Water
AMERICAN BOTTOM WATERSHED
Madison County | 43,245 Acres
Drains to: Mississippi River
Communities: Brooklyn, Edwardsville, Fairmont City, Granite City, Hartford, Madison, Pontoon Beach, Venice
Townships and Districts: Chouteau, Venice, Nameoki, Collinsville, Granite City
Impairments: Total suspended solids, phosphorus, manganese, iron, barium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), low dissolved oxygen, aquatic algae
Watershed Plan Completed: 2020 – Pending IEPA Approval
About This Watershed
The American Bottom Watershed is an area in Madison Country that is part of a larger watershed known as Judy’s Branch-Mississippi River (the name given by the U.S. Geological Survey). In this area water generally flows east to west into the Mississippi River. The watershed includes parts of 16 municipalities, including Granite City, Pontoon Beach, Brooklyn, Madison, and Venice.
Notable features in the watershed include Monks Mound (in the Cahokia Mounds complex), Chouteau Island, Horseshoe Lake, and Arlington Wetlands.