According to Abbreviationfinder, with population of 12,671,821, Illinois is the 6th largest state among U.S. 50 states, and IL is the two letter abbreviation for Illinois. Here, we provide a list of major rivers and mountains in the state of Illinois.
Rivers in Illinois
The Embarras River is a tributary of the Wabash River and has a length of approx. 354 km. The source of the Embarras River is in Champaign, Illinois. The Embarras River flows into the Wabash River south of the city of Vincennes in the state of Indiana. The ecology of the river is under threat due to oil production and agriculture.
The Illinois River is a 440 km long tributary of the Mississippi. The Illinois River is created by the confluence of the Kankakee River and Des Plaines River. The Illinois River runs in the northern part of the state of the same name from northeast to southwest. In the past it was an important trade route for Indians and French settlers and since the 19th century it has been an important part of the Illinois Waterways. Illinois flows into the Mississippi at Grafton.
The Kaskaskia River is a 515 km long tributary of the Mississippi, making it the second longest river in Illinois. The source of the Kaskaskia River is at Champaign, central to western Illinois. From there, the Kaskaskia River flows south-west towards its mouth in the Mississippi near Chester.
The Ohio River is an approximately 1,579 km long tributary of the Mississippi, which flows through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. The Ohio River is formed by the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River near the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Ohio River flows near the city of Cairo in the state of Illinois in the Mississippi. It is noteworthy that the Ohio River is the larger of the two rivers when it flows into the Mississippi. In the past, the Ohio was the lifeline for many Indian tribes that settled in the areas around the river.
Later, during the westward expansion of the United States, the river became a major player in east-west transportation. The Ohio River is also considered an extension of the Mason-Dixon line, which separates the northern from the southern states. Thus, an escape across the Ohio River was a worthwhile goal for many slaves. A special feature of the Ohio River is that it forms the border or part of the border of 6 US states, between the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. In Indiana, the Ohio River forms the entire southern border with the state of Kentucky.
The Ohio River flows from east to west through several major cities such as Cincinnati, Evansville, Huntington, Louisville, Owensboro, Parkersburg, Pittsburgh, Weirton-Steubenville and Wheeling. It is also noteworthy that in 1999 a world record was set for the largest caught blue catfish. The fish caught in the Ohio River weighed 47.2 kg.
The Sangamon River is 402 km long and is one of the tributaries of the Illinois River. The Sangamon River is formed by the confluence of several smaller source rivers in eastern Illinois and flows into the Illinois River at Beardstown. On the banks of the Sangamon River there are numerous parks and recreation areas that make the river a popular excursion area.
The Wabash River has a length of approx. 790 km and flows from northeastern Indiana to the most southwestern point of Indiana. The source of the Wabash River, which is a tributary of the Ohio River, is near the Fort Recovery community in western Ohio. After about 140 km the river is dammed up at the city of Huntington. On its further course there are no more dams and thus the Wabash River with 661 km is the longest dam-free river east of the Mississippi. After the city of Terre Haute, the Wabash River forms the border between the states of Indiana and Illinois. The river changed course over time, but Indiana and Illinois still consider the middle of the river as their limit. The confluence of the Wabash River and the Ohio River takes place at the most southwestern point in India near Evansville. The name of the river originally comes from the language of the Miami Indians and means something like water over white stones. This is probably due to the fact that in the source area of the river the river bed mostly consists of white limestone and this was previously clearly visible due to the fairly clear water. During the late 19th and 20th centuries, the route from the mouth of the Wabash River to the Terre Haute was used by steamers. Furthermore, the Wabash River, due to the fact that it is not stowed over a long distance, is a popular fishing area where you can fish for carp, catfish and zander. Perch, trout, crayfish, vulture turtles, box turtles and the like can also be found in and on the river due to the fact that it is not stowed over a long distance, a popular fishing area where you can fish for carp, catfish and pikeperch. Perch, trout, crayfish, vulture turtles, box turtles and the like can also be found in and on the river – Water moccasin. Since the Wabash River flows through much of the state of Indiana, it is the official state river Indiana and is prominently featured in Paul Dresser’s official state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away”.
Mountains in Illinois
Illinois is basically characterized by flat land. The highest natural elevation, at 376 m, is the Charles Mound, which is located near the state border with Wisconsin.
- COUNTRYAAH: Alphabetical list of all cities, towns and villages in Illinois, including biggest cities by population and capital city in the state of Illinois.
Lakes and reservoirs in Illinois
Lake Michigan is the second largest of the five Great Lakes in the Midwest of the United States. With its 480 kilometers in length and 190 kilometers in width, it resembles an inland sea. It is up to 280 meters deep and has a coastline of over 2600 kilometers. Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes located exclusively in the United States. The others run along the Canadian-American border. The great lakes are the only freshwater inland waters on earth where tides can be observed. Northeast Illinois is bordered by Lake Michigan. The largest city on Lake Michigan is Chicago.
This lake was created by the congestion of the Kaskaskia River. Construction of the dam began in 1958 and in 1967 the lake was opened. It has a length of a good 24 km and a width of just under 6 km and has an area of around 105 km². Carlyle Lake is the largest man-made lake in Illinois. Many use the lake today for boat tours and fishing.
Lake Springfield is a reservoir that was created between 1931 and 1935. It has an area of 17 km² and is popular with anglers and boat owners.
This is a reservoir that was created in 1962 but was only completely filled with water in 1973. It is almost 21 km long and almost 5 km wide and has an area of approximately 76 km². Fishing is very popular here, but many other leisure activities such as swimming, camping and boat tours are also possible here.