I&M Canal

[John Gillio]

I took a couple walks along the Illinois and Michigan canal the past few weeks covering the stretch of canal between Utica and LaSalle. It saddened me to see how little water is left in the canal due to breaches in it's structure. Out of about six miles of canal only about two areas of about 100 yds each and about a quarter of a mile by LaSalle had water over a couple inches deep. Much of the canal is completely dry.It is a shame that what was once about 12 miles of easily accessible fishable shoreline is now defunct due to a lack of state funding. It's also a shame that such an important piece of our history has fallen into such disrepair. I took a drive, and as far as I can tell there is little water in the canal all the way to Morris. I'm not sure what is beyond.

 

The tow path is still in good shape between Utica and LaSalle and is still used by hikers and bicyclists, but is surely a less interesting trip without the water and all the wildlife that goes along with it. Utica and LaSalle both depend on the canal to some extent because of the tourists it attracts. I am sure the lack of water, fish, and wildlife will mean fewer tourists. The canal boat at LaSalle will be of little interest if that section goes dry.

 

I have no ideas as to how this problem can be solved. I know that getting water back into the canal is a top priority for the Village of Utica. I would guess it is important to LaSalle also. It would seem that now would be a good time to do some dredging and possibly use the dredged material to help patch the breaches and to shore up the walls of the canal, but with the lack of funding I'm afraid this is just wishful thinking. The fishing was never fantastic, but I can recall a day not too long ago, when you could walk or bike the entire six miles and be able to catch bluegill, crappie, and an occasional bass all along the way.

 

This is what most of the canal looks like. There should be water from the treeline to the tow path. The metal structure is a spillway.

 

This is a small stretch holding water. It should all look like this.

[Kev-mo]

Wow! I haven't been there in a mighty long time... What does the canal look like by Split Rock? At least that's what I remember it being called... not sure if that is it's offical name.

[John Gillio]

Wow! I haven't been there in a mighty long time... What does the canal look like by Split Rock? At least that's what I remember it being called... not sure if that is it's offical name.

Kevin, at Split Rock it is overgrown with tall reeds and is next to dry. The 100 yd stretch with water in it, in the photo, is just east of Split Rock. Pecumsagan Creek empties into the canal there and feeds that part of the canal a little before it spills off to continue on to the lake south of the canal. A dike just east of split rock, and west of the creek, prevents much flow into the Split Rock section.

[Eric]

Neat history but I can see why it's defunct given the state's budget deficit and tangle of financial / management problems. As they say ... "bigger fish to fry."

 

Thanks for sharing though.

[Tom L]

John, thanks for sharing. I had heard of this I&M Canal and always have questions lingered in my mind. They may sound ignorant, but I'm going to throw them out anyway.

 

Why is the canal called Illinois & Michigan Canal? Is it because it runs from Illinois to Michigan? or Is it because they are 2 separate canals, one is called Illinois Canal or another is called Michigan Canal?

 

What was the original purpose of the canal(s): navigation, agriculture?

[Kev-mo]

The quick answer from the web is navigaton and it linked the Great Lakes to Mississippi River/Gulf. The Michigan part is probably from Lake Michigan.

[Ed Buric]

My guess is because it links the Illinois river to lake Michigan

[John Gillio]

Ed & Kevin are both correct. Before the Illinois river was dredged into basically a canal itself, LaSalle was the farthest a steamboat could navigate the river upstream. The canal was built so goods and passengers in the south could be linked to Lake Michigan, Chicago, and other communities in the north. Soon after the canal was built, the railways entered the scene. http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/i&m/main.htm

[Mark K]

In the 90's I used to fish the I&M in Morris, Gebhardt Woods. We caught lots of quality fish in there. I was told a dyke busted on the Dupage and all the water drained out and it pretty much went dry. A local netted a 7lb largemouth and let it go in the illinois.

[ronk]

The canal in southern Cook/Will Ctys appears to have normal water levels.

[Tom L]

This I&M Canal reminds me of the historic Route 66. Both live passed their glory days, and now only a few small remands of them still exist. John, what you need is a Lightning McQueen of Utica to champion the cause and revive the canal. Entrap a city-slicker tourist and enslave him to dredge the canal. Just like in the Disney PIXAR move "CAR".