Senachwine Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Senachwine Lake |
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 Senachwine Lake
Location in Illinois
Senachwine Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Putnam / Marshall counties, Illinois, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°10′30″N 89°20′48″W / 41.1750°N 89.3467°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 3,324 acres (1,345 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 439 ft (134 m) |
Senachwine Lake is a large lake in Illinois, USA. It covers about 3,324 acres (13.5 square kilometers). This lake is part of the Illinois River valley. You can find it in Putnam and Marshall Counties. The lake sits 439 feet (134 meters) above sea level. Senachwine Lake is connected by a shallow channel to another nearby lake called Goose Lake. Both are "backwater lakes" of the Illinois River. This means they are connected to the main river but are not part of its main flow.
Contents
How Senachwine Lake Formed
Leftovers from the Ice Age
Long, long ago, after the last Ice Age ended, a huge lake of melting ice water drained very quickly. This event shaped the lower Illinois River valley. It left behind a wide area of clay and silt. These materials don't let water pass through easily. This is why the Senachwine Lake area was formed.
Riverside Lakes and Wetlands
As the climate in Illinois got warmer after the Ice Age, snow melted each spring. This caused floods that filled parts of the valley faster than the water could drain away. Over time, the Illinois River became a slow-moving river with many small channels. It was surrounded by many lakes and wet areas called wetlands. Senachwine Lake is one of these special backwater lakes.
Life Around the Lake
A Great Place for Fishing
For thousands of years, backwater lakes like Senachwine Lake were excellent places for fishing. Long ago, Native American groups lived near these lakes. They built civilizations based on fishing, hunting waterfowl (like ducks and geese), and gathering plants and animals from the wetlands. Places like Dickson Mounds show how important these activities were.
Early History and Changes
In the early days of American settlement, these wet areas were important for the fur trade. People would hunt animals for their fur. Commercial fishing (fishing to sell) continued in Lake Senachwine until the early 1900s. Around that time, pollution started to affect the Illinois River. This happened because of a new channel called the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
Keeping the Lake Healthy
Cleaning Up the Water
People have been working hard to make Senachwine Lake healthy again. One main goal is to stop dirty water from flowing into the Illinois River system. Another important effort is to reduce erosion. Erosion happens when soil washes away into the lake and river. Areas near the lake in Putnam County are especially prone to erosion. This is because farmers grow a lot of corn and soybeans there.
Fun and Wildlife at the Lake
Today, Senachwine Lake is a popular spot for outdoor fun. There's a boat ramp near Putnam, Illinois, right off Illinois Route 29. Many types of birds that eat fish have returned to the lake. These include egrets, great blue herons, and even bald eagles! It's a great sign that the lake is becoming healthier.
