Development of Major Watershed Areas
In order to effectively utilize and direct program resources
throughout the state, Illinois was subdivided into seven major watershed areas
(MWAs). These MWAs (Figure 9) represent groups of USGS CUs that most closely
match the legal boundaries of the Bureau of Water's seven regional offices located
in the cities of Rockford, Maywood, Peoria, Champaign, Springfield, Collinsville,
and Marion. Figures 10-16 illustrate all Program Priorities within each of the
MWAs. Figures 17-25 display the watershed identifiers (WSIDs) within each MWA.
The seven MWAs generally maintain the hydrologic integrity of the major drainage
basins while maximizing the manpower available to address watershed concerns.
|
Major Watershed Area |
|
 |
 #1
|
- Rock River Basin
- Mississippi River North:
|
 #2
|
- DesPlaines/Lake Michigan Basin:
- Fox River Basin
- Kankakee River Basin (excluding the Iroquois Basin)
- Illinois River upstream of the Fox River confluence
|
 #3
|
- Illinois River Basin:
- downstream of the Fox River confluence
- upstream and inclusive of the LaMoine River Basin
- Mississippi River Upper North Central
|
 #4
|
- Iroquois River Basin
- Vermilion (Wabash) River Basin
- Embarras River Basin
- Kaskaskia River Basin upstream and inclusive of the Beck
Creek confluence
|
 #5
|
- Illinois River Basin:
- downstream of the LaMoine River Basin
- upstream of the Mississippi River confluence
- Sangamon River Basin
- Mississippi River Lower North Central
|
 #6
|
- Kaskaskia River Basin downstream of the Beck Creek
confluence
- Mississippi River South Central
|
 #7
|
- Little Wabash River Basin
- Ohio River Basin
- Big Muddy River Basin
- Mississippi River South
|
|
