The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is a tributary of the
Vermilion River (Wabash River)
The Vermilion River is a tributary of the Wabash River in the U.S. state, states of Illinois and Indiana, United States.
There are two "Vermilion Rivers" in Illinois. The Wabash tributary flows south, while the Vermilion River (Illinois River), o ...
in
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
. The Middle Fork rises in
Ford County and flows southeast to join the Vermilion near
Danville.
In its natural state, the Middle Fork drained a large upland marsh in what is now Ford County. The Middle Fork has been extended into the marsh by drainage ditches. Including the ditches, the Middle Fork is about long.
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed May 19, 2011
Parks and access points
The Middle Fork is Illinois' only designated
National Wild and Scenic River
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free- ...
. Parks and access points include:
*
Kickapoo State Recreation Area
*
Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area
*Middle Fork River, Champaign County Forest Preserve District
Cities, towns and counties
The following cities, towns and villages are among those in the watershed of the Middle Fork:
*
Melvin, Illinois
*
Paxton, Illinois
Paxton is a city in Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,473 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ford County.
History
The town was initially named Prairie City in the late 1840s, then Prospect City by an Illino ...
*
Potomac, Illinois
Potomac () is a village in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 750 at the 2010 census.
History
The town was originally named Marysville after the wives ...
Parts of the following counties are drained by the Middle Fork:
*
Champaign County, Illinois
Champaign County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 205,865, making it the 10th-most populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Urbana.
Champaign County is part of the Champaign–Urbana ...
*
Ford County, Illinois
Ford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 14,081. Its county seat is Paxton. Ford County was part of the Champaign– Urbana, IL Metropolitan Statistical Ar ...
*
Vermilion County, Illinois
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 2010 United States Census, ...
See also
*
List of Illinois rivers
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of Illinois:
By drainage basin
Gulf of Mexico
*Mississippi River
** Ohio River
*** Lusk Creek
*** Saline River
***Wabash River
**** Little Wabash River
***** Skillet Fork
***** Elm River
***** Fox River
...
References
External links
American WhitewaterKickapoo Landing canoe outfittersPrairie Rivers NetworkUSGS Stream Gage, Middle Fork
Rivers of Illinois
Tributaries of the Wabash River
Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States
Rivers of Vermilion County, Illinois
Rivers of Ford County, Illinois
Rivers of Champaign County, Illinois
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