H I LJ O S UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Large-scale Digitization Project, 2007. Z2u3o-S lI( ý( ji(DI( ) BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT ILLINOIS STREAMS An Evaluation of the Streams of Illinois Based on Aquatic Biodiversity (Part I1: Text) Lawrence M. Page, Kevin S. Cummings, Christine A. Mayer, and Susan L. Post Center for Biodiversity Technical Report 1991(4) Illinois Natural History Survey 607 East Peabody Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 repared for Illinois Department of Conservation 524 South Second Street Springfield, Illinois 62701-1787 and Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources 325 West Adams Springfield, Illinois 62704-1892 DRAFT 31 December 1991 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................... 1 M ethods ............................................................................. 4 1. Galena, Apple, and Plum River Systems.......................... 10 Introduction............................................................... 11 Water Quality ............................................................. 12 Fishes..................................................................... 13 Mussels................................................................... 13 Crustaceans .............................................................. 14 Plants ...................................................................... 14 Biologically Significant Streams......................................14 2. Rock River System........................................................... 16 Introduction............................................................... 17 WaterQuality ............................................................ 19 Fishes.....................................................................20 Mussels....................................................................21 Crustaceans ............................................... .................23 Plants ...................................................................... 23 Biologically Significant Streams......................................23 3. Middle Mississippi River Tributaries ...................................... 24 Introduction...............................................................25 Water Quality ....... ................................................. 27 Fishes................................................................... .27 M ussels....................................................................28 Crustaceans ............................................................... 28 Plants ................................................................. 28 Biologically Significant Streams......................................29 4. Des Plaines River and Lake Michigan Tributaries.........................30 Introduction...............................................................31 Water Quality ............................................................ 32 Fishes..................................................................33 M ussels....................................................................33 Crustaceans ............................................................... 34 Plants ...................................................................... 34 Biologically Significant Streams........................................35 5. Fox River System.............................................................36 Introduction..............................................................37 Water Quality ............................................................ 38 Fishes..................................... .39 Mussels...................................................................40 Crustaceans .............................................................. 41 Plants .................................................................... 41 Biologically Significant Streams..................................... 43 6. Little Vermilion River, Big Bureau and Kickapoo Creek Systems......44 Introduction...............................................................45 Water Quality ............................................................. 46 Fishes......................................................................46 Mussels....................................................................46 Crustaceans ............................................................... 47 Plants ...... .......... .................................................. 47 Biologically Significant Streams........................................47 7. Kankakee-Iroquois River System........................................... 48 Introduction.............................................................49 Water Quality ............................................................ 50 Fishes...................................................................... 51 Mussels....................................................................52 Crustaceans ............................................................... 54 Plants ................................................................. 54 Biologically Significant Streams......................................54 8. Vermilion and Mazon River Systems.......................................56 Introduction ............................................................... 57 Water Quality ......................................................... 58 Fishes...................................................................... 58 Mussels..................................................................59 Crustaceans ......................................................... 60 Plants .................................................................. 60 Biologically Significant Streams........................................60 9. Spoon River System......................................................62 Introduction.............................................................63 Water Quality ........................................................... 63 Fishes..................................................................... 64 Mussels....................................................................64 Crustaceans .............................................................. 65 Plants ...................................................................... 66 Biologically Significant Streams.......................................66 10. La Moine River System..............................................68 Introduction .............................................................69 Water Quality ......................... .................................... 70 Fishes......................................................................70 Mussels ........... ......................................................... 71 Crustaceans ................................... .........................71 Plants .................................................. ............. 71 Biologically Significant Streams......... ................... .. 71 11. Mackinaw River System..................................................72 Introduction.............................................................73 Water Quality ............................................................. 74 Fishes....................................................................74 Mussels..................................................................74 Crustaceans ............................................................... 75 Plants ...................................................................... 75 Biologically Significant Streams.......................................76 12. Sangamon River System................................ ............... 78 Introduction.......................................... ........ ............ 79 Water Quality ............................................................ 80 Fishes.................................................................. 81 Mussels....................................... ...................... 81 Crustaceans ........................................................... ... 83 Plants ..................................................................... 83 Biologically Significant Streams.....................................84 13. Lower Illinois River Tributaries and American Bottoms................86 Introduction........................................ ...... ............. 87 Water Quality .................... ................................. 90 Fishes.................................................. .................. 90 Mussels.......... .................................................. 90 Crustaceans ........................................................... 91 Plants . ............................................................... 91 Biologically Significant Streams........................................91 14. Kaskaskia River System .................................................92 Introduction ........... ............................... ..................93 Water Quality ........................................................... 94 Fishes ................................................................... 95 Mussels........ .................................... ......................... 95 Crustaceans .............................................................. 97 Plants ...................................................................... 97 Biologically Significant Streams.. ....... ........................97 15. Big Muddy River System