The Cache River Basin is located at the junction of four physiographic provinces, an environmental rarity which makes for a unique environment for both animals and plants.  The watershed’s terrain consists of hills and valleys dotted in several areas with sinkholes and intermittent streams which drain into the Cache River. The river basin varies from strikingly beautiful bluffs in the north to primordial swamps in the south.

The largest cypress trees in the Cache are over 1,000 years old, reaching heights of 95 feet with a trunk diameter up to 31 feet. These giants surround themselves with cypress knees, where swamp rose takes hold and the bird-voiced tree frog sings. This is a magical haven for rare and endangered plant and animal species tucked unexpectedly at the southern tip of a state known for its millions of acres of flat corn and soybean fields!

As part of a greater partnership of state and local organizations concerned with the Cache River, Shawnee RC&D secured funding for important and influential research to be conducted at the Cache River.  Current research projects include an assessment of the Cache River fishery and a study—by a team of SIUC researchers—on river water flow and how it affects the web of life in the lower Cache River. When these research projects are combined, they will help land managers to better design projects to support the many varied species that depend on the Cache ,and its connected wetland, for long-term sustainability.