Editing Iroquois County, Illinois (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1119|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1117|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.6|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/> It is the third-largest county in Illinois by land area<ref name="Dowling 1968, p. 9">Dowling 1968, p. 9.</ref> and the fifth-largest by total area.

The northern border of the county is about {{convert|60|mi}} south of the city of [[Chicago]]. The county is bordered on the east by the state of Indiana and its counties of [[Benton County, Indiana|Benton]] and [[Newton County, Indiana|Newton]]. To the north lies [[Kankakee County, Illinois|Kankakee County]].  [[Vermilion County, Illinois|Vermilion County]], out of which Iroquois County was originally formed, lies to the south. To the west is [[Ford County, Illinois|Ford County]].

The Iroquois River enters the county from Indiana and flows westward along the south side of the village of Iroquois, then along the north side of the city of Watseka, whereupon it veers to the north and joins the larger [[Kankakee River]] near the city of [[Kankakee, Illinois|Kankakee]] in the county of the same name; the Kankakee River then flows into the [[Illinois River]] further to the northwest in [[Will County, Illinois|Will County]]. Sugar Creek, further to the south, also flows from the east to the west, entering from Indiana east of Stockland; it passes through the south edge of Milford, is joined by Mud Creek coming up from the south, and winds to the north past the village of Woodland and meets the Iroquois River near Watseka.

The [[Iroquois County State Wildlife Area]], a {{convert|2400|acre|adj=on}} state park, is located in the northeast corner of the county. There are also three nature preserves: Bonnie's Prairie,<ref>{{cite web|title=Bonnie's Prairie|url=http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/09/Area%203/Iroquois/BonniesPrairie/BonniesPrairie.htm|publisher=Illinois Department of Natural Resources|access-date=October 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304011121/http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/09/Area%203/Iroquois/BonniesPrairie/BonniesPrairie.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2012}}</ref> Hooper Branch Savanna,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hooper Branch Savanna|url=http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/Directory/Sitefiles/Area3/HOPIR.htm|publisher=Illinois Department of Natural Resources|access-date=October 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304011142/http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/Directory/Sitefiles/Area3/HOPIR.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2012}}</ref> and Loda Cemetery Prairie.<ref>{{cite web|title=Loda Cemetery Prairie|url=http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/09/Area%203/Iroquois/LodaCemPrairie/LodaCemeteryPrairie.htm|publisher=Illinois Department of Natural Resources|access-date=October 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304011241/http://dnr.state.il.us/INPC/09/Area%203/Iroquois/LodaCemPrairie/LodaCemeteryPrairie.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2012}}</ref>

===Climate and weather===
{{climate chart
|[[Watseka, Illinois]]
|14|30|1.61
|18|36|1.73
|29|48|3.36
|39|60|3.77
|50|72|4.04
|59|82|4.62
|63|84|4.22
|61|83|3.65
|53|77|3.41
|41|64|2.91
|32|49|3.33
|21|36|2.57
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL1234
  |title=Monthly Averages for Watseka, Illinois
  |access-date=January 27, 2011
  |publisher=The Weather Channel
}}</ref>}}
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Watseka have ranged from a low of {{convert|14|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|84|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-28|°F}} was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of {{convert|105|°F}} was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.61|in}} in January to {{convert|4.62|in}} in June.<ref name="weather"/>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Kankakee County, Illinois|Kankakee County]] - north
* [[Newton County, Indiana]] - east
* [[Benton County, Indiana]] - east
* [[Vermilion County, Illinois|Vermilion County]] - south
* [[Ford County, Illinois|Ford County]] - west