Baby softshell surveys a bar on the Middle Fork

The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is a tributary of the

Vermilion River (Wabash River) The Vermilion River is a tributary of the Wabash River in the states of Illinois and Indiana, United States. There are two "Vermilion Rivers" in Illinois. The Wabash tributary flows south, while the other Vermilion River flows north to the Illi ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. The Middle Fork rises in Ford County and flows southeast to join the Vermilion near Danville. In its natural state, the Middle Fork drained a large upland marsh in what is now Ford County. The Middle Fork has been extended into the marsh by drainage ditches. Including the ditches, the Middle Fork is about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 19, 2011

Parks and access points

The Middle Fork is Illinois' only designated

National Wild and Scenic River The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-f ...

. Parks and access points include: * Kickapoo State Recreation Area * Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area * Kennekuk Cove County Park, Vermillion County Conservation District *Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Cities, towns and counties

The following cities, towns and villages are among those in the watershed of the Middle Fork: *

Melvin, Illinois Melvin is a village in Ford County, Illinois, Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 416 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Melvin has a total area of , all land. Demographics As of th ...

Paxton, Illinois Paxton is a city in and the county seat of Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,450 at the 2020 census. History The town was initially named Prairie City in the late 1840s, then Prospect City by an Illinois Central Railr ...

Potomac, Illinois Potomac () is a village in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 750 at the 2010 census. History The town was originally named Marysville after the wive ...

Parts of the following counties are drained by the Middle Fork: *

Champaign County, Illinois Champaign County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, its population was 205,865, making it the 10th-most populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Urbana, Ill ...

Ford County, Illinois Ford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 13,534. Its county seat is Paxton. Ford County was part of the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area until 2018, ...

Vermilion County, Illinois Vermilion County is a county in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties. According to the 2020 United States censu ...

References

External links

American WhitewaterPrairie Rivers NetworkUSGS Stream Gage, Middle Fork
Rivers of Illinois Tributaries of the Wabash River Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States Rivers of Vermilion County, Illinois Rivers of Ford County, Illinois Rivers of Champaign County, Illinois {{Illinois-river-stub

Parks and access points

Cities, towns and counties

See also

References

External links