Vermilion River (Wabash River tributary)

Last updated
Vermilion River
Vermilion wabashrivermap.png
Map of the Vermilion River (including the Salt, Middle, and North forks) highlighted within the Wabash River watershed.
Vermilion (Wabash).jpg
Vermilion River watershed (Interactive map)
Location
CountryUnited States
Physical characteristics
Source 
  location Confluence of the Middle Fork and Salt Fork west of Danville, Illinois
  coordinates 40°06′13″N87°43′01″W / 40.1036474°N 87.716968°W / 40.1036474; -87.716968 (Vermilion River origin)
Mouth  
  location
Wabash River northeast of Cayuga, Indiana
  coordinates
39°57′31″N87°26′24″W / 39.9586493°N 87.4400157°W / 39.9586493; -87.4400157 (Vermilion River mouth)
  elevation
472 ft (144 m)
Length28.4 miles (45.7 km) [1]
Discharge 
  location Danville, Illinois
  average1,078 cu/ft. per sec. [2]
Basin features
ProgressionVermilion River → WabashOhioMississippiGulf of Mexico
Tributaries 
  left Middle Fork, North Fork
  right Salt Fork
GNIS ID 445248

The Vermilion River is a tributary of the Wabash River in the states of Illinois and Indiana, United States. [3]

Contents

There are two "Vermilion Rivers" in Illinois. The Wabash tributary flows south, while the other Vermilion River flows north to the Illinois River. There are also two Little Vermilion rivers, one flowing into the Wabash River and one into the Illinois.

The north-flowing Vermilion River and the south-flowing Middle Fork Vermilion River lie along a straight line connecting Oglesby and Danville. The two rivers drain what was once an upland marsh near Roberts. The two rivers have been extended by drainage ditches so that they nearly connect at their headwaters. The rivers may share a common name because early settlers regarded them as a single river that flowed two directions. The rivers may have served as a canoe route between the Illinois River and Wabash River, with a portage through the marshes near Roberts.

Tributaries

The main tributaries of the Vermilion River join near Danville:

The Vermilion starts with the confluence of the Salt Fork and Middle Fork, to be joined by the North Fork approximately 5 miles (8 km) downstream.

The Salt Fork is the western tributary. It arises north of Urbana, flowing east toward Danville. It was named for the saline springs in its lower reaches. When settlers first arrived in the area, the saline springs were the basis of the dominant industry.

The Middle Fork arises near Roberts, and flows southeast toward Danville. The Middle Fork is notable as the only river in Illinois designated as a National Wild and Scenic River by United States National Park Service. This scenic stream flows through Kickapoo State Park near Danville and is a favorite of Illinois canoeists.

The North Fork arises in Indiana to the northeast of Hoopeston, Illinois. It flows south and southwest toward Danville.

From Danville, the Vermilion River flows to its confluence with the Wabash River to the east of the Illinois/Indiana border.

Cities and counties

The following cities, towns and villages are among those in the Vermilion River watershed:

Portions of the following counties are drained by the Vermilion River:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermilion County, Illinois</span> County in Illinois, United States

Vermilion County is a county in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 74,188. It contains 21 incorporated settlements; the county seat and largest city is Danville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois River (Oklahoma)</span> Scenic Ozark river in Arkansas and Oklahoma

The Illinois River is a 145-mile-long (233 km) tributary of the Arkansas River in the U.S. states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The Osage Indians named it Ne-eng-wah-kon-dah, which translates as "Medicine Stone River". The state of Oklahoma has designated its portion as a Scenic River.

The Blackwater River is a 79.3-mile-long (127.6 km) tributary of the Lamine River in west-central Missouri in the United States. Via the Lamine and Missouri rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. The Blackwater River was named from the character of its banks and water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mackinaw River</span> River

The Mackinaw River is a 130-mile-long (210 km) tributary of the Illinois River in the U.S. state of Illinois. Its watershed covers approximately 1,136 square miles (3,000 km2), and contains some of the most productive agricultural land in the United States. The river itself maintains some of the highest quality streams in the state and provides habitat for 60-70 native fish species and 25-30 species of mussels. Its name, also spelled Mackinac, is derived from the Ojibwe word mikinaak meaning "turtle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embarras River (Illinois)</span> River in Illinois, United States

The Embarras River is a 195-mile-long (314 km) tributary of the Wabash River in southeastern Illinois in the United States. The waters of the Embarras reach the Gulf of Mexico via the Wabash, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers. The river drains a watershed around 1,566,450 acres (6,339.2 km2) in an agricultural region. It arises near Champaign-Urbana and flows south to near Vincennes, Indiana. The name comes from French explorers, who used the French word, embarras, for river navigation obstacles, blockages, and difficulties relating to logjams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Wabash River</span> Wabash River tributary in Illinois

The Little Wabash River is a 240-mile-long (390 km) tributary of the Wabash River in east-central and southeastern Illinois in the United States. Via the Wabash and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. It is the third largest tributary after the White River and the Embarras River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boneyard Creek</span> Creek in Illinois, U.S.

Boneyard Creek is a 3.3-mile-long (5.3 km) waterway that drains much of the cities of Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, United States. It is a tributary of the Saline Branch of the Salt Fork Vermilion River, which is a tributary of the south-flowing Vermilion River and the Wabash River. The creek flows through the northern sections of the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The newsletter of the university's ACM chapter is Banks of the Boneyard, named after the creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermilion River (Illinois River tributary)</span> River

The Vermilion River is a 74.8-mile-long (120.4 km) tributary of the Illinois River in the state of Illinois, United States. The river flows north, in contrast to a second Vermilion River in Illinois, which flows south to the Wabash River. The Illinois and Wabash rivers each have a tributary named the Little Vermilion River as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Fork Vermilion River</span> River

The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is a tributary of the Vermilion River in Illinois. The Middle Fork rises in Ford County and flows southeast to join the Vermilion near Danville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salt Fork Vermilion River</span> River

The Salt Fork is a tributary of the Vermilion River located in the Central Corn Belt Plains of Illinois.

Bonpas Creek is a tributary of the Wabash River in Illinois. It rises to the east of Olney in Richland County, Illinois. Flowing south, it forms the boundary between Edwards and Wabash counties. The creek is 58.4 miles (94.0 km) long. It joins the Wabash near Grayville, Illinois. In the last 2 miles (3 km) of its watercourse, it occupies part of a former Wabash oxbow bend. As such, the creek now also forms part of the state boundary between White County, Illinois, and Gibson County, Indiana, as flows past Grayville in the former channel.

The Fox River is a tributary of the Little Wabash River in southern Illinois. It rises in Jasper County to the southeast of Newton and flows south past Olney, then joins the Little Wabash at the northeast corner of Edwards County, near Mt. Erie. The river is 46.4 miles (74.7 km) in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Okaw River</span> River

The West Okaw River is a tributary of the Kaskaskia River, which it joins in Moultrie County, Illinois. The West Okaw forms an arm of Lake Shelbyville where the natural rivers used to meet.

Salt Creek is a major tributary to the Sangamon River, which it joins at the boundary between Mason and Menard County, Illinois. There are at least two other Salt Creeks in Illinois, Salt Creek, and in Effingham County, Illinois.

The Little Vermilion River is a 34.7-mile-long (55.8 km) tributary of the Illinois River, which it joins near LaSalle, Illinois, opposite the north-flowing Vermilion River. There is another "Little Vermilion River" in Illinois which is a tributary of the Wabash River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urbana Township, Champaign County, Illinois</span> Township in Illinois, United States

Urbana Township is a township in Champaign County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 7,556 and it contained 3,463 housing units.

This article is a timeline of Vermilion County, Illinois history.

The Saline Branch, or Saline Branch Ditch, is a tributary of the Vermilion River in east central Illinois. It drains a parcel of east-central Champaign County, including most of the city of Urbana, Illinois and the University of Illinois campus within Urbana.

References

  1. "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved Feb 8, 2011.
  2. "USGS Current Conditions for USGS 03339000 VERMILION RIVER NEAR DANVILLE, IL".
  3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Vermilion River