View source for Pecatonica River

{{Short description|River in Wisconsin and Illinois, USA}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
 | name              = Pecatonica River
 | image             = Pecatonica River Iowa County Wisconsin.jpg
 | image_caption     = The Pecatonica River in the Pecatonica River Woods State Natural Area in Iowa County, Wisconsin
 | image_size        = <!-- Unnecessary. Size is automatic. -->
 | map               = Pecatonica River Map.png
 | map_caption       = Map of the Pecatonica River watershed
 | source1_location  = [[Iowa County, Wisconsin|Iowa County]] northwest of [[Cobb, Wisconsin]]
 | source1_coordinates= {{coord|42.9788889|-90.3436111|region:US-WI|format=dms|name=Pecatonica River origin}}
 | mouth_location    = [[Confluence]] with the Rock River at [[Rockton, Illinois]]
 | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|42.45|-89.075|region:US-IL|format=dms|name=Pecatonica River mouth|display=inline,title}}
 | progression       = Pecatonica River → Rock → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico
 | source1_elevation = {{convert|1188|ft|m|abbr=on}}
 | mouth_elevation   = {{convert|712|ft|m|abbr=on}}
 | length            = {{convert|194|mi|km|abbr=on}}
 | discharge1_location=[[Shirland, Illinois]]
 | discharge1_avg    = 2,011 cu/ft. per sec.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/uv/?site_no=05437050&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060|title = USGS Current Conditions for USGS 05437050 PECATONICA RIVER NR SHIRLAND, ILL}}</ref>
 | custom_label      = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] ID
 | custom_data       = {{GNIS 4|415503}}
}}

The '''Pecatonica River''' is a tributary of the [[Rock River (Illinois)|Rock River]], {{convert|194|mi}} long,<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map], accessed May 13, 2011</ref> in southern [[Wisconsin]] and northern [[Illinois]] in the [[United States]].

The word Pecatonica is an anglicization of two [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian language]] words: ''Bekaa'' (or ''Pekaa'' in some dialects), which means "slow", and ''niba'', which means "water", forming the conjunction ''Bekaaniba'' or "Slow Water".

It rises in the hills of southwest Wisconsin, in southwest [[Iowa County, Wisconsin|Iowa County]], {{convert|2|mi|0}} west of [[Cobb, Wisconsin|Cobb]]. It flows south, then southeast, past [[Calamine, Wisconsin|Calamine]] and [[Darlington, Wisconsin|Darlington]]. In southeast [[Lafayette County, Wisconsin|Lafayette County]] it receives the [[East Branch Pecatonica River]], approximately {{convert|8|mi|0}} north of the state line. It flows south-southeast into Illinois, past [[Freeport, Illinois|Freeport]], where it turns east, then east-northeast, receiving the [[Sugar River (Wisconsin)|Sugar River]] near [[Shirland, Illinois|Shirland]] in northern [[Winnebago County, Illinois|Winnebago County]], {{convert|5|mi|0}} south of the state line. It joins the Rock at [[Rockton, Illinois|Rockton]], approximately {{convert|15|mi}} north of [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]].

==Illinois parks and preserves==
The Winnebago County Forest Preserve District owns and operates six preserve along the river in Winnebago County. The river is the chief attraction of the {{convert|1048|acre|adj=on}} [[Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve]] and the {{convert|221|acre|adj=on}} Crooked River Forest Preserve off [[U.S. Highway 20]] near [[Pecatonica, Illinois]].  These forest preserves contain [[Oxbow lake|oxbow lakes]], [[Wetland|wetlands]], and [[bottomland forest]]. The river also flows past the {{convert|466|acre|adj=on}} Pecatonica River Forest Preserve off [[Illinois Route 70]] near Pecatonica.  The forest preserve contains a bottomland forest and has been designated an [[Illinois Nature Preserve]].  The {{convert|15|acre|adj=on}} Trask Bridge Forest Preserve and the {{convert|6|acre|adj=on}} Two Rivers Forest Preserve at the confluence of the [[Sugar River (Wisconsin)|Sugar River]] and Pecatonica River provide public boat launches, picnic areas, and fishing opportunities. At the mouth of the Pecatonica is the {{convert|281|acre|adj=on}} Macktown Forest Preserve on [[Illinois Route 75]] near Rockton, the site of the [[ghost town]] of Macktown or Pe-Katonic.

The Natural Land Institute of [[Rockford, Illinois]], owns and operates two privately owned preserves in Winnebago County. The {{convert|142|acre|adj=on}} Pecatonica Woodlands Preserve contains bottomland forest, oxbow, wetland, and sedge meadow habitats. The {{convert|721|acre|adj=on}} Nygren Wetland Preserve, located at the confluence of the Pecatonica River and the [[Rock River (Mississippi River)|Rock River]], has been restored from farmland to prairie, oak savanna, wetland, and oxbow pond.

==Wisconsin parks and preserves==
The river is the focus of the {{convert|110|acre|adj=on}} Pecatonica River Woods State Natural Area near [[Mineral Point, Wisconsin|Mineral Point]] in Iowa County, owned by the [[Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources]] and designated as a natural area in 1992. The Pecatonica River Woods SNA was listed on the basis of possessing a diverse range of forest ecosystems, from southern dry, through [[Mesic habitat|mesic]], to [[floodplain]]. The {{convert|52|acre|adj=on}} Weir White Oaks State Natural Area, a privately owned preserve managed by the Wisconsin DNR, contains high-quality old-growth upland forest and was designated a state natural area in 2002.

The {{convert|120|acre|adj=on}} Blackhawk Memorial Park is owned and operated by Lafayette County.

== Flooding ==
The Pecatonica River has flooded seven times since May 2017. Flood cleanup cost the city of [[Freeport, Illinois]], more than $1.5 million.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bettergov.org/news/neighborhoods-face-extinction-as-floods-increase/|title=Neighborhoods Face Extinction As Floods Increase|last=Chase|first=Brett|date=2019-11-11|website=Better Government Association|language=en|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref> The March 2019 flood crest of {{Convert|22.4|ft|sp=us}} at [[Martintown, Wisconsin]] set a new record.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wkow.com/weather/weather-now/2019/03/16/pecatonica-river-reaches-highest-crest-on-record-flood-warnings-continue-for-many-rivers/|title=Pecatonica River reaches highest crest on record, flood warnings continue for many rivers|date=2019-03-16|website=WKOW|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref> The Pecatonica River [[2019 Midwestern U.S. floods|flooded again in October 2019]], along with other Chicago area rivers including the Fox River and the Rock River.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wgntv.com/2019/10/18/chicago-area-rivers-are-falling-flooding-continues-on-segments-of-the-rock-fox-and-pecatonica-rivers/|title=Chicago-area rivers are falling – flooding continues on segments of the Rock, Fox and Pecatonica Rivers|last=Dailey|first=Paul|date=2019-10-18|website=WGN-TV|language=en|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref>

A [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] monitoring station is located at Freeport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=05435500|title=USGS Current Conditions for USGS 05435500 PECATONICA RIVER AT FREEPORT, IL|website=waterdata.usgs.gov|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Illinois|Rivers}}
* [[List of Illinois rivers]]
* [[List of Wisconsin rivers]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Pecatonica River}}
{{GeoGroup}}
* [https://winnebagoforest.org/preserves/macktown/ Macktown Forest Preserve]
* [https://winnebagoforest.org/preserves/pecatonica-river/ Pecatonica River Forest Preserve]
* [https://winnebagoforest.org/preserves/pecatonica-wetlands/ Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve]
* [https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Lands/naturalareas/index.asp?SNA=260 Pecatonica River Woods State Natural Area]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/paddlethepec/index.htm Pecatonica River Water Trail (privately maintained website)]

{{Wisconsin}}
{{Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Illinois]]
[[Category:Rivers of Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Rivers of Stephenson County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Rivers of Winnebago County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Rivers of Iowa County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Rivers of Lafayette County, Wisconsin]]