Little Wabash River

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Little Wabash River
Littlewabashrivermap.png
Map of the Little Wabash River highlighted within the Wabash River watershed
Little Wabash River
Physical characteristics
Source 
  location Coles County west of Mattoon, Illinois
  coordinates 39°28′31″N88°27′30″W / 39.4753117°N 88.458384°W / 39.4753117; -88.458384 (Little Wabash River origin)
Mouth  
  location
Confluence with the Wabash River near New Haven, Illinois
  coordinates
37°53′27″N88°05′40″W / 37.8908788°N 88.0944784°W / 37.8908788; -88.0944784 (Little Wabash River mouth)
  elevation
341 ft (104 m)
Length242 mi (389 km)
Discharge 
  location Carmi, IL
  average2,978 cu/ft. per sec. [1]
Basin features
ProgressionLittle Wabash → WabashOhioMississippiGulf of Mexico
GNIS ID 412430
West Branch Little Wabash River
Little Wabash River
Physical characteristics
Source 
  location Shelby County southeast of Windsor
  coordinates 39°25′08″N88°32′46″W / 39.4189247°N 88.5461654°W / 39.4189247; -88.5461654 (West Branch Little Wabash River origin)
Mouth  
  location
Confluence with the Little Wabash River, Shelby County, Illinois
  coordinates
39°17′49″N88°32′45″W / 39.29697°N 88.54594°W / 39.29697; -88.54594 (West Branch Little Wabash River mouth)
  elevation
568 ft (173 m)
Basin features
ProgressionWest Branch → Little Wabash → WabashOhioMississippiGulf of Mexico
GNIS ID 420792

The Little Wabash River is a 240-mile-long (390 km) [2] [3] 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.

Contents

Course

The Little Wabash rises in Coles County near Mattoon and flows generally southwardly through Shelby, Effingham, Clay, Richland, Wayne, Edwards and White counties, past the towns of Louisville, Golden Gate, Carmi and New Haven. It enters the Wabash River on the common boundary of White and Gallatin counties, about 4 miles (6 km) southeast of New Haven.

In its upper course in Shelby County, the river is dammed to form Lake Mattoon and collects the short West Branch Little Wabash River, which flows for its entire length in Shelby County. Other tributaries include the Fox River, which joins it in Edwards County; the Elm River, which joins it in Wayne County; and the Skillet Fork, which joins it in White County.

See also

References

  1. "USGS Current Conditions for USGS 03381500 LITTLE WABASH RIVER AT CARMI, IL".
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Wabash River
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine , accessed May 19, 2011