St. Louis and approximately 20 mi (32 km) upstream from the confluence of the Missouri and the Mississippi.

Related Topics:
Grafton - St. Louis

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