Kaskaskia was founded on the bottomland between the Mississippi and the Kaskaskia Rivers, the most fertile land in the Mississippi River valley. The Mississippi would frequently flood the land, depositing silt from the river bottom. Silt is earth rich in minerals and vegetable matter, which provide plants with important nutrients that help them to grow.

Flooding is still a problem in the Mississippi River valley, especially because man has tried to control the meanderings of the mighty river by constricting its movements and reducing its floodplains through manmade dikes.

For some historic photos of river flooding see:
https://www.museum.state.il.us/RiverWeb/harvesting/gallery

© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96