The Kankakee River
Yesterday and Today
By J. Loreena Ivens, Nani G. Bhowmik, Allison R. Brigham, and David L Gross
• Illinois State Water Survey
• Illinois State Natural History Survey
• Illinois State Geological Survey
Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources
Champaign, Illinois 1981
ISWS Miscellaneous Publication 60
Contents
Introduction — 1
Description of the Kankakee Basin — 1
People and the basin — 4
Geology of the basin — 7
Where do the sediments come from? — 7
What are the geologic features today? — 9
What are the present river sediments? — 9
Are the sediments harming the river in Illinois? — 9
Flow hydraulics and sediment transport — 11
Have flow conditions changed? — 11
What are the bed materials like? — 12
What is the sediment load? — 13
Effects on aquatic life — 19
What is the fish population? — 19
How have the mussels fared? — 20
How are macroinvertebrates affected? — 20
Preventive and remedial measures — 21
Conclusions — 23
Epilog - 24
Acknowledgments — 24
Boxes
The early days — 4
The natural Grand Marsh — 5
After the channelization — 5
Proposed work in Indiana — 6
Geologic data — 7
For additional information — 10
Hydrologic data collection — 12
Maps of Six Mile Pool — 17
What happens when a river is changed? — 18
Biological sampling stations — 19
The Kankakee River at the Illinois-Indiana state line. The bridge is on the state line. The channelized portion of
the river in Indiana is shown in the background and the naturally meandering portion of the river in Illinois is
shown in the foreground. (Chicago Tribune photo)
Study Documents
Documentation for the information in this sum-
mary may be found in the study documents published
by the three Scientific Surveys. These are:
Geology of the Kankakee River System in Kanka-
kee County, Illinois, by David L. Gross and Richard
C. Berg, Illinois State Geological Survey Environ-
mental Geology Notes 92, January 1981, 80 pp.
The Effects of Sedimentation on Aquatic Life of
the Kankakee River, by Allison R. Brigham,
Liane B. Suloway, and Lawrence M. Page, Illinois
Natural History Survey, Sections of Aquatic Biol-
ogy and Faunistic and Insect Identification,
December 1980, 16 pp.
Hydraulics of Flow and Sediment Transport in the
Kankakee River in Illinois, by Nani G. Bhowmik,
Allen P. Bonini, William C. Bogner, and Richard P.
Byrne, Illinois State Water Survey Report of In-
vestigation 98, December 1980, 170 pp. 9 maps.
Illinois State Geological Survey
615 East Peabody Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Illinois Natural History Survey
607 East Peabody Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Illinois State Water Survey
P.O. Box 5050, Station A
Champaign, !L 61820
The Kankakee River
Yesterday and Today
Introduction
Again and again residents of the Kankakee River Basin in Illinois had voiced
concerns about the degrading quality of the river — particularly from sedimentation.
By June 1978 it was clear — the myriad problems of the Kankakee basin could not be
solved without more technical information. The amount, the source, and the physical
mechanisms involved in the movement of sediment though the river basin were not
known — nor the effect of this sediment on water quality and the many uses of the
river.
The Task Force appointed by the Governor of Illinois in 1977 had reviewed the
material then available and had talked to area residents about their concerns. The Task
Force recommended that the State of Illinois should "maintain the Kankakee River as
a low density recreation and scenic river" by keeping it "in the most natural condition
possible." They believed that Indiana's plan to manage the basin for improved agricul-
tural drainage was in conflict with this policy recommendation.
The Task Force recommended that the Illinois State Water Survey monitor the
sediment and bed load movement, analyze the data gathered, and suggest alternative
remedies. Later it was realized that geological and biological data also were needed to
round out the base of technical information for the river, and the Illinois Geological
and Natural History Surveys were called upon to make these studies. The studies were
funded by a contract with the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources
(formerly the Institute of Natural Resources).
Finally, the Task Force suggested that the Water Survey obtain input from
citizens of the Kankakee basin during its investigation, and this was done through a
series of public meetings. This booklet is a summary report of the three studies by the
Scientific Surveys intended to relay to local citizens the key results and recommenda-
tions stemming from the research.
Description of the Kankakee Basin
The Kankakee River flows westward from In-
diana into Illinois. The headwaters are near South
Bend, Indiana, and the mouth is the confluence
of the Kankakee with the Des Plaines River where
those two rivers become the Illinois River (see map,
Figure 1).
Of the 5,165 square miles in the Kankakee River
drainage basin, 2,169 are in Illinois and 2,996 are
in Indiana. The river has a total length of about
150 miles, with 59 miles in Illinois.
In work beginning in the late nineteenth century
and essentially completed by 1918, almost all of
the main channel of the Kankakee River in Indiana
was channelized, that is, straightened. Today that
channel is a man-made ditch, extending straight
for many miles between small bends. In Indiana, all
of the natural meanders were removed.
In Illinois, a very small dam exists at Momence,
a larger dam at Kankakee, and an overflow dam at
Wilmington, but most of the river remains a natural-
ly meandering stream. A major tributary to the
Kankakee River in Illinois is the Iroquois River
1
FIGURE 1
This map shows the boundary of the drainage area of the Kankakee River in
Illinois and Indiana — and the stream gaging stations in the study area.
which joins the Kankakee just below Aroma Park.
Most of the Iroquois drainage basin also is in In-
diana. Singleton Ditch, a channelized tributary in
Indiana, joins the Kankakee just above Illiana
Heights in Illinois.
Before channelization, much of the drainage area
of the river in Indiana was wetland — swamps
and marshes — called the "Grand Marsh." The
Grand Marsh encompassed approximately 400,000
acres and ranged from 3 to 5 miles in width with a
water depth of from 1 to 4 feet for eight or nine
months of the year. The marsh plane was only
about 85 miles long, but the river course was about
250 miles in length with an average slope of 5 to 6
inches per mile. The nature of the marsh caused
the Kankakee River to alter its course continuously,
resulting in the formation of a variety of meanders,
oxbow lakes, sloughs, and bayous.
In Indiana, the river system has been constructed
and managed as an agricultural drainage project —
successfully draining the wetlands and converting
them into very productive agricultural land. The
2
intent of the management has been based on the
economics of agricultural production.
In Illinois, especially in Kankakee County, the
river has been used as a scenic, cultural, and rec-
reational resource. The reach between the state line
and Momence is a naturally meandering stream
with a sandy bottom, traversing an area of timber
and relatively undisturbed wetlands, commonly
called the "Momence Wetlands."
The pictures in Figures 2 and 3 reflect the pres-
ent condition of the river in the two states.
The reach between the cities of Momence and
Aroma Park is also a natural stream, traversing an
area of alternating bedrock and sandy bottom.
Between Aroma Park and the city of Kankakee,
a deep-water area called Six Mile Pool (actually
4.7 miles long) was formed by the construction of
the Kankakee dam. The deeper water has long been
used for recreational boating, and fine homes have
been built in the surrounding area. All of the river
in Kankakee County is noted for high water qual-
FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3
Looking east into Indiana (upstream) from the State Line Looking west and southwest into Illinois (downstream)
Bridge, we see the straightened channel of the Kankakee from the State Line Bridge, we see the Kankakee River
River. meandering in its natural course.
ity, excellent sport fishing, and scenic beauty. Although the management practices, which are a
The dam at Kankakee was built to generate human action, differ significantly between the two
hydroelectric power, but it is no longer used for states, there are some important geological differ-
that purpose and is now owned and operated by ences that also occur near the state line. The wet-
the Illinois Department of Conservation. During lands, which are a result of continental glaciation,
times of high flow the "damming" effect on the occur mainly on the Indiana side of the line except
river is small, but during periods of low flow it re- for the small area east of Momence. The areas of
tains sufficient water in Six Mile Pool to not only bedrock outcrops, where the glacial deposits are
assure the public water supply of the city of Kanka- thin or absent, occur mainly on the Illinois side of
kee, but also to support the major recreation re- the line. These bedrock outcrops in Kankakee
source of boating, fishing, swimming, and scenic County have long been an important factor in the
beauty. hydraulics of the river.
3
People and the Basin
Born of the ice melts and intermittent rock and
debris dumping of the last continental glaciers, the
basin of the Kankakee River has had a varied history
of human activities. Its natural physical character
was met with very different human responses.
The first inhabitants (at least in our recent, re-
corded history) were the Indians. We know that
the Pottawatomi Indians lived there in the 17th
century and found the rivers and marshes of the
basin an excellent residence. They could fish, or
hunt and trap the abundant wildlife — and the
marshes were a natural refuge from their enemies
(the Iroquois).
The French explorers noted such uses of the basin
as they traveled the river in 1679. Soon after came
the European hunters, trappers, and traders who
lived a life similar to that of the Pottawatomi. Even-
tually, a few of these traders stopped along the
Kankakee, and during the early 1800s pioneer set-
tlers began to arrive and establish settlements along
the river and on the fringes of the Grand Marsh.
These rugged frontiersmen and hunters used the
river for transportation and adjusted to the restric-
tions and limitations of their environment that in-
cluded the swamps, the floods, the ice jams, and
the vagaries of weather.
Next came the prairie farmer and by the mid-1800s the
character of the basin's inhabitants had been completely
transformed. Those who had lived in harmony with the
river and the marshes had been replaced by those who
wanted to change and exploit them.
Traffic on the Kankakee River increased. There
was a plan (started but never completed) to build
a series of locks and dams to allow commercial
navigation to connect with the Illinois and Michigan
Canal and Chicago — and with railroad lines. Flat-
boats, sternwheelers, and steamboats traveled up-
stream into the marsh carrying sightseers, hunters,
and cargo. Tens of thousands of waterfowl and
other wildlife were harvested for commercial mar-
kets of Chicago and New York. The thick, clear ice
that formed every winter was good for skating and
a profit for the ice companies.
But none of these activities had as great and irreversible
an impact upon the Kankakee River basin as did the ef-
forts of those who wanted to drain the lowlands and
the Grand Marsh.
4
The Early Days
The Pottawatomi Indians called the Kankakee
River Ti-yar-ac-ke, "wonderful land." The French had
a variety of names for it, including The-a-ki-ki and
Quin-que-que, and the name Kankakee appears to be
an English version of this later French word.
The first Europeans to descend the Kankakee River
were the French explorers De La Salle and Father
Hennepin in December 1679. They explored its entire
length after portaging from the St. Joseph River. The
river they found looked far different from the one
that exists today.
Their point of entry was near present day South
Bend. From there, down to what is now Momence,
Illinois, De La Salle's party wound its way through
some 250 miles of a marshy, sandy maze of meanders,
oxbows, and sloughs that were teeming with a variety
of wildlife. This area would later become known as
the "Grand Marsh." Downstream, below a limestone
outcropping at Momence, the river had a higher
gradient and probably appeared much the same as it
does today.
Starting with the farmers who tried to dig ditches
by hand, there were repeated attempts to drain the
swamplands — with little success. Equipment was
inefficient and drainage work prohibitively costly.
In the mid-1800s the invention of the steam dredge
and legislation permitting drainage districts with
the power to levy taxes overcame the previous ob-
stacles to draining the land for improved agriculture.
Singleton Ditch in Indiana was constructed in
1866 and Ackerman, Hayden, and Brown ditches
were also built around that time. Again, the drain-
age work was only partially successful. The key to
adequate drainage in Indiana, they thought, was
the lowering or removal of the limestone rock ledge
near Momence, Illinois.
In 1878 and 1879 the U. S. Army Corps of En-
gineers made the first of several studies of improv-
ing the Kankakee River for navigation. Most of
these studies concluded that the costs of improve-
ments could not be justified for navigation. Another
The Natural Grand Marsh
Marsh prairies of aquatic sedges and grasses, grazing
areas; wild rice sloughs, scenes of countless wild geese
and ducks-, flag ponds, lined with muskrat homes; a
narrow but almost uninterrupted swamp forest, full
of game, rimming a meandering river teeming with
fish; wet prairies made humanly habitable by the in-
terspersion of sandy island oak barrens, many of them
surmounting the highest flood waters — such was the
general physical set-up of the "natural" Kankakee.
Alfred H. Meyer, 1936
study for Indiana in 1882 suggested three things:
1) constructing a better main channel for the flow
of the river, 2) straightening and deepening the
tributary streams, and 3) digging numerous lateral
ditches through the swamps to the "improved"
channels.
The State of Indiana was still convinced that the
rock ledge was the key to their drainage problems
and appropriated $65,000 to widen and deepen the
main channel near Momence. This work, done in
1893, created a channel not quite 1½ miles long,
300 feet wide, and 2½ feet deep. This channel ex-
pansion required the removal of 66,447 cubic yards
of rock.
After the work at Momence was done, various
public and private groups in Indiana began to chan-
nelize the main river in its uppermost reaches. By
1906, 46 miles of the main channel had been
straightened, from its source near South Bend to
the west edge of Starke County.
But the problem was not solved! The increased rate of
runoff from the straightened reaches caused erosion and
flooding downstream. The apparent solution then was
to continue the straightening of the river — and remove
more of the Momence rock ledge (an effort Illinois
refused).
In Indiana, the channelization went ahead and
was completed in 1918. The old channel, 250 miles
of meandering river, had been replaced by a
straightened, deepened channel 82 miles long, ex-
tending from near South Bend to the Illinois state
line. Below this point, except for the work done
at the rock ledge at Momence in 1893 and the
small dams at Momence and Kankakee, the river
remained in its natural form. In Indiana, the aver-
age slope of the river had been changed from 0.45
foot per mile to 0.83 foot per mile. The improved
drainage affected nearly 400,000 acres of swamp
and 600,000 acres of marginal land at a cost of
about $1.2 million.
The Grand Marsh had finally been "reclaimed."
However, the accomplishment was not greeted
with enthusiasm by everyone. There was concern
in Illinois about the impact of the change on the
downstream reaches of the river. For years many
have questioned the wisdom of destroying this vast
natural ecosystem.
Soon after the channelization was completed, it became
apparent that the drainage problem had not been com-
pletely solved. Severe flooding still occurred east of the
Momence rock ledge, and the removal of additional rock
was discussed. The focus of the work in the Kankakee
basin after the channelization of 1918 was directed to-
ward the construction of levees to contain the flood
water and toward the improvement of lateral ditches for
increased drainage.
Additional studies were made by the Corps of
Engineers in 1931 and again in 1941. The later one
showed that large quantities of sand had been de-
posited between the state line and Momence due to
channel erosion upstream, but the rate of siltation
had decreased indicating that the straightened
channel in Indiana was stabilizing.
In Illinois, a number of investigations and pro-
posals were made (1947, 1955, 1967) for the
Kankakee River, primarily to improve the channel
for recreation but also to reduce flooding. Many of
these proposals were objected to by various groups
and none was ever implemented.
After the Channelization
Fields of corn and wheat stretch over the reclaimed
acres, for the utilitarian has triumphed over beauty
and nature's providence for his wild creatures. The
destruction of one of the most valuable bird refuges
on the continent has almost been completed, for the
sake of immediate wealth. The realization of this great
economic wrong must be left to future generations.
From Tales of a Vanishing River
Earl H. Reed, 1920
5
Geology of the Basin
Where do the sediments come from?
Our rivers and streams are the product not only
of flowing water and land use activities but also —
importantly — of the geologic foundation and land
forms on which they evolved. The Illinois Geological
Survey's study of the Kankakee basin provides a
description of the geologic history and the geology
of the sediments of the river and its basin. Their
detailed study in 1978-1979 centered on that part
of the Kankakee River from the city of Kankakee
to the Illinois-Indiana state line (see box on this
page).
The geologic materials of the Kankakee River
Basin consist of a mantle of glacial deposits overly-
ing Paleozoic bedrock. In Illinois, most of the bed-
rock in the basin is Silurian age dolomite, and in
Indiana much of the bedrock is Devonian age shale.
The geologic events responsible for the present
topography and surface materials took place during
the melting of the last continental glaciers. That
melting occurred during the approximate interval
from 16,000 to 13,000 years ago (known to geolo-
gists as the latter portion of the Woodfordian Sub-
stage of the Wisconsinan Stage). The distribution
of the surface materials is shown on the map (Figure
4). During this period, the retreating glacial lobes
constructed numerous moraines including the
Valparaiso moraines located along the northern
portion of the Kankakee basin.
The most important geologic event shaping the land-
scape and the character of the deposits in the basin was
the ancient "Kankakee Flood."
During the forming of the Valparaiso moraines,
meltwater from three glacial lobes (the Lake Michi-
gan, Saginaw, and Erie lobes) drained into the
Kankakee valley and flooded it because of a con-
striction by the Marseilles moraines in the Illinois
valley to the west. At peak flow, water spread
widely over the uplands resulting in numerous
glacial lakes (Lake Wauponsee, Lake Watseka,
Lake Ottawa, and Lake Pontiac which drained
soon after the glaciers melted). The evidence for
these lakes is the fine-grained lacustrine sediment
now found throughout much of Iroquois County
in Illinois (see map).
The flood also deposited thick sand in a wide
belt along the Kankakee resulting in the large tract
of sandy sediments extending from west of the city
of Kankakee to South Bend in Indiana. This ex-
tensive sandy deposit is the primary source area for
the sediments now residing in the Kankakee River.
When a gap in the Marseilles moraines was even-
tually eroded, the base level of the Kankakee Flood
lowered considerably. Water flow became more
concentrated in the central Kankakee River valley,
and the river scoured broad areas down to the bed-
rock surface. Bedrock at the surface is shown on
the map downriver from the city of Kankakee. The
erosive force of the currents deposited numerous
bars of angular, bouldery rubble, as well as rela-
tively flat-lying bouldery material.
As the Kankakee Flood continued to subside, rivers be-
came entrenched and large expanses of sandy outwash
sediments left behind by the flood were exposed to eolian
(wind) activity and dune building.
The dune sand was derived directly from out-
wash sands deposited by the Kankakee Flood,
Geologic Data
The sources of information for the geologic studies
of the Kankakee River included the following:
□ Published geologic maps from Indiana and Illinois
to describe the nature of surface materials in the
entire river basin.
□ Drillers logs, soil survey maps, geologic literature,
topography maps, and field observations to pro-
duce the detailed map of the surficial geology near
the river in Kankakee County, Illinois.
□ A combination of sediment cores and grab samples
from 186 locations and probes of sediment thick-
ness at 499 locations to map the thickness of sand
in the river in Kankakee County.
□ Topographic maps surveyed in 1922, 1963-64, and
1973; vertical air photos taken in 1939, 1954,
1961, and 1973; a map combining information
from 1929 and 1940; and the several hundred
drillers logs to describe changes in sedimentary
features in the river (islands, beaches, spits etc.)
over the years.
7
FIGURE 4
This map of the Kankakee River Basin shows the extent of the various surface materials
that are present in the watershed.
which transported sediment from the erosion of
local glacial deposits and bedrock as well as outwash
from the three retreating glacial lobes. The end re-
sult of these processes was deposition of sand.
The final episode shaping the character of the
geological materials in the river basin is the modern
deposition of silt, sand, and gravel adjacent to the
Kankakee River and its tributaries. In Illinois the
material is referred to as Cahokia Alluvium. It con-
sists of materials transported down the valley and
deposited in floodplains during intervals of flooding
and also includes sediments deposited directly by
tributary streams. The alluvium generally rests
conformably on bedrock and glacial deposits.
Along the Kankakee River the material is primarily
medium sand that often occurs on top of the sandy
and gravelly Kankakee Flood materials.
What are the geologic features today?
Today, from the Illinois-Indiana state line down-
stream to near the city of Momence, the river chan-
nel is underlain by thick deposits of sand overlying
bedrock. In the several miles of river channel adja-
cent to Momence and a 2-mile reach of river up-
stream of Aroma Park, the Kankakee River is flow-
ing directly over bedrock. In the area between
Momence and Aroma Park, the channel contains a
series of massive sand bars, from 3 to 6 feet thick,
overlying bedrock. The upper (eastern) end of Six
Mile Pool contains thick sand deposits. In the lower
(western) end of Six Mile Pool, the main channel is
underlain by bedrock although the insides of the
meanders have sand bars.
The use of an informal phrase "the bedrock ledge at
Momence" has led to a serious misconception. Many of
the residents of the basin have the incorrect impression
that this "ledge" is a single obstruction, like a dam, in
the river. It is in fact a 4-mile reach of the river where
the water is flowing over natural bedrock.
What are the present river sediments?
The materials in the Kankakee River are of two
major types — unconsolidated sediment and bed-
rock. As previously mentioned, the bedrock con-
sists primarily of Silurian dolomite, and the sedi-
ment is mostly a medium-textured sand. Locally,
at the junction of the Iroquois and Kankakee Rivers
and a bit downstream in Six Mile Pool, there are
small areas of silty, clayey sediment often occurring
in depressions in the bedrock channel. But through-
out the length of the Kankakee River, there is little
variation in the grain size of the sand.
Chemical analyses of the composition of sedi-
ments in Six Mile Pool revealed an interesting diver-
gence from similar studies of other lakes in Illinois
(Lake Michigan, Fox Chain of Lakes, Lake Paradise,
and Upper Peoria Lake).
Vertical core samples from the other lakes quite con-
sistently showed a lower or base layer with natural
(relatively low) concentrations of trace elements such as
arsenic, bromine, chromium, copper, phosphorus, lead,
and zinc, while the top levels were enriched in these
metals by the pollutants of the 19th and 20th centuries.
In contrast, similar vertical samples from the Kankakee
showed little change in concentrations of these metals
from bottom to top; the concentrations were all near the
natural level, indicating that the Kankakee sediments
are relatively unpolluted.
A vertical core sample taken from Six Mile Pool
in September 1978 showed materials that could be
interpreted as three cycles, each representing a
typical "depositional sequence." A sequence com-
monly includes such events as erosion of the river
bed during springtime flood flows, deposition of
coarse sediment (sand) during the later portion of
the flood, and finally deposition of fine-grained
sediment (silt) during summer periods of low flows.
Although the exact dates of the cycles in the sample
are not known, it seems reasonable that they could
be the deposits of 1976, 1977, and 1978.
Because major floods occurred in the early spring
of 1979, the same site was resampled in June 1979.
Major changes in sediment thickness and a change
in grain size had occurred between the two sampling
dates. This means that the sediment sampled in
1978 had been eroded and a new, thicker deposit
of sand had taken its place. This also means that
the material that was analyzed chemically and found
to be unpolluted was probably all of very recent
origin.
Are the sediments harming the river in Illinois?
The geometric form of the present-day Kankakee
River in Indiana is the result of the channelization
and dredging over its entire length from South
Bend, Indiana, to the Indiana-Illinois state line that
was completed about 1918. Old meander bends
were cut off as a nearly straight channel was con-
structed through the area previously referred to as
the "Grand Marsh." Recent surveillance of the In-
diana portion of the Kankakee River shows that
9
the river geometry has remained essentially un-
changed since the dredging activities ended. It does
not appear that the river has started to meander.
In Illinois, the Kankakee River flows as a natural-
ly meandering stream. Between the state line and
Momence, an area commonly called the "Momence
Wetlands," the Kankakee River flows over thick
sand deposits and resembles the river in Indiana
prior to dredging — that is, numerous and angular
bends and a relatively narrow channel. Between
Momence and Kankakee, the Kankakee River flows
mostly on bedrock so that the meandering pattern
is less distinct, but natural and quite stable.
It has been contended that the dredging of the
Indiana portion of the river has caused sand chok-
ing and increased sedimentation upriver of the bed-
rock areas, particularly in the Momence Wetlands
and in the Six Mile Pool near Kankakee.
If sedimentation from Indiana has adversely af-
fected the Illinois portion of the Kankakee River,
the evidence could include:
• Island formation or sedimentary buildup (accretion)
on the downriver portion of islands, and
• An increase in the widths of beaches and spits on the
banks of the river
These changes should be observable on aerial
photos taken some years apart, as well as on topo-
graphic maps. Changes in the shape of the Kankakee
River between the Indiana state line and the city of
Kankakee were evaluated by studying vertical air
photos and topographic maps from different peri-
ods (see box page 7).
Between 1939 and 1954, the air photos revealed
increasing sedimentation in the Kankakee River
resulting in growth of beaches and islands, partic-
ularly at the confluence of the Kankakee and
Iroquois Rivers. Downriver of this confluence there
was no photo evidence of sedimentation.
The relatively quiet water at the mouth of the
Iroquois River encourages backwater and deposi-
tion from the Kankakee and Iroquois Rivers. A spit
that protrudes from the north bank of the Kanka-
kee River at the confluence point is a sensitive
fluvial feature that increases or decreases in size in
response to changes in the supply of sand. From
1939 to 1954 the length of the spit increased by
about 330 feet. However, the extent of vegetative
cover on the connecting portion of the feature on
photos of both years suggests stability for consider-
able time prior to 1939.
The later air photos (1961, 1973) show no sig-
nificant changes during this subsequent 19-year
period in river bank profiles due to sedimentation
between Momence and Kankakee. In summary, the
air photos indicate that sedimentation resulting in
spit extensions and island and beach growth at-
tained relative stability by the early 1950s. Study
of the topographic maps gave similar results. These
both suggest that the river system is in a state of
near equilibrium, at least temporarily.
Further, the geometric form of the channelized
portion of the river in Indiana is amazingly stable.
The channel has remained straight, there has been
very little tendency to meander, and the banks are
relatively free of serious erosion problems. This is
not at all typical of channelized rivers in the Mid-
west, which usually start meandering immediately.
For Additional Information
Very detailed maps showing geologic deposits adjacent to the Kankakee River in Illinois from the state
line to the city of Kankakee were prepared for this study. These maps describe the unconsolidated layers, in stack
units from top layers to a working depth of 20 feet, as developed from both soil survey and geologic information.
These maps are presented and described in the Geological Survey's study document. Copies of this document may
be obtained from the Illinois Geological Survey, see address on page facing page 1.
Also available for the Illinois area of the basin are detailed maps of the bedrock topography and the
thickness of sand in land areas adjacent to the river. These maps were developed from data on file at the State
Geological Survey and from drill samples taken for this study, which together augment the information about the
contributions of land areas to the river.
A third series of detailed maps in the study document describes the thickness and location of sand in the
river itself. These were made from sand probes and core samples taken during 1978-1979 and in some cases re-
flect the continuing movement of sediments in different parts of the river in Illinois.
10
Flow Hydraulics and Sediment Transport
Some of the important factors that determine
the hydraulic and sediment transport characteristics
of a river are:
• The materials through which a river flows
• The amount of water moving through the river
• The characteristics of the watershed
• The rainfall-runoff pattern from the basin
• The geology of the watershed
• The constraints imposed by humans
Most of the major rivers of the world flow
through alluvial materials consisting mainly of sand
and silt. In a sand bed channel, the flow velocity
and water discharge, the turbulence associated with
the flow velocity, and the pattern of the secondary
circulation all have the capability and the oppor-
tunity to mold the shape of the channel.
As a result of all the constraints on an alluvial
channel, the velocity changes both from side to
side and vertically. The velocity distribution in
both the lateral and vertical directions varies in
time and space. The longitudinal water slope, or
the hydraulic gradient, also constantly adjusts to
reflect the constraints of the channel geometry on
the flow in a natural channel. This variability of
the water surface profile is more pronounced for
flow around a bend in the river than it is for a
straight reach.
The Water Survey's study of the hydraulics of
river flow and the mechanics of sediment transport
in the Kankakee River was a two-year project. The
first year was devoted to collecting physical data in
the field and the second year to analyzing historical
as well as field data (see box on next page).
It must be clear that one year of field data cannot ade-
quately describe all of the physical characteristics of the
river — such information must be collected over 5 to 15
or more years. This means that for a dynamic river such
as the Kankakee, the measurements that we obtained in
1978-1979 will change from year to year, and any "trends"
that we have discerned so far may or may not prevail in
future years.
Analyses of water discharges for water year 1979
(October 1, 1978 - September 30, 1979) indicated
that the year was about average for the Momence
and Iroquois stations but that it was a wet year
(slightly above normal rainfall) for the Chebanse
and Wilmington stations.
Have flow conditions changed?
Local residents and others had mentioned a be-
lief that the peak flows in the river basin have
changed with time. The peak flow is defined as the
instantaneous maximum flow that may occur in a
stream at a certain section over a year; it is not. the
total quantity or volume of water that passes during
a length of time such as a week or a month.
The peak flows at any gaging station can increase
because of a number of man-made or natural factors.
Increased precipitation in the basin, clearing of
natural cover, heavy urban development, decrease
in the natural infiltration rate, changes in the river
regime (such as channelization), and other factors
can change the peak flows in a natural stream.
Peak flows from various gaging stations were
analyzed to identify trends. Annual peak flows
at Shelby and Momence (see Figure 5) showed a
trend toward increases from the 1930s through
1979, while peak flows at Iroquois and Chebanse
did not show any trend (to either increase or de-
crease). The increasing peak flow trend at Momence
seems to have a minimal effect, or no effect, on
peak flows at the Wilmington gaging station. Ap-
parently, by the time the peak flow from Momence
travels to Wilmington, it is modified, truncated,
and dampened by the flow from the Iroquois River
and the pools behind the dams at Kankakee and
Wilmington.
Trend analyses were also performed for the aver-
age annual and low flows from all the stations. Al-
though the low flows did not show any trend, the
average flows from the Momence and Wilmington
stations did show a trend toward increases. The
rates of increase of these average flows were almost
identical at the two stations.
The trends at Momence for increased average and peak
flows indicate that something must have happened in
the watershed over the years that is responsible for this
change in the flow regime.
Historical precipitation data over the basin were
analyzed to test whether or not precipitation has
been increasing. In the upper northeastern part of
the basin (an area that is about 25 percent of the
drainage basin at Momence) the precipitation is
much higher than that at any other place. However,
no average trend was observed for the watershed as
a whole.
11
What are the bed materials like?
The Kankakee River is a dynamic river. Changes
on the bed of the river have been occurring and will
continue to occur. In some areas the river will
erode its bed of erodible materials and in other
areas it will deposit them (see Figure 6). this pat-
tern will probably continue for the foreseeable
future.
Some 375 samples of river bed and bank materi-
als were collected in Illinois and Indiana. These
were analyzed to characterize the particle size dis-
tribution of the materials and its effect on the sedi-
ment transport characteristics.
The characteristics of these materials are aimost identicai.
The median diameters vary from 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters,
considered fine to medium sand. Because of the uni-
12
Hydrologic Data Collection
The data used for the hydraulics and sediment transport analyses included both historical records and
field data primarily from long established U.S. Geological Survey stream gaging stations (See map, page 2). The
stations were:
Kankakee River at Shelby, Indiana
Kankakee River at the State Line Bridge (temporary)
Singleton Ditch at lllinoi, Illinois (temporary)
Kankakee River at Momence, Illinois
Iroquois River near Foresman, Indiana
Iroquois River at Iroquois, Illinois
Iroquois River near Chebanse, Illinois
Kankakee River near Wilmington, Illinois
Index stations for the Kankakee River were Momence near the state line where 93 percent of the drain-
age area is in Indiana, and Wilmington near the mouth of the Kankakee where it enters the Illinois River. Index
stations for the Iroquois River were at Iroquois near the state line and near Chebanse not far from the confluence
of the Iroquois and the Kankakee.
During the one year of special data collections for this project (water year 1979 which is from October 1,
1978— September 30, 1979) four types of data were collected at the four index stations:
1) Daily suspended sediment samples (and more frequently during flood events)
2) Daily stage (river height) records
3) Detailed velocity distribution data once a month
4) Bed material samples from the stream
The same kinds of data were collected at the two temporary stations (lllinoi and State Line Bridge) but
less frequently, about once every two weeks but more often during flood stages. Bed materials in the main stem
of the Kankakee in Indiana up to U.S. Highway 30 also were sampled. Long-term monthly suspended sediment
data were available from the U.S. Geological Survey for the two Indiana stations (Shelby and Foresman). Bed
load samples were collected at State Line Bridge, Iroquois, and Chebanse stations.
Water surface slope (gradient) data were collected at the lllinoi station on Singleton Ditch, at Chebanse
and Iroquois on the Iroquois River, and at Wilmington and Momence on the Kankakee River.
Six trips on the river were taken during the study to observe the present conditions and in some cases to
collect samples of the bed and bank materials.
Other historical records also were analyzed, including:
□ Historical data on flow duration, peak flows, and average annual flows for all of the main gaging
stations in Illinois to discern any trends in flow conditions.
□ Historical precipitation data for the entire basin to find out if rainfall had changed through the years.
□ Cross-sectional data from 1967-1968 and 1977-1978 from soundings taken by the Illinois Division
of Water Resources to measure any changes in the shape of the river bed. The 1977 and 1978 data
were used to prepare the detailed hydrographic maps of Six Mile Pool.
FIGURE 5
This graph depicts the annual peak flows at Momence for the years of record at that station and the "trend"
of increasing peak flows from 1931-1979.
(The trend line was developed from the 3-year moving averages, a statistical technique. To obtain the 3-year moving aver-
age values, the peak flows for the first 3 years are added, the arithmetic average is computed, and the average value is as-
signed to the middle year. Then the peak flow for the 4th year is taken, the 1st year is dropped, and the average value
from these 3 years is computed and assigned to the new middle year. This is continued for the entire period of record.
This technique smooths out sharp peaks and valleys in the data and provides a workable statistic.)
formity of the bed materials collected at different loca-
tions, it would be very difficult to identify the origin of
a sand particle on the river bed.
The bed materials were less than 5 percent silt
and clay from Highway 30 in Indiana to Six Mile
Pool, where values rose as high as 30 percent. These
high silt and clay contents in the pool are a normal
characteristic of any pool created by a dam, as fine
materials settle out because of the reduced flow
velocity.
Except for a few rocky segments in Illinois, the
Kankakee River is flowing on a sandy bed with the
contributing tributaries also flowing on sandy beds.
Even the bank materials are composed of sand, es-
pecially in Indiana. This point is very important as
far as the hydraulics of flow is concerned. The sand
particles on a steep bank are unstable unless the
banks are protected by artificial or natural materials.
Well-graded stones or rock (called riprap) with
properly designed filter blankets can be constructed
to protect the banks in sandy channels. Natural
cover such as tree roots, bushes, and other vegeta-
tion can also protect a sandy river bank.
What is the sediment load?
The total sediment load carried by a river con-
sists of a suspended load and a bed load. The sus-
pended load, which is the sediment that moves in
suspension within the water body, consists of bed
or bank materials and materials washed from the
watershed which are usually silt and clay. The bed
load, on the other hand, is composed of the mate-
rials that move near the bed either in suspension or
with a sliding or rolling motion. These materials are
usually sand in midwestern streams.
13
FIGURE 6
Near the mouth of the Iroquois River where it joins the Kankakee, considerable
sediment has been deposited, while upstream in the Iroquois there has been both
erosion and deposition. The differences shown here are over a 20-year period, 1958-
1979. Similar bed scour and deposition on the bed at other locations occur in the
main channel of the Kankakee River.
The sediment load carried by a stream is a func-
tion of a number of variables. The major ones are:
1) The characteristics of the watershed, such as soils,
forest cover, and agricultural practices
2) The meteorological conditions, such as rainfall and
runoff characteristics, and snow and ice melt
3) Physical features, determined by land use and urbani-
zation practices, the nature of the bed and bank ma-
terials, soil cover, bank cover, and characteristics of
the tributaries or dainage ditches
4) Man-made constraints, such as river straightening and
channelization, repair or maintenance of stream banks
and levees, and construction of dams
These variables can interact and may modify or
change the sediment load in a river though the wa-
ter discharge remains the same. For midwestern
streams, the constraints exerted on the watershed
may have more influence on the sediment load
than does the normal discharge of the stream. Thus,
for the same discharge at two different times of
year, such as early spring when the watershed has
been plowed, and fall when a large part of the wa-
tershed is covered with residue from harvested corn
or soybeans, the sediment load can be completely
different.
A comparison of daily water discharge and sedi-
ment discharge at the Illinois gaging stations showed
that the peak of sediment discharges does not al-
ways occur at the same time as the peak of water
discharges (see Figure 7). This difference may have
resulted from the varying conditions of the water-
shed, as mentioned above. At many stations, during
different periods of the year the suspended sedi-
ment yield per square mile changed by 100 percent
with the same water discharge.
The composition of the suspended sediment
load carried by the river also changed from one sta-
tion to another and from one season of the year to
another.
During low flows in the winter and late summer, the sus-
pended sediment load consisted of silt and clay, but dur-
ing high flows, the composition of the suspended load
changed drastically, and sandy materials made up 50
to 80 percent of the suspended load.
The Iroquois River stations (Iroquois and Che-
banse) were exceptions, for their suspended sedi-
ment loads remained silt and clay throughout the
year, reflecting the finer glacial lake sediments left
in the Iroquois basin — and giving a cloudy appear-
ance to the water.
The composition analyses of the suspended sedi-
ment load indicated that in all probability the sus-
pended load measured at Momence and Wilmington
is the total load carried by the Kankakee River at
14
FIGURE 7
That peaks in sediment discharge do not always coincide with peaks in water discharge is illustrated here.
Though the two peaks in early March (1979) were nearly the same, the water discharge remained fairly high
through April while the sediment load was comparatively low. The increase in sediment load in mid-April
was during a storm episode.
The contribution of suspended sediment load by
different drainage areas above the four index gaging
stations was different and indicated the nature and
amount of sediment load carried by the river at
various locations. For water year 1979, the sus-
pended load in the Kankakee River at Momence
was 67.7 tons per square mile of drainage area, and
for Chebanse, at the mouth of the Iroquois River,
it was 267 tons per square mile of drainage area.
The drainage areas at these two stations are almost
identical in size. Thus, the watershed of the Iro-
quois River (in both Indiana and Illinois) is ob-
viously contributing much more suspended load
than the watershed of the main stem of the Kanka-
kee River.
Although the Iroquois River carries more suspended sed-
iment load than the main stem of the Kankakee, most of
the suspended load from both rivers is transported all
the way to the Illinois River. In contrast, the bed load in
the Kankakee River requires a much longer time for
most of it to be transported to the Illinois River.
The bed load data were collected at the State
Line Bridge, Iroquois, and Chebanse stations during
flood stages. No significant amount of bed load
was observed to move at other times. Briefly, the
15
those two stations. Actually, the larger rocks, cob-
bles, and boulders that make up the river bed near
Momence and Wilmington create greater turbulence
and thus suspend almost all of the sediment load.
Analysis of the daily suspended load from the
Illinois stations showed that during the flooding
season and within a period of about 60 to 80 days,
approximately 70 to 80 percent of the total yearly
suspended load passed the four main stations in
Illinois. Thus, extensive samples during flood stages
and infrequent samples during other times of the
year may be adequate to account for about 80 per-
cent of the total yearly suspended load in the river.
A simple suspended sediment load budget per-
formed for the stations in Illinois showed the sus-
pended loads passing the stations to be as follows
for water year 1979:
State Line Bridge - 131,900 tons (estimated)
Momence - 157,700 tons
Iroquois - 93,100 tons
Chebanse - 558,500 tons
Wilmington - 932,800 tons
Thus, not all of the sediment in the Kankakee
River in Illinois comes from Indiana. Part of it is
picked up from local sources.
What Happens When a River Is Changed?
A natural river sets its own course and builds its own natural balance or equilibrium. Several physical
characteristics play a role in this balance. The amount of water flowing in the stream, called water discharge (A),
the slope or gradient of the stream (B), the sediment load (C), and the type of bed material through which the
river flows (D) are the important ones, though there are other physical and hydrological variables of lesser im-
portance.
Hydrologists have found that a river will remain in
balance as long as the product of the discharge and
slope (A x B) is proportional to the product of the
sediment load and the median size of the bed material
(C x D). (See top sketch).
However, if for any reason any one of the four
variables is changed, there must be a compensatory
change in one or both of the variables on the other water discharge (A) and stope (B) are proportional to sediment load (C)
and bed material size (D)
side, as the river seeks its balance once again.
The bottom sketch shows a hypothetical example
of how this might work. Here a river has been straight-
ened so that its length has been decreased. The short-
ened length has resulted in an increase in the gradient.
It has been assumed for this example that the water
discharge and bed materials have not changed and are
more or less the same through the length of the river.
In this situation, the only alternative for the river to
achieve equilibrium is to increase its sediment load,
either from scouring its bed and banks or from picking
up materials (washoff) of the watershed. However,
when this increased sediment load is delivered to the
downstream reaches where the gradient has not been
changed, it will be an extra burden — and the river
will deposit this sediment, forming sand bars or islands.
This compensation also occurs when the other vari-
able, water discharge, changes. To balance the river, C (sediment load) must increase to balance
the increase in slope (B)
18
Effects on Aquatic Life
There was concern among Illinois citizens that
sediments, especially sand, washed into the Kanka-
kee River in Indiana are deposited as they reach
the slower-moving Illinois portion of the river and
that these deposits have detrimental effects, in-
cluding a reduction in diversity and abundance of
aquatic life.
Sedimentation adversely affects the aquatic life
of a stream through loss of habitat, direct mortality,
injury, and growth suppression. The degree of dam-
age is directly related to the amount of sediment
deposited.
Although the large expanses of sand in the river
between Momence and the Indiana border have
existed for thousands of years and even though the
sand-associated aquatic communities have devel-
oped together, there was concern that the sand
might move farther downstream, covering bedrock,
boulder, rubble, and gravel substrates (the base on
which an organism lives). If this were to occur as a
result of increased sedimentation, sizable popula-
tions of native species would be eliminated from
these areas.
The Natural History Survey's research for this
biological study was designed to:
1) Assess the impact in Illinois of upstream activities
which might increase sedimentation or sediment trans-
port into the Illinois portion of the river, especially
upstream of the city of Kankakee, by providing quan-
titative estimates of the principal macroinvertebrate
populations, mussels, and fishes associated with known
substrate types
2) Combine this quantitative sampling with additional
qualitative sampling in the Illinois portions of the
river to assess the status of species officially classified
as threatened or endangered by either state or federal
agencies, or species considered rare or unique, or
whose status is uncertain.
Emphasis in this study was on quantitative bio-
logical sampling in the Kankakee River upstream of
the city of Kankakee. Additional sampling was
done as necessary throughout the Illinois portion
of the river to assess the status of threatened, en-
dangered, or rare species. The sampling was done
during October and November of 1979.
Seven sampling sites in the river were selected to
represent the three general substrate types: mostly
sand, mostly coarse rocks, and mixed sand and
Biological Sampling Stations
□ Predominantly sand substrates
Station 1, upstream of Momence (1 mile
SE of llliana Heights)
Station 7, between Aroma Park and the city
of Kankakee (a little over ½ mile WSW of
Aroma Park)
□ Coarse substrates — rock, gravel, cobble, little sand
Station 2, vicinity of Momence (about %
mile WSW)
Station 6, upstream of Aroma Park (3/10
mile SE)
□ Transition area — rock and shallow to deep sand
areas in rapid succession (rather than in long
expanses)
Station 3, about 3½ miles SW of Momence
Station 4, about 4½ miles SW of Momence
Station 5, about 2½ miles SE of Aroma Park
Estimated Substrate Composition (%) at Sampling Stations
coarse rocks (see box on this page). The table shows
the percentage of the various substrate materials
found at each sampling station.
What is the fish population?
In all, 44 species of fishes were collected in 1979
at the seven stations. Sites with sand or silt-sand
substrates supported fewer species, fewer individ-
uals, and lower biomass (total weight of fishes per
unit of area) than did sites with coarser substrates.
The transition area had about the same number of
species and biomass as the coarse substrate areas
but had fewer individuals.
Analyses of the data indicated that if the areas of coarse
substrates were converted to chiefly sand areas, the num-
19
weed shiner are from the sand areas of Iroquois
and Kankakee Counties, where it is a common
creek fish. While never abundant in Illinois, it was
formerly more widely distributed in the northern
and central parts of the state. It also is widely dis-
tributed in the southern states.
The river redhorse is known in Illinois from the
Fox, Kankakee, and Vermilion (of the Wabash
River systems). The largest population appears to
be in the Kankakee. There are too few early records
to make inferences about its former distribution
and abundance.
How have the mussels fared?
Thirteen species of mussels were collected in
1979. Predominantly sand substrates such as those
found upstream of Momence and downstream of
Aroma Park support few, if any, mussels. Density
and number of species varied at sites with substrates
other than predominantly sand. While substrate is
an important factor in the distribution and size of
mussel communities, other factors, such as presence
or absence of fish hosts, are also important.
Since mussels occur at various densities throughout the
upstream portion of the Kankakee River in Illinois, sed-
imentation of the present non-sand areas would destroy
some part of the mussel fauna. Two large and diverse
mussel beds exist upstream at Momence and Aroma Park.
If these areas were covered by deep, rolling sand, a signif-
icant portion of the mussel fauna of the Kankakee River
would be destroyed.
Among the past and present mussel fauna of the
Kankakee River in Illinois, 12 species are rare and/or
threatened with elimination from Illinois and, in
some cases, extinction. These species include
Anodonta imbecillis, Cumberlandia monodonta,
Cyclonaias tuherculata, Dysnomia triquetra, El-
lipsaria lineolata, Lampsilis higginsi, Lasmigona
compressa, Ligumia recta, Plethobasus cyphyus,
Quadrula metanevra, Simpsoniconcha ambigua,
and Villosa iris. Damage by sedimentation to en-
dangered, threatened, or rare species would depend
upon the degree and location of the sedimentation.
How are macroinvertebrates affected?
Benthic macroinvertebrates are organisms large
enough to be visible to the unaided eye that live
on or in the bottoms of streams or lakes. In the
Kankakee River they include a variety of species of
midges, caddisflies, and water beetles. Larvae of
ber of fish species would reduce by about 30 percent,
the number of individuals by about 70 percent, and the
biomass by about 85 percent.
The status of six species of Kankakee River fishes
considered to be endangered, threatened, or rare in
Illinois was reviewed. These are the pallid shiner,
blacknose shiner, northern brook lamprey, ironcolor
shiner, weed shiner, and river redhorse.
The pallid shiner was thought to be eliminated
in Illinois until 1978 when populations were dis-
covered in the Kankakee River at Custer Park (Will
County) and in the Mississippi River in Carroll
County. It is now being considered for legal protec-
tion as an endangered species in Illinois. The popu-
lation remaining in the Kankakee River persists be-
cause of high water quality and clear, rocky habitats.
Increased sand deposition and turbidity in the river
would be detrimental.
At the turn of the century the blacknose shiner
was distributed throughout the northern two-thirds
of Illinois, and its decline has been among the most
dramatic of any Illinois fish. It now occurs in the
state only in parts of the Fox, Green, Rock, and
Kankakee Rivers. The blacknose shiner is restricted
primarily to tributaries of the Kankakee in Illinois
and is seldom found in the main stream. It does
well in sand substrates, and in fact prefers them. So
increased sand deposition would probably not have
a significant detrimental effect upon the blacknose
shiner. However, the total consequences of habitat
and other alterations in the river as a result of in-
creased sand deposition are unknown. Even a small
change could be serious for a species already suffer-
ing a decline.
The northern brook lamprey was found in the
Kankakee River in Kankakee County in the early
1960's, and has since been found at two additional
sites in the river. Northeastern Illinois, northern In-
diana, and the northern half of Ohio are on the
southern periphery of its range, and distribution of
this lamprey is sporadic. In Illinois, it is restricted
to the Kankakee River.
The ironcolor shiner is restricted to the sand-
bottom creeks in Iroquois and Kankakee Counties,
where it is common, and Mason and Tazewell Coun-
ties, where it is uncommon and sporadic in occur-
rence. It once was found in the Des Plaines River in
Cook County. It is generally distributed and ap-
parently common in most of the southern states.
All but two of the known Illinois records for the
20
Preventive and Remedial Measures
The preventive and remedial measures suggested
here are based on the analyses and interpretations
of the data collected in water year 1979. This is a
very short data base, though at present the only
data base available, which should be remembered
in interpreting the suggested measures. The data
base was augmented by an extensive literature
search and input from various agencies and re-
searchers.
There are two ways to reduce the sediment load
in a river: to take preventive measures, and to take
remedial measures. If it is at all possible, it is better
to use preventive measures rather than to have to
solve an existing problem. (Sources of information
about methods of carrying out these measures are
given in the Water Survey's study document.) The
following are preventive measures that should be
given serious consideration:
1) Best Management Practices (BMPs) on the watershed.
These should include the whole watershed, both in
The number of species would be reduced approximately
36 percent if moderate increases in the transport of sand
sediment occur and create conditions comparable to
those observed in the transition area. If increased sand
were to move downstream to cover existing gravel, rub-
ble, and bedrock with deep, rolling sand, the number of
species would be reduced approximately 65 percent. Al-
though the density of invertebrates occurring among dif-
ferent substrate types varies, the coarse substrates gener-
ally supported greater mean numbers per unit area.
The character of the substrate may be the pri-
mary physical factor influencing the distribution
and abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates in
the Kankakee River. Thus, any variable that affects
the nature of the riverbed will produce a corre-
sponding effect upon the invertebrates inhabiting it.
Although the large expanses of sand in the Kan-
kakee River between Momence and the Indiana
border and downstream of Aroma Park have existed
for a long time, the movement of sand farther
downstream to cover exposed gravel, rubble, and
bedrock substrates will have a significant impact
upon benthic macroinvertebrates.
Indiana and in Illinois. It is better to control the
source of the sediment than it is to control it once it
has reached the stream. The following BMPs may be
suitable for the Kankakee basin, especially in relation
to agricultural land: access road protection; conserva-
tion cropping systems; conservation tillage systems
such as no-till, chisel planting, plow planting; contour
farming; cover crop; crop residue use; "debris basin"
to catch debris; grade stabilization; field border and
filter strips; strip cropping; terraces; grassed water-
ways; and others. These and other methods should
help in reducing sheet, rill, and gully erosion from the
watershed.
2) Proper repair and maintenance of drainage ditches
and levees. This can prevent excessive sediment load
in the river. Repair work in which dredged spoils are
dumped on top of the bank should be avoided, since
most of these materials will eventually erode back to
the ditch and to the river. When such repair work
is necessary, the exposed banks should be pro-
tected either by artificial means or by natural protec-
tion such as seeding.
21
aquatic insects are an important part of the aquatic
food chain.
In 1979, 143 species of benthic macroinverte-
brates were collected. Their diversity increased
with increasing diversity of the habitat. That is, sites
with progressively more complex substrates sup-
ported a greater variety of species. Sites where sand
or sand-silt substrates predominated supported few-
er species than sites with substrates composed of
varying amounts of silt, sand, gravel, cobble, and
bedrock.
For example, in the predominantly sand areas
upstream of Momence and downstream of Aroma
Park, only 25 to 28 species were collected; in the
transition area (where bedrock and shallow to deep
sand areas occur in rapid succession), 44 to 50 taxa
were collected; and at sites with the most complex
substrates of silt, sand, gravel, cobble, and bedrock,
70 to 80 taxa were found.
In the Kankakee River, the conversion of areas
where coarse substrates predominate to areas chiefly
composed of sand (as a result of erosion from snag
removal or bank clearing upstream) would reduce
the number of invertebrate taxa.
FIGURE 10
In Indiana at this location, well-established trees and other
vegetation are protecting the banks of the channelized
Kankakee River.
FIGURE 11
Also in Indiana some locations along the Kankakee River
are bare of vegetation. Bank erosion is evident at these
locations.
3) Minimal disturbance of the banks. If at all possible,
the banks of the main stem of the Kankakee River
should not be disturbed. Bank materials of die river
in Indiana are basically sand. Roots and vegetation
are protecting these banks, but examples of erosion
of exposed banks were found (see Figures 10 and 11).
If the banks are disturbed by clearing of the vegeta-
tion or trees, the exposed bank may erode and dump
the sandy materials in the river, increasing its sedi-
ment load.
4) Avoidance of structural disturbance of the river. The
main stem of the Kankakee River in Illinois and
Indiana (up to Highway 30) is basically stable. Any
man-made disturbance will alter this equilibrium and
may initiate bed and bank erosion. A skewed railroad
bridge upstream of Shelby is responsible for initiating
bank erosion on the downstream left side and then on
the right side of the river. This illustrates the adverse
consequences of structural modification on the river.
5) Reduction of sediment excesses from construction
activities. During construction activities, excessive
amounts of sediment may be released from the
watershed to the stream and its tributaries. There are
various methods available to reduce the sediment load
from such activities.
6) Artificial and natural means for preventing erosion.
Erosion from the watershed can be prevented by
using near-stream vegetation, grassed waterways,
chemical treatment, soil stabilization, and mulching.
Since sediment is already a problem in limited
areas, some remedial measures that have been used
by various researchers and administrators are des-
cribed briefly below.
1) Construction of detention reservoirs, sedimentation
ponds, or settling basins. Sediment carried by the
stream can be removed by initially forcing the sedi-
ment particles to settle out in a semistagnant pool
and then removing these settled particles by physical
means. Normally, detention reservoirs and settling
basins are designed to remove sediment from water-
sheds of much smaller size than that of the Kankakee
River. However, it is feasible to use settling basins for
sub-watersheds within the Kankakee River Basin
where erosion is a problem.
2) Development of side channel flood retention basins.
Here the flood water is allowed to move into a side
channel flood retention reservoir where the suspended
sediment will setde out. During low flows, these basins
are not affected by the flow from the main channel.
Depending upon the size of the watershed and the
size and location of the side channel detention
basin, these basins can be very effective for settling
sediment particles. Work done on Horseshoe Lake in
Illinois has shown the effectiveness of this type of
basin.
3) Removal of deposited sediment by dredging. Re-
moving the deposited sediment from the stream, lake,
or reservoir by dredging is another remedial measure
that can be undertaken.
The main purpose of describing the preventive
and remedial measures is to inform the reader about
the various alternatives that are available. No com-
parison is made between these alternatives, and no
suggestion is made as to the suitability of one over
another. Before any remedial measures are adopted,
they must be thoroughly investigated and all the
benefits and adverse effects studied. The preventive
measures can be adopted and implemented with
the least difficulty. Some of the suggested measures
are nothing but good engineering and management
practices that should be followed whether or not a
problem related to excessive sediment load is
present.
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FIGURE 12
Flooding of the Kankakee River is still a problem! This scene was photographed on June 17, 1981. The
main channel of the river is the circle around the trees at the top of the picture.
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Conclusions
The major conclusions from the three scientific studies are these:
The Kankakee River as we see it today is the result of many natural and man-
made activities. The channelization of the upper stem of the river in Indiana did change
the river regime and did result in more sedimentation in the downstream reaches in
Illinois. It did not solve all the problems of drainage and flooding.
The Kankakee River has now balanced itself and is quite stable — in both states.
In Illinois it still maintains a healthy quality, a sturdy aquatic life, and scenic beauty.
It still floods in the flooding season. It still carries sediment downstream from Indiana
into Illinois. The misnamed "ledge" near Momence is not a removable object like a
dam but a 4-mile stretch of bedrock on which the river flows.
However, any change in this new, balanced regime of the river will only unbal-
ance the system once again. Further dredging, clearing, or construction can lead to more
bed and bank erosion and more sediment and to serious disturbance to the aquatic life.
The several preventive or restorative recommendations stemming from these
studies indicate one general thought:
If at all possible, leave the river alone — work on improving the land around it.
Epilog
After the 1978-1979 studies, the Water Survey continued to monitor the Kan-
kakee River under the auspices of the Illinois Institute of Natural Resources (now the
Department of Energy and Natural Resources). In particular, the Survey hydrologists
are monitoring the sediment load and hydraulics of flow at the Momence, Iroquois,
Chebanse, and Wilmington stream gaging stations, as well as sand bar movement in the
Kankakee River.
The continuing data indicate that the sand bar at the state line appears to be an
annual phenomenon. The second year's assessment of the suspended sediment load
showed that the relationship between water discharge and sediment discharge was
nearly the same as in water year 1979. About 60 to 90 percent of the annual suspended
sediment load moved in a period of 80 to 100 days in water year 1980, which was
nearly the same time span as in 1979. The storage capacity of Six Mile Pool in 1980
was slightly more than that in 1978, indicating some net scouring of the pool.
The Water Survey hopes that the monitoring of the Kankakee River can be
continued as long as 10 years, if not longer, in order to get a clearer picture of trends in
sediment loads and to observe the results of any future changes in the river.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the several reviewers of this sum-
mary document for their very helpful comments and sug-
gestions: Stanley A. Changnon, Jr., Chief of the Illinois State
Water Survey; Richard J. Schicht, Assistant Chief William C
Ackermann, Chief Emeritus; and David Jones, Environmental
Scientist of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources.
Appreciation also is extended to the major contributors to
the Kankakee River research projects conducted by the three
Scientific Surveys: Allen P. Bonini, William C Bogner, and
Richard P. Byrne of the State Water Survey; Liane B. Suloway
and Lawrence M. Page of the Natural History Survey; and
Richard C Berg of the State Geological Survey.
Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois
(9-81-2500)
24