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The Illinois Waterway provides a navigable connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. It allows water traffic to be able to go through different elevations of water by pumping water in a lock to make it even with the body of water that is wants to travel on.

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During the Ice age the glaciers covered what is now Canada. 180,000 years ago the glaciers brought with them rocks scraped the land carved valleys and melted to fill waterways.

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one example of weather of affecting the Illinois River Valley is when it rains(floods). The high water levels leads to a prolonged period of flooding. This flooding affects animals, and structures near by.

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The process of breaking down of rocks and minerals on the surface of the earth. Water and ice are agents of weathering. The moving water carries away rock and soil from some areas and deposits it in different areas, creating new land.

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Spring rainfall will increase because of climate change which increases the amount of water in the river. During the summer droughts are more likely to happen.

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When a drought occurs it drops the water level down drastically and leaves the ecosystem confused and partially ruined for that time.

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Extracting minerals and other materials affecting the soil wildlife and contaminating water.

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Asian carp are voracious plankton feeders that can quickly dominate aquatic ecosystems by gobbling up the same food that sustains native fish populations. ... Cuts, bruises, and broken bones have been reported from silver carp collisions along the Illinois.

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The Tectonic Plates shift and can cause the water level in the river to move up or down. They also cause the surrounding rocks and surfaces to rub together and slowly crumble after a long amount of time.

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More than 13.8 million tons of sediment are delivered to the Illinois River annually. Soil particles in water can kill bottom-dwelling organisms, clog the gills of fishes and mussels and destroy spawning habitat.

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running water is one main cause of the continuous change to the Illinois River Valley. Running water causes erosion and deposition.

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The trees in Illinois can survive during floods or rapid running water. The roots will go into the sandstone and keep the sandstone from being swept away.

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This population growth affected the use of the river for transportation and sanitation, the use of its resources for food and materials, and the wear and tear on the river and its environment. Siltation and pollution became major factors in the degradation of river quality