Fluvial channel path evolution – Documenting decades of change along the Little Wabash River, East Central Illinois, USA

As highly dynamic landforms, rivers etch their channels into the surrounding and underlying strata over time, continuously reshaping the landscapes they traverse. This study examines geomorphological changes of the Little Wabash River in East Central Illinois between 1938 and 2011. The Little Wabash River is a meandering river sourced in southwestern Coles County, Illinois, and flows southward approximately 390 km to its confluence with the Wabash River. The historical location of the Little Wabash River was delineated to establish a baseline survey using archival aerial photography acquired in 1938. To understand how the channel evolved, investigations were conducted in each county along the Little Wabash River. Among other findings, this work suggests chute cutoffs occur more frequently than neck cutoffs and in smaller amounts of areal extent. Information garnered from these investigations can be used by geomorphologists, engineers, and planners to better understand anthropogenic impacts on riverine systems.