Boat Traffic On The Illinois River: Open Or Closed?

The Illinois River is a 336-mile stretch of navigable water that connects Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. It has long been a vital route for transporting agricultural products and other goods, with the Illinois Packet Company running boats and barges from 1852. The river's locks and dams are maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who occasionally close them for repairs. The river is also a popular spot for recreational boating, offering fantastic scenery and plenty of room to explore.

The Illinois Waterway

The Illinois and Michigan Canal (I&M), which opened in 1848, was replaced in 1900 by the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This canal reversed the flow of the Chicago River so that it no longer flowed into Lake Michigan. The United States Army Corps of Engineers maintains a 9-foot-deep (2.7 m) navigation channel in the waterway, and a series of eight locks control the water flow from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River system.

Locks and repairs

The Illinois Waterway, which includes the Illinois River, boasts eight locks built in the 1920s and 1930s. These locks are essential for managing water levels and allowing vessels to traverse the river system. The locks are managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, who periodically close them for maintenance and repairs.

One such instance occurred in 2023, when the Brandon Road, Dresden Island, and Marseilles locks underwent critical repairs and maintenance. The closures lasted from June 1 to September 30, during which recreational and commercial vessels could navigate between the locks but could not pass through the affected locks. The Army Corps of Engineers strategically scheduled these repairs during the summer months to avoid the heavy barge demands of the fall harvest season and to take advantage of more favourable weather conditions.

The repairs addressed various issues, including the installation of new upper miter gates and gate machinery, concrete wall repairs, and valve and electrical system replacements. These upgrades were necessary to ensure the safe and efficient passage of vessels along the waterway.

In addition to periodic repairs, the Illinois River has also undergone significant changes over the years to improve navigation. For example, the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in the mid-19th century opened up the upper Illinois River to regular river traffic and trade. Later, the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal, built between 1892 and 1900, reversed the flow of the Chicago River and increased water flow into the Illinois River.

The Illinois River has faced challenges over the years, including economic problems and competition from railroads and roadways. However, projects like the Illinois Waterway Project have helped increase traffic and maintain the river's importance as a transportation artery for agricultural and industrial products.

The Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS)

The CAWS was built by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) and completed in 1922. Its construction served three main purposes: protecting Lake Michigan, the region's water supply, from pollution; providing drainage for the Chicago region; and establishing a navigable connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The system is maintained by the MWRD, who use control structures to manage water levels and reduce the risk of overbank flooding.

The waterways of the CAWS serve multiple purposes, including infrastructure, transportation, and recreation. Commercial barge traffic shares the system with tour boats and kayaks, and the MWRD makes over 8,000 acres of its property along the CAWS available as parks and green spaces for the surrounding communities. The CAWS is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including over 75 species of fish and birds such as herons, ospreys, and egrets.

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on improving the water quality in the CAWS. Once an open sewer, the CAWS now sees popular recreational activities such as kayaking, canoeing, boating, and jet and water skiing. This shift in usage has prompted a decade-long debate on enhancing water quality, leading to a Clean Water Act settlement with the MWRD to address untreated sewer discharges into Chicago-area waterways.

The Illinois River's history

The Illinois River, also known by its Miami-Illinois name of Inoka Siipiiwi, is a tributary of the Mississippi River. At 273 miles long, it rises from the confluence of the Des Plaines and Kankakee rivers in the Chicago metropolitan area, flowing southwest across Illinois until it empties into the Mississippi near Grafton.

The river has a long history of serving as a vital transportation route for various civilisations, including Native Americans, Europeans, and Americans. The portages between the Des Plaines and Chicago Rivers and the Kankakee and St. Joseph rivers provided crucial access to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi basin. The first European presence in the area was the Jesuit mission founded in 1675 by Father Jacques Marquette on the banks of the Illinois across from Starved Rock. In 1680, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, built the first fort in Illinois, Ft. St. Louis, to facilitate the fur trade and defend against the Iroquois.

In the 19th century, the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Hennepin Canal further solidified the river's role as a crucial link between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi. This era also saw the growth of cities like LaSalle, Peru, and Ottawa, extending Chicago's influence into the Mississippi Valley. The Illinois River was instrumental in the transportation and trade of agricultural products, manufactured goods, and processed goods.

The river's history also includes a period of economic decline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By the 1880s, river traffic faced challenges due to conflicts in schedules, fares, and terminals among packet companies. The maintenance of the four-foot channels in the Illinois River was costly due to shifting sandbars. Additionally, the railroad had become a more attractive option for grain shipping, drawing business away from the river.

However, the Illinois River experienced a resurgence in the following decades. The Federal Control Act of 1918 created the Inland Waterways Corporation, leading to new terminals, barge designs, and the adoption of diesel engines. The Illinois Waterways Project, completed in 1939, significantly increased traffic on the river. By 1974, the river handled 43 million tons of cargo, with most of it being short-haul cargo between private commercial terminals.

Today, the Illinois River remains an important waterway for shipping and sports fishing. It is part of a modern waterway system that connects the Great Lakes at Chicago to the Mississippi River, providing a shipping connection to the Gulf of Mexico.

Boating on the Illinois River

The Illinois River, flowing through the heart of Starved Rock Country, offers a fantastic boating experience. With its natural areas, state parks, and bluffs lining the shore, the river provides a unique and scenic boating trip. The river is also a navigable waterway, providing a shipping connection from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico via the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.

History of the Illinois River

The Illinois River has a long history as a vital transportation artery for agricultural products and manufactured goods. The construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in the 19th century further increased river traffic and trade, connecting the river to the Mississippi River and later reversing the flow of the Chicago River. The canal was eventually replaced by the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in 1900, which improved navigation and ended the need for dams at LaGrange and Kampsville.

Boating Experience

The Illinois River offers a unique boating experience with plenty of room to explore. Boaters can enjoy the 13-mile-long "Ottawa Pool," which runs from Marseilles Lock to Starved Rock Lock, providing a linear boating experience without the need to go in circles as in many lakes. The river also features numerous islands, creating side channels to explore and adding to the scenic beauty. Boaters can also take advantage of free docking in downtown Ottawa, where they can enjoy various restaurants and activities.

Practical Information

The Illinois River is generally calm, even on windy days, making for comfortable boating conditions. Activities like tubing and skiing are possible at any time, and the river is far less crowded than most lakes, especially in Northern Illinois. The river is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who manage eight lock and dam sites along the waterway to control water flow and facilitate navigation.

Cargo and Freight

While boating for leisure is a great option on the Illinois River, the river also plays a crucial role in transporting cargo and freight. Waterborne freight is particularly important for transporting bulky materials over long distances, and the Illinois River connects the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River systems. Coal, chemicals, petroleum, agricultural products, and other commodities are commonly shipped via the river.

In summary, the Illinois River offers a fantastic boating experience with its scenic beauty, calm waters, and unique features. It also serves as a vital waterway for cargo transportation, connecting two major river systems and facilitating trade.

Frequently asked questions