North Branch Kishwaukee River

The North Branch Kishwaukee River is a 17.1-mile-long (27.5 km)[1] tributary of the Kishwaukee River in northern Illinois.[2][3]

North Branch Kishwaukee River
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMcHenry County northeast of Harvard, Illinois
 • coordinates42°26′49″N 88°32′17″W / 42.4469444°N 88.5380556°W / 42.4469444; -88.5380556 (North Branch Kishwaukee River origin)
 • elevation966 ft (294 m)
Mouth 
 • location
Confluence with the Kishwaukee east of Marengo, Illinois
 • coordinates
42°15′57″N 88°33′04″W / 42.2658333°N 88.5511111°W / 42.2658333; -88.5511111 (North Branch Kishwaukee River mouth)
 • elevation
810 ft (250 m)
Length17 mi (27 km)
Basin features
ProgressionNorth Branch Kishwaukee River → Kishwaukee → Rock → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico
GNIS ID414567

Course edit

The North Branch Kishwaukee River northeast of Harvard, Illinois and flows south through McHenry County.[4] to join the Kishwaukee River east of Marengo.[1] It drains approximately 40 square miles (100 km2) of land area,[4] flowing for 17 miles.[1]


Description edit

The North Branch Kishwaukee River flows in an east–west direction from its point of origin and has a generally unimpeded flow, save a dam at Belvidere, Illinois.[5] The North Branch has an average width of 50 feet (15 m), but in Boone County the stream becomes both wider and deeper.[5] Nearer its point of origin the North Branch has a substrate of gravel, the substrate becomes sand and silt going further downstream.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 19, 2011
  2. ^ 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).
  3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Branch Kishwaukee River
  4. ^ a b Kishwaukee River Area Assessment, Volume 2: Water Resources, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Scientific Research and Analysis, 1998, p. 1, accessed January 22, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c Kishwaukee River Basin: An Inventory of the Regions Resources Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine, Regional Watershed Assessment, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, p. 2 Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine.