Beaver Island is a 245-acre true island located at the confluence of the Kaskaskia and Mississippi rivers (River Mile 116 to 118). Beaver Island was acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2004 and contains mature cottonwood forest, an active side channel, and several secondary channels near the main river. Its location at the confluence of the Kaskaskia, as well as some cobble and gravel substrate in the area, make it a good location for sturgeon and other native river fish. Several endangered pallid sturgeon have been caught in the area, and Southern Illinois University has a permanent sonar "listening" station nearby to locate tagged pallids.
In addition to the natural features of the area, Beaver Island lies on the site of the village of Kaskaskia, the first capital of Illinois. Kaskaskia was located about six miles upstream from the mouth of the Kaskaskia River until about 1880 when the Mississippi flooded, changed course, and captured the last six miles of the Kaskaskia River valley. The village and nearby fort were also important to the Lewis and Clark voyage, since they bought supplies and recruited several crewmen from the nearby Fort Kaskaskia before arriving in St. Louis.
For additional information on this new addition, please contact the refuge.