GNIS ID 412430 Source Coles County, Illinois | Length 390 km Country United States of America | |
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Main source Coles County west of Mattoon, Illinois River mouth Confluence with the Wabash River near New Haven, Illinois
341 ft (104 m) Progression Little Wabash → Wabash → Ohio → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico | ||
The Little Wabash River is a 240-mile-long (390 km) tributary of the Wabash River in east-central and southeastern Illinois in the United States. Via the Wabash and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. It is the third largest tributary after the White River and the Embarras River.
Contents
Map of Little Wabash River, Illinois, USA
Course
The Little Wabash rises in Coles County near Mattoon and flows generally southwardly through Shelby, Effingham, Clay, Richland, Wayne, Edwards and White counties, past the towns of Louisville, Golden Gate, Carmi and New Haven. It enters the Wabash River on the common boundary of White and Gallatin counties, about 4 miles (6 km) southeast of New Haven.
In its upper course in Shelby County, the river is dammed to form Lake Mattoon and collects the short West Branch Little Wabash River, which flows for its entire length in Shelby County. Other tributaries include the Fox River, which joins it in Edwards County; the Elm River, which joins it in Wayne County; and the Skillet Fork, which joins it in White County.