The Kinkaid Area Assessment, part of a series of statewide regional assessments, examines 629 square miles, most of which falls within three counties-- Jackson, Perry, and Washington, in southern Illinois. The area falls within four natural divisions-- Southern Till Plain, Shawnee Hills, Ozark, and Lower Mississippi River Bottomlands. More than 90% of the assessment area, 574 square miles, lies within the Beaucoup Creek watershed. Beaucoup Creek originates in eastern Washington County and flows southward for about 81 miles to its confluence with the Big Muddy River in Jackson County. Kinkaid Creek has its headwaters in the northwestern portion of Jackson County and flows southeast until it meets the Big Muddy near Grimsby. Kinkaid Lake, formed when Kinkaid Creek was impounded about 30 years ago, is located in Jackson County. The report provides information on the natural and human resources of the area as a basis for managing and improving its ecosystems. The development of ecosystems-based information and management programs in Illinois are the result of three processes-- the Critical Trents Assessment Program, Conservation Congress, and Water Resources and Land Use Priorities Task Force.

The Chicago River/Lake Shore area assessment, part of a series of statewide regional assessments, examines approximately 348 square miles in northeastern Illinois that falls within portions of two counties-- Cook and Lake. The area is defined by the watershed of the Chicago River and the areas of Cook and Lake counties that drain to Lake Michigan, excluding the area in southern Cook County that drains to the Calumet River. The report provides information on the natural and human resources of the area as a basis for managing and improving its ecosystems. The development of ecosystem-based information and management programs in Illinois are the result of three processes-- the Critical Trends Assessment Program, Conservation Congress, and Water Resources and Land Use Priorities Task Force.