Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary)
Rush Creek is a 14.9-mile-long (24.0 km)[1] tributary of the Kishwaukee River in northern Illinois.[2]
Course
Rush Creek's origin is in a complex of wetlands near Harvard, Illinois, two miles southeast.[3] The stream then flows southwest until it empties into the main stem of the Kishwaukee River one mile east of Garden Prairie.[3]
Description
Approximately 65% of the main stem of Rush Creek has been channelized (ditched and straighten), however 50% of those areas are showing signs of recovery.[3] Despite the channelization and encroachment from agriculture many of the stream's features such as riffles can still be seen.[3]
Wildlife
Twenty-nine species of fish have been identified within Rush Creek and its tributaries, two of those species have not been seen in the watershed since 1965 - the northern pike and the largescale stoneroller.[3] Three animal species are on state or federal endangered or threatened lists - river otter, and two mussels, Elliptio dilatata (Spike) and Alasmidonta viridis (Slippershell).[3]
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 19, 2011
- ^ James, L. Allan. Management and Restoration of Fluvial Systems with Broad Historical Changes and Human Impacts, (Google Books link), Geological Society of America, 2009, pp. 110-111, (ISBN 0813724511), (ISBN 9780813724515).
- ^ a b c d e f Rush Creek - Subwatershed Plan, Kishwaukee River Ecosystem Partnership, May 2005, accessed January 24, 2011.