Big Muddy River the sides of hills, exposing coal deposits. The first coal mine in Illinois is believed to have been opened in 1810 on the banks of the Big Muddy in Jackson County. The Big Muddy cuts through the Shawnee Hills south of Murphysboro near the confluence with its smaller tributary, Kinkaid Creek. From there, it runs southward roughly twenty miles and meets the Mississippi directly south of Grand Tower. Near its mouth, a small portion of the Big Muddy acts as the dividing line between Jackson and Union counties. Major tributaries of the Big Muddy include Beaucoup Creek, the Little Muddy
Muddy River (Nevada) the Meadow Valley Wash, forming the principal drainage system for southeastern Nevada. The Moapa Valley area is home to a wide variety of rare and endangered species, including fish, invertebrates, birds, and plants. Three endangered fish inhabit the area: the Moapa dace ("Moapa coriacea"), the Virgin River chub ("Gila seminuda"), and the White River springfish ("Crenichthys baileyi moapae"). These species can be found throughout the various springs, called the Muddy Springs, that feed the Muddy River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has created the Moapa National Wildlife Refuge at the Warm Springs Natural Area, as part of the Desert