7.2: Investigation - Longitudinal Profile of Illinois River
- Page ID
- 53316
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The Illinois River flows from Chicago to Grafton, Illinois, where the river joins the Mississippi River. The longitudinal profile of a river showcases how the river's elevation changes along its path. The longitudinal profile reveals the overall gradient of the river as well as local rises and falls on the landscape. The longitudinal profile can be obtained by plotting the river elevation against distance for a series of locations along the river from the start of the river to its end. Google Earth may be used as a tool for elevation and distance measurements.
| Location | Distance (miles from Chicago) |
Elevation (feet above sea level) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | ||
| Summit | ||
| Lemont | ||
| Lockport | ||
| Joliet | ||
| Channahon | ||
| Morris | ||
| Seneca | ||
| Spring Brook | ||
| Ottawa | ||
| Clayton Run | ||
| Goose Lake | ||
| Indian Spring | ||
| Clear Creek | ||
| Newhaven Lake | ||
| Blalock Creek | ||
| Peoria | ||
| Havana | ||
| Holmes Landing | ||
| Browning | ||
| Frederick | ||
| Reich Landing | ||
| Camp Creek | ||
| Meredosia | ||
| Naples | ||
| Valley City | ||
| Florence | ||
| Little Sandy Creek | ||
| Pearl | ||
| Campsville | ||
| Hardin | ||
| Grafton |


