The Chicago Portage connects the watersheds (BrE: drainage basin) and the navigable waterways of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. It crosses the continental divide that separates the the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean watersheds from the Gulf of Mexico watershed. A watershed is a region of land where water drains downhill into a specified body of water, such as a river, lake, sea, ocean or wetland. ... Breton (Brezhoneg) is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany in France. ... A river or canal is Navigatable if the water is deep and wide enough, and not flowing too fast. ... This article is about the river in the United States. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... This article is about continental divides in general terms. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

The St. Lawrence Seaway Divide runs less than a mile from the shores of Lake Michigan, and is at places only 17 feet higher than the water level in the lake. A breach of the ridge could potentially cause the Great Lakes to flow southwards to the Gulf of Mexico. Sunset on Lake Michigan Another sunset along the lake. ...

The portage was discovered in 1673 by Europeans when the French Canadian explorers, Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette were canoeing upstream on the Mississippi River. They received some navigational tips from native Indians and continued along the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers. For the Gentoo Linux package manager, see Portage (software). ... Events January 22 - Impostor Mary Carleton is hanged in Newgate prison in England for multiple thefts and returning from penal transportation March 18 - John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton sells his part of New Jersey to the Quakers. ... Louis Joliet, also known Louis Jolliet (September 21, 1645–May 1700), was a Canadian explorer born in Quebec who is important for his discoveries in North America. ... Canoe at El Nido, Philippines A canoe is a relatively small boat, typically human-powered, but also commonly sailed. ... This article is about the river in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... This article needs to be wikified. ...

There, according to Jollet, a canal of "half a league'' (about 2 miles, 3 km) across the Chicago Portage would allow easy navigation from Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico. League is a unit of distance long common in Europe and Latin America, although no longer an official unit in any nation. ... Lake Erie, looking southward from a high rural bluff near Leamington, Ontario Lake Erie (pronounced ) is one of the five large freshwater Great Lakes in North America, which are among the largest in the world. ...

The city of Chicago grew up on the portage. Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ...

In 1848 Illinois and Michigan Canal was opened, breaching the water divide and enabling navigation between the two waterways. In 1900 it was replaced by the larger Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. After the Chicago River was diverted to the new canal, the Mississippi watershed is now separated from the Great Lakes by only a few downtown Chicago locks. The quantity of water allowed to pass is regulated under international treaty between the U.S. and Canada. 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The location and course of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. ... A water divide, or watershed, is relatively high ground between water basins. ... 1900 (MCM) is a common year starting on Monday. ... The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is the only shipping link between the Great Lakes (specifically Lake Michigan by the Chicago River) with the Mississippi River system, by way of the Illinois and Des Plaines rivers. ... Downtown buildings line the Chicago River The Chicago River is 156 miles (251 km) long, and flows through downtown Chicago, Illinois. ...

External links

• Jolliet and La Salle's Canal Plans at Encyclopedia of Chicago
• The Continental Divide in Oak Park