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496:, protect an additional 13,500 acres (55 km) of restored wetlands. Also through NRCS, landowners are using a variety of conservation practices, such as conservation tillage, grassed waterways, and reforestation; many of these practices are through NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives and Wildlife Habitat Programs. In all, more than 45,000 acres (180 km) of private lands are using some sort of NRCS conservation program in the Cache River Watershed.
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agriculture and forestry practices, as well as restoration of wetlands, bottomland, and upland forests. Friends of the Cache River
Watershed facilitate a common meeting ground for individuals and entities associated with agriculture, education, tourism, rural communities, special interest groups, and government agencies that have an interest in the environment and natural resource usage, protection, and restoration.
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influences’ meddling in their communities. Some local sportsmen feared that their favorite hunting and fishing grounds would either be put off limits or else overrun by visitors. State and
Federal agencies have attempted at all times to reach compromise with local landowners and sportsmen, but tensions and resentment remain.
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in the Cache basin, Cypress wood was sought for its lightness and water-resistant properties. The small towns on the edge of the swamp experienced a small boom during this period. Several sawmills and small factories sprung up to process timber for lumber, railroad ties, charcoal, and packing crates and boxes.
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flow on the lower Cache reverses, flowing east to the diversion channel. When the water level in the lower Cache drops below the diversion channel level, flow resumes its westerly travel to the
Mississippi. Also, because of the breach, this section of the Cache is exposed to increased risk from flooding.
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Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to restore the Cache to something more like its historic state. The
Citizens Committee to Save the Cache River, a grassroots organization of hunters, fishermen, and nature lovers, enlisted the help of state and federal agencies as well as non-profit groups such
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In 2002, the levee dividing the Post Creek Cutoff and the Lower Cache suffered a catastrophic failure during the spring flood season. The failure of the levee has resulted in dropping water levels in the Lower Cache. An interesting effect of this diversion is that in times of high water direction of
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down river. However, the Cache provided excellent hunting and fishing, and abundant timber. Belknap, IL resident W. Marshall stated that the Cache River Basin was “good country for men and dogs, but powerful trying on women and oxen.” Between 1810 and 1890 timber harvesting became a major industry
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During the past 15 years, efforts have been made to control erosion, reduce siltation, stabilize water levels, restore game species habitat, and provide recreational opportunities to the public. One long-term goal of the joint venture is to restore the hydrologic continuity of the Upper and Lower
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Over the course of the restoration work, there have been tensions between the conservationists and some local landowners. Some of the region's farmers feared that restoration of the wetlands would cause flooding and loss of agricultural land, and many resented what they perceived as ‘outside
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Demissie, M., Keefer, L., Lian, Y., Yue, F., & Larson, B. (2008). Hydrologic and
Hydraulic Modeling and Analyses for the Cache River for the Purposes of Evaluating Current Conditions and Alternative Restoration Measures. Champaign, IL: Center for Watershed Science - Illinois State Water
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is an organization that promotes natural resource conservation throughout the five county Cache River watershed. The organization focuses on environmental education, resource conservation, management, and related issues throughout the Cache
Watershed. The organization advocates sustainable
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in
Illinois. The Cache River Wetlands is America's northernmost cypress/tupelo swamp and harbors 91 percent of the state's high quality swamp and wetland communities. It provides habitat for more than 100 threatened and endangered species in Illinois. In 1996, the Cache was designated a
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In 1950, about 11 miles (18 km) north of the Cache's natural mouth at the Ohio River, a diversion channel was created to connect the Cache and
Mississippi rivers. Those last 11 miles (18 km) of the Cache continue to drain into the Ohio through the original channel.
606:) is considering a restoration project that could repair the levee as part of its efforts to restore low water flow. To date, two reports on this subject, created by the Center for Watershed Science at the Illinois State Water Survey, are publicly available.
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After most of the accessible timber was cut, local industry shifted to agriculture, and a program of diversion and draining began. The landscape changed dramatically, largely due to a diversion channel that was cut to connect the Cache and the nearby
884:
Demissie, M., Bekele, E., Lian, Y., Keefer, L. (2010). Hydrologic and
Hydraulic Modeling for Evaluating Alternatives for Managed Connection of the Upper and Lower Cache Rivers. Champaign, IL: Center for Watershed Science - Illinois State Water
456:. The basin spans 737 square miles (1,910 km) and six counties: Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and Union. Located at the convergence of four major physiographic regions, the river is part of the largest complex of
564:. Completed in 1916, the Post Creek Cutoff divided the Cache into two watersheds: the Upper Cache, which drains down the diversion channel to the Ohio, and the Lower Cache, which drains to the original outlet on the
534:, which means secret or hidden place. American settlers arrived in the region in 1803. They found the soil too wet for farming, and the swamps full of mosquitoes and venomous snakes; many early settlers died of
484:, established in 1990, covers 15,000 acres (61 km) of aquatic and riparian habitat, and is eventually planned to expand to 35,500 acres (144 km). The Illinois Department of Natural Resources'
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interprets the unique natural and cultural history of the Cache River
Wetlands. The center also forms the southern anchor to the 47.5-mile (76.4 km)
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662:, which is a favorite with bike enthusiasts. The trail provides an excellent look at the sloughs and bottomland forest as it follows the disused
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866:. Illinois Department of Natural Resources & The Nature Conservancy, Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, and Ducks Unlimited
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678:. The wetland center also contains information about places to hike, canoe, fish, hunt, or watch birds in the Cache River region.
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507:, another National Natural Landmark, is located within the upper stretch of the Cache, upstream from the Post Creek Cutoff.
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519:, and has several sites of archeological interest within its boundaries, including the Cypress Citadel site just south of
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The Cache offers ample recreation opportunities, such as canoeing, hiking, bird watching, fishing, and hunting. The
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The future of the levee remains uncertain. Management of the levee falls to Big Creek Drainage District No. 2. The
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The Lower Cache River, a habitat that encompasses much of these landholdings, has been listed as a U.S.
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542:, a river pirate, ran a gang of cutthroats and preyed on unsuspecting travelers near the mouth of the
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568:. In 1952, the Karnak levee was constructed, further cementing the division between the two rivers.
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no longer considers the levee in its programs, making it ineligible for federal funding.
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U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data.
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https://waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/uv/?site_no=03612000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
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protects another 14,489 acres (58.63 km). Local landowners, through
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A significant portion of the Cache River Wetlands are protected by the
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The Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership (composed of
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to form the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership.
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670:) from Karnak to Vienna, then continues north through the
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The Cache River area was used as a trading crossroads by
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is a 92-mile-long (148 km) waterway in southernmost
538:. According to legend, from about the 1790s to 1820,
546:, stealing their goods and sinking or selling their
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
821:"The Lower Cache River Basin of Southern Illinois"
626:Sedimentation resulting from diversion and erosion
618:Heron Pond in the Cache River State Natural Area.
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808:SIU, DNR team up to study prehistoric settlement
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505:Heron Pond – Little Black Slough Nature Preserve
656:Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center
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530:gave the river its modern name, calling it
786:Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
939:Illinois Department of Natural Resources
864:Illinois Department of Natural Resources
857:"The Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture"
724:"Cache River and Cypress Creek Wetlands"
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592:Illinois Department of Natural Resources
478:Illinois Department of Natural Resources
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1037:National Natural Landmarks in Illinois
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934:Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
596:Natural Resources Conservation Service
494:Natural Resources Conservation Service
482:Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge
393:Cache River and Cypress Creek Wetlands
959:Natural Resource Conservation Service
430:1972 (Heron Pond); 1980 (Lower Cache)
997:Rivers of Alexander County, Illinois
900:Friends of the Cache River Watershed
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683:Friends of the Cache River Watershed
44:adding citations to reliable sources
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463:Wetland of International Importance
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1017:Rivers of Pulaski County, Illinois
1002:Rivers of Johnson County, Illinois
819:Hutchison, Max C. (January 1987).
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1032:Ramsar sites in the United States
1007:Rivers of Massac County, Illinois
969:Cache River Symposium Proceedings
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1022:Rivers of Union County, Illinois
992:Archaeological sites in Illinois
788:"Cache River State Natural Area"
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118:River in Illinois, United States
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1012:Rivers of Pope County, Illinois
949:Surf the Cache River with USEPA
666:grade (originally owned by the
452:, in a region sometimes called
31:needs additional citations for
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604:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
486:Cache River State Natural Area
474:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
420:U.S. National Natural Landmark
284: • coordinates
212: • coordinates
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650:A canoeist on the Cache River
178:Physical characteristics
668:Cairo and Vincennes Railroad
581:U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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964:Illinois State Water Survey
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343: • location
267: • location
196: • location
55:"Cache River" Illinois
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974:Friends of the Cache River
699:List of rivers of Illinois
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356: • average
277:Alexander County, Illinois
731:Sites Information Service
501:National Natural Landmark
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147:Cache River Watershed Map
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664:Norfolk Southern Railway
490:Wetlands Reserve Program
325:92 mi (148 km)
944:Cache River Nature Fest
761:, accessed May 13, 2011
672:Shawnee National Forest
660:Tunnel Hill State Trail
135:A swamp along the river
929:The Nature Conservancy
924:Prairie Rivers Network
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704:Watersheds of Illinois
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633:The Nature Conservancy
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555:Drainage and diversion
205:Union County, Illinois
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306:37.06694°N 89.17278°W
234:37.45000°N 89.24556°W
676:Harrisburg, Illinois
610:Conservation efforts
40:improve this article
369:Basin features
360:312 cu/ft. per sec.
311:37.06694; -89.17278
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239:37.45000; -89.24556
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1027:Rivers of Illinois
757:2012-03-29 at the
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406:Reference no.
896:"About the Cache"
566:Mississippi River
521:Cypress, Illinois
467:Ramsar Convention
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374:Protection status
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454:Little Egypt
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38:Please help
33:verification
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446:Cache River
309: /
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124:Cache River
986:Categories
905:31 October
870:31 October
710:References
562:Ohio River
548:watercraft
544:Ohio River
465:under the
427:Designated
398:Designated
350:Forman, IL
297:89°10′22″W
294:37°04′01″N
273:Mound City
260:Ohio River
225:89°14′44″W
222:37°27′00″N
96:April 2017
66:newspapers
528:voyageurs
334:Discharge
271:South of
828:Erigenia
755:Archived
736:25 April
693:See also
476:and the
458:wetlands
450:Illinois
172:Illinois
153:Location
885:Survey.
838:19 June
793:19 June
776:Survey.
639:Cache.
536:malaria
526:French
511:History
158:Country
80:scholar
834:: 1–54
729:Ramsar
602:, and
503:. The
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322:Length
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187:Source
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860:(PDF)
824:(PDF)
532:Cache
255:Mouth
168:State
87:JSTOR
73:books
907:2021
872:2021
840:2018
795:2018
738:2018
681:The
444:The
201:Anna
59:news
674:to
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409:711
42:by
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