Southern Illinois contains nine primary watersheds that drain into the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater.

Watershed Name

# Rivers and Streams

Affected Communities

Big Muddy 

26

Mt. Vernon, Herrin, Marion, Carbondale
Cache

5

Karnak, Dongola, Ullin, Tamms
Little Wabash

11

Olney, Flora, Carmi
Lower Kaskaskia

9

Highland, Belleville, O'Fallon, Swansea
Lower Ohio 

15

Anna, Cairo, Metropolis; Paducah, KY
Lower Ohio-Bay

18

Shawnee, Rosiclare, Golconda
Middle Kaskaskia

9

Vandalia, Salem, Centralia
Saline

18

McLeansville, Norris City, Eldorado, Harrisburg
Upper Mississippi-Cape Girardeau

20

Sparta, Chester, Perryville, Cape Girardeau

Visit Purdue University's Watershed Information Network for information on how you can work to protect  these watersheds.

 

 Last Updated: 08/03/2005

 This page last updated: 09/08/10 . Website maintained by Bob Pauls.
Copyright © Shawnee Group, Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club