The habitat of the Hine's emerald dragonfly is a rare and localized wetland type found in Illinois only along the Des Plaines River. This dragonfly is found in shallow marshes, wet meadows, and small streams where calcareous water emerges between the limestone bedrock and overlying glacial till. Currently found at only a few sites in Illinois and Wisconsin, the Hine's emerald dragonfly is a state endangered species. In Illinois, the largest threat to this dragonfly is habitat loss due to development.

SIZE: 43,470 acres; 68 square miles

LOCATION: Northeastern Illinois, southwestern Chicago metropolitan area; Cook, DuPage, and Will counties.

The Des Plaines River valley from just southwest of Chicago's Midway Airport to Joliet is remarkable for its glacial history and its resultant landscape. Vertical cliffs were carved by torrential meltwaters from the last glaciers. Where the dolomite (a type of limestone) is exposed, a harsh environment supports a number of hardy plants. Low gravel ridges parallel to the river stay dry while the floodplain stays wet for long periods. The fens, marshes, and wet prairies that occur in low spots add to the variety of habitats. Dolomite prairies, like those found here, have almost completely disappeared from the Midwest.

The Des Plaines River RRA is a small, highly urbanized site which forms a narrow corridor along the river from just west of Chicago to Joliet. Relatively high percentages of upland woods and nonforested wetlands occur in this site. Important natural features include prairie, savanna, river bluff, cliff, wetlands, floodplain and upland forest.

LANDCOVER :This site is one-third urban and one-third upland woods. The Des Plaines River RRA ranks third in percentage of upland woods and second in percentage of nonforested wetlands, although actual acreages are relatively low. Larger wooded tracts are located in county forest preserves, especially at the confluence of the Calumet Sag Channel and the Des Plaines River. Nonforested wetlands are concentrated along the river.

NATURAL AREAS: Eleven Natural Areas occur in this RRA. They are predominantly woods or prairie sites and range in size from three to 675 acres.

BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT STREAM: There are no BSS streams at this site.

HERITAGE SITE: There are 61 Heritage Sites representing 15 significant community types, eight plant species, ten animal species, one large forest tract, and a rookery.

STATE AND FEDERAL LAND: There are no state or federal lands at this site.

NATURE PRESERVES: There are nine Nature Preserves. Cap Sauers Holdings, at 1,548 acres, is one of the largest preserves in northeastern Illinois. Principal natural features found in the Nature Preserves are river bluffs, ravine forests, springs, sedge meadows, marshes, fens, prairies, savannas, floodplain, and upland woods. Some of the natural features represent the last remaining examples in northeastern Illinois.

NATURAL DIVISION: This RRA lies almost entirely within the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division.

SUMMARY OF SITE CHARACTERISTICS: SIZE, BIOLOGIC RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC LANDS