Upper Peoria Lake is a section of the

Illinois River The Illinois River ( mia, Inoka Siipiiwi) is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River and is approximately long. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, it has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins at the confluence of the D ...

primarily between

Peoria County Peoria County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The 2020 United States Census listed its population at 181,830. Its county seat is Peoria. Peoria County is part of the Peoria, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Peoria County was ...

and

Woodford County, Illinois Woodford County is a county located in the state of Illinois. The 2010 United States Census listed its population at 38,664. Its county seat is Eureka. Woodford County is part of the Peoria, IL, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its name comes fro ...

, United States. The

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

runs from South Rome to Peoria Heights, with Spring Bay and the Detweiller Marina area of Peoria near the middle. Just north of Peoria Heights, it empties through a narrow part of the Illinois River into the smaller

Peoria Lake Peoria Lake is a section of the Illinois River between Peoria in Peoria County, Illinois and East Peoria in Tazewell County, Illinois. The oldest section of Peoria, the largest city on the river, lies at its shores. The lake is formed by a bro ...

, sometimes called Lower Peoria Lake, at approximately river mile 166.5.

Geology

The Upper Peoria Lake originated during the Woodfordian substage of the

Wisconsin glaciation The Wisconsin Glacial Episode, also called the Wisconsin glaciation, was the most recent glacial period of the North American ice sheet complex. This advance included the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, which nucleated in the northern North American Cor ...

. It is part of the Bloomington moraine. Upper Peoria Lake is a remnant of old Glacial Lake Illinois, which formed behind the moraine. Due to the flat stream bed, the water moves slowly, allowing sediment to settle at the bottom.

Restoration

Since 1903, the lake has lost approximately 68% of its original volume and the average depth has been reduced from to . Sedimentation and the soft bottom of the lake are not conducive for aquatic plants, which attract waterfowl. In July 1990, the Peoria Lake Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project, a joint project between the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with oth ...

, and

Illinois Department of Natural Resources The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is the code department of the Illinois state government that operates the state parks and state recreation areas, enforces the fishing and game laws of Illinois, regulates Illinois coal mines, ...

, worked on the northernmost end of the Upper Peoria Lake. This project achieved: * Constructed the Barrier and Overburden Islands and dredged approximately of sediment * Excavated a channel in the East River to remove a silt plug * Constructed a rock closure to reduce sediment from the northern boundary with Goose Lake * Constructed approximately of low level levees, 3 water control structures, and a pump station * Planted select vegetation to enhance the wetland habitat

Fauna

Pollution has been a significant factor in decreasing levels of wildlife.

Fish

Several species of fish are listed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for Upper Peoria Lake.

Waterfowl

Upper Peoria Lake is a notable wildlife refuge for migrating waterfowl.

Recreation

The lake is currently a regional tourist attraction and is used for practice of many

watersports Water sports or aquatic sports are sport activities conducted on waterbodies, and can be categorized according to the degree of immersion by the participants. On the water * Boat racing, the use of powerboats to participate in races * Boatin ...

. Several public lands border the Peoria Lake, including: *

Grand View Park Grandview Park, also referred to as Turtle Hill by local residents, is a small, elevated park in the Sunset District, San Francisco, Sunset District, San Francisco, California. It is surrounded by 14th and 15th Avenues, as well as Noriega Street. ...

* Al Fresco Park * Poplar Lane Park * Detweiller Park * Gaylord Wildlife Area * Robert Rutherford Wildlife Sanctuary * Woodford State and Fish Wildlife Area * Spring Bay Park * Spring Bay Fen Nature Preserve Other notable landmarks include: * Peoria Waterworks *

Grandview Drive Grandview Drive (sometimes spelled Grand View Drive) is a two and a half mile scenic road with adjacent park areas through Peoria and Peoria Heights, Illinois. Major portions of the road give a view of the Illinois River and its valley as well as ...

* Shore Acres Clubhouse * Illinois Valley Yacht and Canoe Club * East Peoria Boat and Recreation

References

Lakes of Illinois Bodies of water of Peoria County, Illinois Bodies of water of Tazewell County, Illinois Bodies of water of Woodford County, Illinois Illinois River {{WoodfordCountyIL-geo-stub