No, it's not a fast-moving river, it's not even a natural stream, but the Hennepin Canal offers something that most waterways in Illinois can't, quiet. I was last on the canal in the fall of 1998. The canal is slow moving brown water. The sections near the locks have a little bit of current, farther away from the locks there is not really any current at all. The water is covered with swirls of algae.
Birds are everywhere.
Great Blue Herons are quite common. There are so many waterbugs on the water, that it almost looks like rain as they dance from spot to spot, searching for food on the water. I started at Lock 22 and headed westward. Portage at the locks is a bit tricky as they don't have sand or dirt beaches and you have to guess where the tall grass ends and the water begins, but you know real quick if you made a mistake. The state maintains the canal at about 5 feet deep.