Water
PIASA CREEK WATERSHED
Jersey, Madison and Macoupin counties | 77,882 Acres
Drains to: Mississippi River
Communities: Brighton, Elsah, Godfrey
Townships and Districts: Brighton, Elsah, Fidelity, Godfrey, Mississippi, Piasa, Shipman
Impairments: Alteration in steam-side or littoral vegetative covers
Watershed Plan Completed: 2020 – IEPA Approval 2020
About This Watershed
Little Piasa Creek and Piasa Creek are the major streams delivering water from the Piasa Creek watershed directly to the Mississippi River in Jersey County. Smaller tributaries include South Branch Little Piasa Creek which drain to Little Piasa Creek and Rocky Fork, Briggs Branch, Askew Branch, and Mill Creek which drains to Piasa Creek. The largest lake in the watershed is Lake Piasa at 14.3 acres. Agricultural land makes up 52% of land cover with the majority of that land in row crop farming, deciduous forest covers 34%, and urban land makes up another 12%.
Great Rivers Land Trust has been working on the Piasa Creek Watershed Project for many years. Learn more about their efforts here.