The Influence of the Wabash River
The Wabash River is the official state river of Indiana and flows 475 miles from the headwaters near Fort Recovery, Ohio, to its confluence with the Ohio River. The Wabash runs freely for 411 miles from the dam at Roush Reservoir (Huntington County) to the Ohio River, making it the longest free-flowing stretch of any river in the United States east of the Mississippi River.
The Wabash is the largest northern tributary of the Ohio River. It has 12 significant tributaries- Eel, Little, Little Wabash, Mississinewa, Patoka, Salmonie, Tippecanoe and White rivers, and Sugar and Wildcat creeks in Indiana plus the Embarras and Vermillion rivers in Illinois. Seventy-three of Indiana’s 92 counties lie within the Wabash River watershed, which drains almost 75 percent of Indiana.
Nearly 500 miles long, the Wabash River spans the entire state of Indiana, with 700,000 Hoosiers living within 15 miles of its banks. Many of our state’s rivers, including the Tippecanoe and the two forks of the White River, flow into the Wabash. The Wabash and the rivers and streams that flow into it provide drinking water to 72 percent of Indiana counties and drain two-thirds of the state. From Fort Wayne to Lafayette, from Indianapolis to Terre Haute, and from Bloomington to Vincennes, the Wabash River watershed provides for much of the state’s outdoor recreation opportunities, including hiking, camping, bird-watching, boating, fishing, and hunting.
The History of the Wabash River
The focus of our state song, the Wabash River, is deeply rooted in Indiana’s history. It served as a vital conduit for trade during the first half of the nineteenth century, opening the Northwest Territory and bringing the “canal towns” that settled Indiana and much of the Midwest. Its name is derived from the Native American word “waapaahsiiki,” which means “it shines white,” “pure white,” or “water over white stones.”
Wildlife of the Wabash
The Wabash River and its tributaries are considered among the top 10 most biologically diverse rivers in the entire United States, hosting 151 species of fish. Improved water quality has led to an appreciable increase in the mussel population and other species. The Wabash contains numerous species of mollusks, including such federally endangered species as the clubshell, Eastern fanshell, tubercled blossom, rough pigtoe, ring pink, pink mucket, and white wartyback. There are 151 species of fish and 75 species of mussels in the Wabash River. Bald eagles, once federally endangered, now nest in the Wabash River/ Sugar Creek corridor, in addition to Great Blue Herons. The river is home to over 400 threatened and endangered species and natural communities. A recent analysis of freshwater biodiversity identifies it and its tributaries as one of the biological gems of North America.
Five of the richest river segments in the nation are found in the Wabash River drainage. The river channel and valley are oriented north to south, creating a migratory pathway for songbirds and waterfowl. These bird species utilize the Wabash River corridor for breeding and nesting and migration, and other essential life cycle requirements. During migration, they prefer forests close to water and wetlands. Where these forests exist, the riparian corridor and associated oxbows and wetlands in the floodplain provide ideal habitat. These floodplain forests also harbor species such as the Indiana Bat. The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is both a state and federally endangered species. The species was listed in the late 1960s due to human disturbance of caves that bats use for winter hibernating. The middle and lower sections of the Wabash possess ideal habitats for Osprey and the Bald Eagle species. Thanks to positive water quality efforts, more birds are frequent visitors to these floodplain areas, and more and more often are beginning to call these places home.