The Kaskaskia River is the largest stream found entirely within Illinois. From its headwaters just west of Champaign to its mouth on the Mississippi River above Chester, the Kaskaskia winds its way across nearly 300 miles of central and southwestern Illinois. Its watershed encompasses all or parts of 22 counties and about 10% of the state's total land area. Due to its geographic scope and variety of habitats, the Kaskaskia supports a wide array of aquatic species, many of which are sport fishes. The Kaskaskia River Project (KRP), a 36-mile-long navigation channel below Fayetteville and two reservoirs—Carlyle Lake and Lake Shelbyville—have altered the river's ecology, but provide many local fishing opportunities.