Illinois Waterway

Encyclopedia : I : IL : ILL : Illinois Waterway

The Illinois waterway system consists of 336 miles of water from the mouth of the Chicago River to the mouth of the Illinois River at Grafton, Illinois. It is a system of rivers, lakes, and canals. The Illinois and Michigan Canal opened in 1849. In 1906, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal reversed the flow of the rivers so it dumped into Lake Michigan. The waterway from the Chicago river to the Mississippi River opened in 1933. The United States Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 9 foot deep navigation channel in the waterway.United States Army Corps of Engineers. "[Chapter 6. The Illinois Waterway]". page 3. June 3, 2005.

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