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Sangamon River

Description: The Sangamon River is the largest Illinois River tributary with a length of 240 miles and a watershed encompassing 5362 square miles. The watershed is separated into three management sections — Upper Sangamon, Lower Sangamon and Salt Creek. The Lower Sangamon extends from the mouth at the Illinois River in Beardstown to the confluence of the South Fork near Riverton. There are no mainstem impoundments within this reach. There are lowhead dams at Springfield and Petersburg, both of which are old and breached. The lowermost 36 miles of the Sangamon from the Salt Creek confluence downstream was channelized in 1949. The original Illinois River confluence and part of the original meandering Sangamon River channel is contained within the Sanganois Conservation Area.

River Access: The Lower Sangamon River is a public water body. That designation extends from the Illinois River upstream to one mile south of the Mechanicsburg Road bridge and also to the lower two miles of the South Fork. Public waters are open to fishing, but landowner permission is needed to legally access bankside private lands. Public fishing access along the Lower Sangamon is available at Wheeland Park in Riverton, Riverside Park in Springfield, Sangamon River State Fish and Wildlife Area (SRSFWA) northeast of Salisbury, Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site south of Petersburg and Petersburg City Park. Boat ramps are available at all of these sites except SRSFWA and New Salem State Historic Site. Public boat ramps are also found at Route 97 bridge north of Oakford and Route 78 bridge north of Chandlerville. The Sanganois Conservation Area has access to old Sangamon River backwaters and a boat ramp to access Illinois River backwater lakes, but no access to the present day Sangamon River channel.

Key parklands along the river, moving from upstream to downstream, include

• Champaign County Forest Preserves: Sangamon River and Lake of the Woods
• Robert Allerton Park
• The parks bordering Lake Decatur, Rock Springs Conservation Area
• Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park
• Springfield's Carpenter Park
• The Sangamon River State Fish and Wildlife Area, Lincoln's New Salem, Saybrook, and the Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area

Status of the Sport Fishery The Lower Sangamon fishery has surely declined from the days before the prairie was plowed under, however there is evidence of improvement in the past 30 years. Basin-wide stream assessments initiated in 1981 have shown increased abundances and distributions of bluegill and largemouth bass accompanied by a steady decline in green sunfish, an environmentally tolerant species. Improvements in water quality and land management practices are likely causes for this positive sunfish trend. Unfortunately, Asian carp have recently invaded the Lower Sangamon. Bighead carp and silver carp were first represented in our Sangamon River fish samples in 2003 and were first reported by commercial fisherman in 2001. Grass carp were first picked up by IDNR sampling in 2000, but were collected by commercial fishermen as early as 1993. Bowfishing for carp has gained popularity in recent years. 

Additional Information: The Sangamon River is subject to statewide sport fishing regulations. There is, however, a 12 inch minimum length limit for largemouth and smallmouth bass within the Sanganois Conservation Area. Bowfishing and commercial fishing are permitted from the Sangamon River mouth in Cass County to Belt Route 48 southwest of Decatur.  

For further information, contact: IDNR Fisheries at 618-468-2851

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