Fox (IL) River Basin

Fox (IL) River
The Fox basin is located in southeastern Wisconsin and is located in portions of seven counties but mainly consists of  Waukesha, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties. Almost 700 miles of streams drain over 1000 square miles of land. This basin includes the Mukwonago River, and the Upper Fox River of Illinois. Most of these stream are considered full fish and aquatic life streams which means they are capable of meeting water quality standards and have the ability to support many types of fish and aquatic life.
The river meanders southward into Illinois through the scenic countryside where it widens into a large area of interconnected glaciated lakes called the Chain O’ Lakes. It is a major waterway with many small islands. It’s steep valley makes for a very strong flow which made it a prime source for industrial waterpower. This led to the creation of approximately 15 dams on the waterway. Because of this, The Fox has recently been listed among the top 10 most endangered rivers in America. This is due to the rapid increase in sewage and sediment loads that harm the stream. Eventually, all 15 dams will be removed or made more sustainable through hydro electrical. The Fox’s strong flow also has made its surrounding regions susceptible to flooding. For more information about the Fox River Basin, go to the DNR website at http://dnr.wi.gov/water/basin/foxil/.

Visit these sites to learn more about how you can get involved and Protect the Fox (IL) Basin with these partner organizations:

Fox River Ecosystem Partnership

Southeastern Wisconsin Fox River Commission