1

U.S. Department of Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

 May 2001

District Web Site: http://il.water.usgs.gov/ Compiled by D.M. Ayers

MESSAGE FROM ROBERT R. HOLMES, JR., ILLINOIS DISTRICT CHIEF

Mega-livestock farms, urban sprawl, arsenic in ground water, nonpoint source 

pollution, total maximum daily loads (TMDL’s), Gulf Coast Hypoxia, diversion of 

Lake Michigan waters, peaker power plants, brownfields redevelopment, droughts, 

flooding—most of these terms are familiar to many of you. Each involves a waterresources issue of some kind and most are hotly debated. Legislation and in some 

cases, regulation and legal challenges surround many of these issues. Although political by the fact that they all involve public policy, these issues require the assistance of 

the scientific community to address and resolve.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment 

(NAWQA) program is an example of the science community providing information 

and analysis for relevant public policy issues. In the 1980’s, the United States Congress 

asked then USGS Chief Hydrologist Philip Cohen whether the quality of the Nation’s 

waters were improving or degrading. This question was (and is) indeed a hot topic. For 

the past 20+ years, in addition to other efforts, billions of tax-payer dollars have been 

spent on building and upgrading wastewater treatment plants to improve the quality of 

effluent discharged into receiving waters. Congress also anticipated spending billions 

more dollars in the future on other issues surrounding the Clean Water Act and wanted 

answers to whether these expenditures were truly improving the Nation’s streams, rivers, and lakes. The question from Congress was posed to the Chief Hydrologist 

because, through the years, the USGS had (and has) maintained a reputation of objective, sound science regarding the Nation’s resources; a reputation that USGS works 

very hard to maintain by rigorous peer technical review of the information—basic data 

and the interpretation of that data—we provide to the public and policy makers.

At the time of Congress’s question, the Chief Hydrologist could not provide an 

answer for much of the Nation. The USGS had done studies of various drainages but 

nothing of the regional and national scope for which Congress was asking. From this 

and subsequent exchanges grew the seed for the NAWQA program, with the primary 

objective of answering how the quality of the Nation’s waters are faring through time. 

In Illinois, we are fortunate to be involved with two NAWQA studies: the lower Illinois 

River Basin, which encompasses the drainage area from Ottawa to Valley City; and the 

upper Illinois River Basin, which encompasses the entire Illinois River basin upstream 

from Ottawa, including the Chicago metropolitan area.

This issue of our newsletter includes an overview article of the results of the 

recently completed lower Illinois River Basin NAWQA study. I encourage you to read 

the article and to order the summary report. NAWQA is the type of endeavor that provides scientific information to those who have the difficult task of making public policy.

Water Resources Update

Illinois District Newsletter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message from the District Chief . . . . .1

Newsletters on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Lower Illinois River Basin NAWQA 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Frequency Analysis for Peak 

Streamflows of Unaltered Watersheds 

in Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Employee Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Cooperator Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Lake Michigan Diversion . . . . . . . . . .6

From the Mailbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Illinois District Publications . . . . . . . .8

NEWSLETTERS ON THE

WEB

The Illinois District Newsletters are 

now available for downloading from 

the District’s public Web site at

http://ilwater.usgs.gov/. Click on “Hot 

Issues” or “Publications” to download 

the previous issues. They are large 

PDF files, so it will take time. You also 

may obtain additional paper copies by 

calling Donna Ayers at (217) 344-

0037, extension 3053 or by email at 

dmayers@usgs.gov.
2

Stream and river highlights

During the past century, agricultural runoff, channel and drainage 

modifications, urbanization, and 

other activities have altered water 

quality, aquatic biological communities, and aquatic habitat in the Lower 

Illinois River Basin. During 1995–

98, the water quality of large rivers, 

such as the Illinois and Sangamon 

Rivers, was more likely to meet 

drinking-water standards than water 

quality of small streams. In spring, 

concentrations of nitrate—especially 

in small streams—exceeded the 

Maximum Contaminant Level 

(MCL) of 10 mg/L (milligrams per 

liter) for drinking water. Some 

streams replenish drinking-water 

reservoirs. In samples collected during runoff from spring and early 

summer storms, concentrations of 

herbicides and a few insecticides 

exceeded drinking-water standards 

or guidelines, or guidelines to protect aquatic life. In a few samples 

from small streams, concentrations 

of commonly used agricultural pesticides were among the highest 

nationally. Although most concentrations were low with respect to 

existing drinking-water standards or 

guidelines, criteria for the protection of human health or wildlife have 

not been established for more than 

one-half of the chemicals detected.

• Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were among the 

highest in the Nation. The highest concentrations in the basin 

were found in small streams in 

agricultural areas. The MCL for 

nitrate was exceeded in 15 percent of samples from all streams 

and rivers. The concentration of 

total phosphorus in most samples (79 percent) from all 

streams and rivers exceeded the 

0.1 mg/L guideline recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(USEPA) to prevent excess algal 

growth in streams.

• Nitrate concentrations in the Illinois River at the inflow to the 

basin (Ottawa) and outflow from 

the basin (Valley City) were 

similar; however, approximately 

twice the amount of nitrogen 

was transported out of the basin 

(124,000 tons per year) as was 

transported into the basin 

(66,000 tons per year) (fig.1).

• During August 1997, concentrations of nitrate in streams were 

lower in the basin than in other 

NAWQA study-area streams of 

the upper Midwest. Algal communities may have incorporated 

much of the instream nitrogen, 

resulting in lower nitrate concentrations in the water during 

late summer.

• Three herbicides commonly 

used by farmers to protect corn 

and soybean crops—atrazine, 

metolachlor, and cyanazine—

were detected in every sample 

collected during 1995–98. During periods of spring runoff, 

these herbicides exceeded drinking-water standards or guidelines, or aquatic-life guidelines. 

Another herbicide, acetochlor, 

was detected in most samples 

(81 percent).

• Pesticide breakdown products 

were detected much more frequently than the parent compound and, generally, at higher 

concentrations and for a longer 

period of time after application.

• Organochlorine compounds 

(including insecticides no longer 

used) were detected in fish tissue 

and sediment, and polycyclic 

aromatic hydrocarbons were 

detected in sediments at levels of 

concern.

• The biological communities of 

streams in the basin comprised 

many organisms that are tolerant 

of poor water quality; however, 

some high-velocity streams had 

fairly diverse invertebrate communities.

Trends in stream-water quality

For decades, fertilizers and 

many pesticides have been applied to 

crops and land. The persistence of 

pesticides and breakdown products 

in the soil, water, and sediment 

within a watershed is not well understood. In the Illinois River, concentrations of the herbicides alachlor 

and cyanazine, however, decreased 

from the 1991–92 period to the 

1996–98 period because of reduced 

application rates since the early 

1990s (fig. 2).

Ground-water highlights

In contrast to the water quality 

of streams and rivers in the basin and 

the quality of ground water in other 

areas across the Nation, agricultural 

chemicals in ground-water samples 

from shallow monitoring wells (generally less than 100 feet deep) and 

drinking-water wells only rarely 

exceeded the nitrate MCL. Except 

for radon and nitrate, shallow 

ground-water quality in the lower 

Illinois River Basin generally met 

drinking-water standards or guidelines. Except for radon and arsenic, 

the water quality in the Mahomet 

aquifer (greater than 200 feet deep) 

LOWER ILLINOIS RIVER BASIN NAWQA SUMMARY

BY

GEORGE GROSCHEN
3

INFLOW

(Illinois River at Ottawa)

OUTFLOW

(Illinois River at Valley City)

Nitrate

Total phosphorus

140

AVERAGE ANNUAL LOAD,

IN THOUSANDS OF TONS120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Sampled from April 1991

through March 1992

Sampled from Oct. 1996

through Sept. 1998

MONTHLY MEAN CONCENTRATION,

IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER

Detection limit

for 1991–92

samples

MONTHLY MEAN CONCENTRATION,

IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER

Sampled from April 1991

through March 1992

Sampled from Oct. 1996

through Sept. 1998

Detection limit

for 1991–92

samples

MONTH SAMPLES COLLECTED

J FM AMJ JA S OND

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.0

0

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

3.0

2.0

1.0

Cyanazine

Alachlor

meets all drinking-water standards 

or guidelines.

• Major corn and soybean herbicides were not as frequently 

detected in ground-water samples as in stream-water samples. 

No ground-water sample 

exceeded drinking-water standards or guidelines for pesticides.

• Concentrations naturally occurring arsenic exceeded the current 

MCL of 50 mg/L in 2 of 30 

wells sampled in the Mahomet 

aquifer, a major drinking-water 

source. If the MCL is lowered to 

10 mg/L, as proposed by the 

USEPA, samples from 43 percent (13 of 30) of the domestic 

(private household) and publicsupply (publicly owned wells 

generally serving a community) 

wells sampled exceeded the 

lower standard.

• Geologic materials underlying 

the basin indicate that it is an 

area of potentially high radon 

concentrations in ground water. 

In about one-half of the samples 

of shallow ground water concentrations, radon exceeded the proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L 

(picocuries per liter). Only 2 of 

the 30 samples from the Mahomet aquifer exceeded the proposed radon MCL.

• Volatile organic compounds 

(VOCs) were detected in samples from 83 percent of shallow 

domestic and public-supply 

wells, but no samples exceeded 

drinking-water standards or 

guidelines. VOCs were detected 

in 80 percent of samples from 

the Mahomet aquifer but at concentrations near the method 

detection limit and well below 

drinking-water standards and 

guidelines.

Figure 1. About twice as much nitrate and total phosphorus leaves the lower Illinois 

River Basin as enters it. The loads for the upper Illinois River Basin—the basin 

upstream from Ottawa—are about one-half of the respective loads for the lower Illinois River Basin.

Figure 2. Cyanazine and alachlor—commonly used to protect crops from weeds—

were detected in most surface-water samples in the basin. However, the mean concentrations of these two herbicides declined substantially from the levels found in water 

samples collected from the Illinois River at Valley City in the early 1990s. Use of 

alachlor in the basin has declined to almost zero in recent years, and the use of cyanazine is decreasing in anticipation of its registration ending in 2003.
4

Log-Pearson 3 

Generalized Pareto

Gumbel

Exponential

partial duration series (open circle)

annual maximum series (solid circle)

Blackberry Creek at Yorkville, 05551700

100

1000

Discharge, cfs

99.99 99.90 99.00 90.00 70.00 50.00 30.00 10.00 1.00 0.10 0.01

Probability of exceedance

Peak streamflows of selected 

frequencies are needed in designing 

the capacity of hydraulic structures, 

such as culverts at stream crossings, 

floodways for drainage and/or flood 

control, and spillways for dams and 

reservoirs, or for planning the safety 

and economic use of water-resources 

projects. Also, peak streamflows are 

useful in designing and maintaining 

stable and sustainable habitats for 

ecosystem management.

Peak streamflows are of random 

nature, and the objective frequency 

analysis is to relate the magnitude of 

peak flow to the frequency of occurrence. Therefore, both the techniques used and data availability will 

affect the results, especially the estimates at low and high recurrence 

intervals—the values often sought in 

engineering practices. Improving 

these estimates using improved techniques and longer data records is 

needed for Illinois considering the 

broad range of applications.

The USGS, Water Resources 

Division, Illinois District and the 

Illinois Department of Natural 

Resources, Office of Water 

Resources (IDNR, OWR) are collaborating on a project to analyze the 

frequencies of peak streamflows. 

This project is focusing on watersheds unaffected by urbanization and 

stream regulation. The project began 

in July 2000 and is scheduled for 

completion in September 2002.

The last frequency analysis for 

streamflows in Illinois was performed by Curtis (1987) on the basis 

of data available to 1985. More than 

14 years of additional data (up to 

1999) are available, including flood 

flows for 1993 and 1996. The affect 

of the new data on flood estimates 

will be examined through the analysis of the updated annual maximum 

series (AMS), which is the conventional data series for analyzing peak 

streamflows. A primary project task 

is to analyze the peak streamflow 

frequencies using the partial duration series (PDS). In the field of 

channel maintenance and habitat 

management, the more frequent 

floods (floods that occur on the order 

of 1.4 to 1.8 years return intervals) 

are of interest. The AMS, however, 

tends to give lower estimates on 

more frequent floods because the 

maximum discharge in a year or 

consecutive years may be much 

smaller than the second, third, 

fourth, ... floods occurring in the 

next year. Flood peaks above a base 

value are used in the PDS. Therefore, the PDS is expected to give 

more appropriate estimates of flood 

peaks in these ranges of floods. 

After the two types of analyses 

(AMS and PDS) are completed, the 

third task is to incorporate the two 

results and to derive the regional 

equations. The AMS and PDS are 

performed at gages with a minimum 

of 10 years of record. Regionalization is the method to extend the 

results to ungaged sites so that 

proper estimates can be obtained. 

Two improvements are proposed in 

the approach: (1) use updated basin 

characteristics from geographic 

information system analysis, and 

other new information, such as the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

FREQUENCY ANALYSIS FOR PEAK STREAMFLOWS OF RURAL WATERSHEDS IN ILLINOIS

BY

DAVID SOONG

Figure 1. The annual maximum series is fitted with Log-Pearson Type III distribution and the partial duration series is fitted by the Exponential, Gumbel, and Generalized Pareto distributions. The 

number of data points for PDS has been truncated for plotting purposes. Currently, sample 

moments are used to estimate the statistical parameters in the PDS analysis, and testing on base 

values is underway. CFS, cubic feet per second.
5

Jon (Jay) Angel began his career 

as a volunteer for science at the De 

Kalb Subdistrict Office in February 

1995. He was hired as a student 

employee shortly afterwards. As a 

student, his duties involved assisting 

the hydrologists with various 

projects, such as the Lake County 

rainfall runoff project and assisting 

in collecting sediment, and total and 

dissolved phosphorus samples. He 

finished his Master of Science 

Degree in Physical Geography at 

Northern Illinois University in 

August 1997. His thesis focused on 

regional differences in sediment 

transport trends in the Illinois River 

Basin. Immediately after completion 

of his degree, he became a full-time 

employee.

As a full-time employee, Jay 

spends most of his time involved in 

the stream gaging program. He has a 

network of 16 gages that range from 

the extreme north side of Chicago to 

the Wisconsin State line. “It is quite 

challenging to ensure that the entire 

stream gaging network is collecting 

accurate data, especially during 

extreme weather conditions,” Jay 

stated. His favorite parts of the job 

are troubleshooting faulty gages and 

making ice measurements.

Jay also measures water-quality 

parameters, such as dissolved oxygen and specific conductivity, as 

well as collecting samples that will 

be analyzed in the laboratory for 

bacteria and phosphorus.

In 1997, Jay was invited to serve 

on a committee with the Northeastern Regional Hydrologist which 

addressed the retention problem 

with hydrologic technicians. “This 

invitation was definitely one of the 

highlights of my career so far,” 

stated Jay. As a result of his experience on this committee, Jay was 

invited to join the U.S. Geological 

Surveywide Bureau Outreach 

Recruitment Team. This team was 

tasked with increasing the diversity 

of the U.S. Geological Survey by 

identifying methods of recruiting 

underrepresented minorities. Being 

on this team gave Jay a sense of who 

comprises the U.S. Geological Survey because he had the opportunity 

to meet people from the different 

divisions and talk to people from 

different parts of the country.

Jay spends a great deal of his 

off-duty time fishing and has been 

an avid fisherman for his entire life. 

A couple of years ago, he began 

writing an outdoor column for his 

local newspaper and fishing in walleye tournaments.

Jay is the proud father of Laren 

Elizabeth who is 21 months old and 

9-month-old Matthew William. Jay, 

his wife (Lisa) and their two children reside in De Kalb, Illinois.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

JON (JAY) ANGEL

HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN

DE KALB SUBDISTRICT OFFICE

State Soil Geographic Data Base 

(SCS, 1993) for hydraulic characteristics of soils information, the 1996 

multiresolution land-use data base 

(IDNR), and updated rainfall frequency estimates for Illinois (Huff 

and Angel, 1989); and (2) use 

hydrologic and physiographic features to define regions with similar 

hydrologic characteristics and 

regional equations.

Technical procedures for analyzing AMS follow the standard 

method described in Bulletin 17–B 

(Interagency Advisory Committee 

on Water Data, 1982). Project activities include incorporating high outliers/historical events in the analysis 

and assessing the criteria for a best 

fit and how to improve the estimates 

for gaging stations with a short 

period of record. Because the underlying Log-Pearson Type III distribution is a three-parameter function 

that includes skew coefficients, 

examining the effects of sample and 

regional skews are undertaken. Standard technique for analyzing PDS 

for flow frequencies has not been 

defined. The Gumbel and Exponential, as well as Generalized Pareto 

distributions, are possible choices 

(fig.1).

Additional project activities 

involve providing project results on 

the World Wide Web. This study is 

considered as a pilot in examining 

the needed techniques used for frequency analysis. The USGS and 

IDNR, OWR are confident that the 

results of this study will be of great 

benefit to a wide range of users 

throughout the State.
6

Four districts of the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Chicago, Rock Island, St. Louis, and 

Louisville Districts) work closely 

with the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS), Illinois District, on a wide 

variety of hydrologic data-collection and project activities. River 

stage (elevation) and/or streamflow 

data collected by the USGS are used 

by the USACE to assess and implement mitigation efforts during 

droughts and floods. In addition, the 

USACE uses the data to make dayto-day operational decisions on 

water-control structures throughout 

the State. USACE and USGS also 

work on cooperative, interpretive 

hydrologic projects. Examples of 

this work include calculating the 

amount of water diverted from Lake 

Michigan by the State of Illinois, 

environmental aspects of implementing the McCook Reservoir for 

stormwater storage in northeastern 

Illinois, and determining water-mixing patterns in flood-control reservoirs as part of the Chicagoland 

Urban Flow Plan/Tunnel and Reservoir Plan.

The USACE is made up of 

approximately 34,600 civilian and 

650 military personnel and is the 

world’s largest public engineering, 

design, and construction management agency. The USACE works in 

a variety of engineering and environmental matters. The mission of the 

USACE is to provide quality, 

responsive engineering services to 

the Nation, which include:

• Planning, designing, building, 

and operating water resources 

and other civil works projects 

(Navigation, Flood Control, 

Environmental Protection, 

Disaster Response, and others).

• Designing and managing the 

condition of military facilities 

for the Army and Air Force 

(military construction).

• Providing design and construction management support for 

other Defense and Federal agencies.

The USACE began in 1775 

when the Continental Congress 

authorized the first chief engineer 

whose first task was to build fortifications near Boston at Bunker Hill. 

Currently, the USACE is organized 

geographically into 8 divisions in the 

United States and 41 subordinate 

districts throughout the United 

States, Asia, and Europe. The districts oversee project offices 

throughout the world. Divisions and 

districts are defined by major watershed boundaries and not by States or 

other political boundaries. The 

USACE also operates eight unique 

laboratories throughout the country, 

supporting research that includes:

• mapping and terrain analysis;

• infrastructure design, construction, operations and maintenance;

• structural engineering;

• cold region and ice engineering;

• coastal and hydraulic engineering;

• environmental quality;

• geotechnical engineering; and

• high performance computing 

and information technology.

Various other administrative and 

technical organizations are operated 

by the USACE in mission support.

COOPERATOR SPOTLIGHT

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

The city of Chicago owes its location to geographic factors that influenced the first voyageurs and settlers 

to establish a settlement at the mouth 

of the Chicago River. Easy access to 

the Great Lakes and Mississippi River 

waterways made the mouth of the Chicago River an ideal location. A short 

portage trail across a low drainage 

divide connected the two great waterways. In the early part of the 1800’s, 

the city utilized the Chicago River as 

an open sewer, and human waste 

flowed into Lake Michigan. During 

the mid-to-late 1800’s, the city’s 

growing population overwhelmed the 

Chicago River’s ability to rid itself of 

human waste. Contaminated drinking 

water and outbreaks of waterborne 

diseases prompted local officials to 

develop a means of dealing with the 

waste issue. Engineers again relied 

upon the same geographic factors that 

first influenced the siting of the city. In 

the late 1800’s, work began on a 

project to dig a canal through the 

drainage divide, along the original 

path of the early portage. With completion of the canal, the contaminated 

water that previously flowed out into 

Lake Michigan was diverted away 

from the city’s drinking-water supply 

and into the Mississippi River Basin. 

On January 13, 1900, the Chicago 

Sanitary and Ship Canal was completed, and the flow of the Chicago 

River was “reversed”. Water that previously flowed into the Great Lakes 

Basin was now flowing into the Mississippi River Basin and forming the 

Lake Michigan diversion.

Prior to the completion of the 

canal system in Chicago, the plans for 

the diversion were being contested 

within the legal system. The State of 

Missouri was the first to object to the 

diversion, with concerns about the 

contamination from Chicago’s waste 

reaching the Mississippi River. In the 

LAKE MICHIGAN DIVERSION

BY

JIM DUNCKER
7

early 1900’s, the other Great Lakes 

States also joined Missouri in voicing 

their objections to the diversion of 

Lake Michigan water at Chicago. 

Thus began decades of legal challenges and rulings concerning the 

diversion.

Since the completion of the canal 

system in 1900, the amount of water 

diverted at Chicago has ranged as high 

as 30,000 cubin feet per second (cfs). 

The initial canal system was regulated 

by a dam at the downstream end of the 

canal at Lockport, Illinois. In 1908, 

the Illinois legislature authorized construction of a hydroelectric power 

plant adjacent to the dam at Lockport. 

The hydroelectric plant generated 

more money with increased flows 

through the turbines, so it was in the 

city’s interest from a waste removal 

and economic standpoint to divert as 

much flow as possible. In 1920, the 

Calumet-Sag (Cal-Sag) Channel, an 

additional tributary of the canal system that prevents flows in the Calumet 

River watershed from going into Lake 

Michigan, was completed (fig. 1). 

Growing concern from the other Great 

Lakes States and Canada regarding the 

diversion and lowered lake levels 

resulted in the courts setting a much 

reduced annual diversion at Chicago. 

Since 1930, there have been a number 

of modifications to the court ruling on 

diversion, the last of which being a 

1981 United States Supreme Court 

decree. At present, the decree states 

that Illinois is limited to an annual 

diversion of 3,200 cfs. Details of the 

decree allow for fluctuations above 

and below the 3,200 cfs to account for 

the variability of climate and other 

factors.

In early 1984, the USGS was 

asked by the State of Illinois for technical assistance in the measurement of 

diversion flows. Prior to 1984, diversion flows were measured using theoretical ratings developed at the 

hydroelectric power plant at Lockport. 

Flow measurement in the canal system 

represents several technical challenges. The highly unsteady flow and 

variable backwater conditions in the 

canal precludes use of standard 

stream-gaging methods and technology. Accurate measurement of the low 

velocities found in the canal system 

also represented a unique challenge. 

Acoustic methods are the only reliable 

means of accurately measuring the 

diversion flows in the hydraulic conditions typical of the canal system. 

Acoustics utilize underwater transducers to send sound waves back and 

forth across the channel. Acoustic 

velocity meters (AVMs) then compute 

water velocity from the difference in 

the upstream travel time versus the 

downstream travel time of the sound 

waves (fig. 2). Additional sensors 

measure water levels and determine 

the wetted cross-sectional area. Discharge is then a function of the crosssectional area and the mean velocity. 

Later in 1984, the USGS installed the 

first AVM gaging station on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at 

Romeoville to measure the diversion 

flows.

Since 1984, a number of additional gaging stations have been 

installed on the Chicago River system 

to better define the flow in the canal 

system and more accurately measure 

the diversion. New AVM gages have 

been installed near the lakefront at 

three locations within the Chicago 

River at O’Brien Lock and Dam. 

These gages give a more detailed distribution of diversion flows within the 

canal system. Advances in acoustic 

instrumentation have been incorporated for more accurate flow measurements in the canals. Acoustic Doppler 

current profilers (ADCPs) provide 

additional detail on the distribution of 

velocity and enable a better calibration 

of the AVM gaging stations. While it 

has been 101 years since the Chicago 

Sanitary and Ship Canal “reversed” 

the flow of the Chicago River, more 

detailed data collection and analysis 

on the distribution of flows within the 

system should provide for a more efficient use of the Lake Michigan diversion.

Figure 1. The Chicago River drainage system before and after diversion. 

CSSC, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal

Figure 2. Channel cross section showing acoustic velocity meter 

transducers.
8

WRIR 99-4138, Geology, Hydrology, 

and Ground-Water Quality of the 

Upper Part of the Galena-Platteville 

Aquifer at the Parson’s Casket 

Hardware Superfund Site in Belvidere, Illinois, by R.T. Kay, D.J. 

Yeskis, J.W. Lane, Jr., P.C. Mills, 

P.K. Joesten, G.L. Cygan, and J.R. 

Ursic

WRIR 99-4152, Analysis of Nutrients, 

Selected Inorganic Constituents, 

and Trace Elements in Water from 

Illinois Community-Supply Wells, 

1984-91, by K.L. Warner

WRIR 00-4027, Recharge Potential of 

Surficial and Shallow Bedrock 

Aquifers in the Upper Illinois River 

Basin, by T.L. Arnold and M.J. 

Friedel

WRIR 00-4088, Hydrology, Water 

Quality, and Nutrient Loads to Lake 

Catherine and Channel Lake, near 

Antioch, Lake County, Illinois, by 

R.T. Kay and others

WRIR 00-4101, Methodology, Data 

Collection, and Data Analysis for 

Determination of Water-Mixing 

Patterns Induced by Aerators and 

Mixers, by G.P. Johnson and others

WRIR 00-4115, Suspended Budget, 

Flow Distribution, and Lake Circulation for the Fox Chain of Lakes in 

Lake and McHenry Counties, Illinois, 1997-99, by D.L. Schrader 

and R.R. Holmes

WRIR 00-4184, Equations for Estimating Clark Unit-Hydrograph Parameters for Small Rural Watersheds in 

Illinois, by T.D. Straub, C.S. 

Melching, and K.E. Kocher

FY 2001

OFR 00-400, Geology, Hydrology, and 

Water Quality in the Vicinity of a 

Brownfield Redevelopment Site in 

East Moline, Illinois, by R.T. Kay

WRIR 00-4152, Geology, Hydrology, 

and Ground-Water Quality of the 

Galena-Platteville Aquifer in the 

Vicinity of the Parson’s Casket 

Hardware Superfund Site, Belvidere, Illinois, by R.T. Kay

Circular 1209, Water Quality in the 

Lower Illinois River Basin, Illinois, 

1995-98, by G.E. Groschen, M.A. 

Harris, R.B. King, P.J. Terrio, and 

K.L. Warner

ILLINOIS DISTRICT

PUBLICATIONS

Listed below are publications that 

were recently published. District 

policy is to provide copies of our 

publications to requestors at no cost 

as long as the publication is in stock 

in the District office. To obtain 

copies of the following, or any other 

Illinois District publication, you may 

contact Donna Ayers at

(217) 344-0037, extension 3053 or 

by email at dmayers@usgs.gov.

FY 2000

WRIR 99-4229, Volatile Organic Compounds in Ground Water of the 

Lower Illinois River Basin, by W.S. 

Morrow, Jr.

OFR 99-69, Water, Sediment, and Nutrient Budgets, and Bathymetric Survey of Old and New Gillespie 

Lakes, Macoupin County, Illinois, 

May 1996-April 1997, by G.P. 

Johnson

WRIR 97-4054-C, Altitude, Depth, and 

Thickness of the Galena-Platteville 

Bedrock Unit in the Subcrop Area 

of Illinois and Wisconsin, by T.A. 

Brown, C.P. Dunning, and J.B. 

Sharpe

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