Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
Water type: River
Basin: Des Plaines -> Illinois River -> Mississippi River -> Gulf of Mexico -> Atlantic Ocean -> Planet Earth
Continent:
North America
Climate:
Continental
Country:
United States of America
Largest tributaries
Perciformes - Perches
Esociformes - Pikes
Siluriformes - Catfishes
Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes
Cypriniformes - Carps
Acipenseriformes - Sturgeons and Paddlefish
Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads
Lepisosteiformes - Gars
Amiiformes - Bowfins
Anguilliformes - Eels and morays
Clupeiformes - Herrings
Moroniformes - Temperate basses
Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes
Percopsiformes - Trout-perches
Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks
Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes
Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps
Carcharhiniformes - Ground sharks
Petromyzontiformes - Lampreys
Perciformes - Perches
Esociformes - Pikes
Siluriformes - Catfishes
Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes
Cypriniformes - Carps
Acipenseriformes - Sturgeons and Paddlefish
Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads
Lepisosteiformes - Gars
Amiiformes - Bowfins
Anguilliformes - Eels and morays
Clupeiformes - Herrings
Moroniformes - Temperate basses
Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes
Percopsiformes - Trout-perches
Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks
Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes
Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps
Carcharhiniformes - Ground sharks
Petromyzontiformes - Lampreys
The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is a 28-mile-long (45 km) canal system that connects the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River.
It reverses the direction of the Main Stem and the South Branch of the Chicago River, which now flows out of Lake Michigan rather than into it.
The related Calumet-Saganashkee Channel does the same for the Calumet River a short distance to the south, joining the Chicago canal about halfway along its route to the Des Plaines.
The two provide the only navigation for ships between the Great Lakes Waterway and the Mississippi River system.
