Illinois Waterway

Illinois Waterway, system of rivers and canals, Illinois, about 523 km (325 mi) in length. Connecting the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River, it extends from Lake Michigan at Chicago to Grafton, Illinois. Sections of the waterway include the Chicago River, the Sanitary and Ship Canal, the Des Plaines River, and the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. The toll-free waterway is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It facilitates transport of coal, grain, steel products, petroleum, limestone, and other bulk cargoes.