River protection depends on people who have the opportunity to fall in love with a natural place.

“I have a wish for humanity: that all of our children would become field naturalists as they grow up. Imagine living in a society where every youth has the chance to explore the Earth on foot and in hand, getting to know its creatures on a first-name basis. ” — Gary Paul Nabhan

Research shows that the outdoor experiences of our youth provide the foundation for a lifelong ethic of stewardship. This is why Prairie Rivers Network has teamed up with Illinois Public Media (Champaign-Urbana’s PBS affiliate), Kickapoo State Park, the U of I College of Media, the Danville Public Library and Keep Vermilion County Beautiful on a project to connect teens and their families with Kickapoo State Park. Middle and high-school students from the Danville Boys and Girls Club will produce video Public Service Announcements, aimed at other teens, to encourage them to visit and use the park. {Continue Reading »}

The Sun Foundation, the Rivers Project, and Illinois American Water Company invite students, teachers, community leaders, and the general public to attend the Clean Water Celebration, April 26 and 27, 2009. This two day, five event program takes place in four different locations throughout the Peoria area. Clean Water Celebration encourages us to learn to improve water quality, to think critically and creatively about adequate and safe water supplies, and to promote the wise use of natural resources. {Continue Reading »}

The Upper Mississippi River flows about 1,300 miles from its source to the confluence with the Ohio River at the southern tip of Illinois. The Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) encompasses 189,000 square miles within portions of 5 states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

Over 30 million people live within the UMRB, the vast majority in urban areas.

More than 60% of the land area within the basin is cropland, the majority growing corn and soybeans. {Continue Reading »}

American lotus blooms on the waters along the Illinois River

The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River and flows approximately 273 miles (439 km) long, through the state of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of 40,000 square miles (104,000 km²). Because it serves as the principal water route between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes, the Illinois River was important among Native Americans and early European traders. After the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Hennepin Canal in the 19th century, the river’s role as link between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi was extended into the era of modern industrial shipping. Today, the Illinois River still serves as an important route for barge navigation, water recreation and provides for domestic and industrial uses for neighboring communities. {Continue Reading »}

$ 1.9 Billion - The amount of money outdoor wildlife watching, hunting and fishing contribute to the state economy. Much of the habitat for this wildlife is found along Illinois rivers.

7 Million – Number of people who get their drinking water from surface water, including rivers, in Illinois.

1.2 Million – Number of people who fish Illinois’ rivers and lakes.

87,000 – Number of miles of rivers and streams in Illinois, which are wildlife migration corridors, providing habitat, food sources, and nesting areas, as well as refuge along the nation’s important migratory bird and waterfowl flyways.

188 – Number of fish species found in Illinois

8 Acres – Size of the oil slick created when one quart of motor oil is dumped down a storm drain. Many storm drains connect directly to our rivers. Help keep oil, yard waste and other pollution out of our storm drains and out of our rivers.

57 – Number of mussel species found in Illinois.

21 – Number of crayfish species found in Illinois

353 – Number of species of sensitive aquatic insects (mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies).

Illinois’ rivers and streams are essential for drinking water, recreation, and wildlife.

Drinking Water

Most Illinois residents get their drinking water from large scale municipal water systems that rely on surface water sources such as the surface water of local rivers or that of dammed rivers which form reservoirs. However, many Illinois residents also depend on ground water sources such as aquifers (e.g. Mahomet Aquifer that serves much of east central Illinois) or private wells.

In either case, we enjoy some of the cleanest drinking water supplies in the world. {Continue Reading »}