Big Muddy River Here the outline of the Wisconsinan Era lake bed is evident in what were the northern reaches of the ancient lake, where the lake bed was only a few hundred feet wide. The steep Illinoian hills are suddenly truncated where they meet the flat bottom of the Wisconsinan Era lake bed. Here the tributaries of the Big Muddy are tiny, intermittent streams, meandering though these narrow valleys at the headwaters. The Big Muddy basin contains a significant portion of the planet's coal reserves. Most of this is hidden under its deep mud. At a few places the river has eroded
Big Rib River Big Rib River The Big Rib River is a river in central Wisconsin. It originates in northeastern Taylor County at Rib Lake, and flows into Marathon County where it joins the Wisconsin River. "Rib River" is a translation of the Native American name. The Big Rib River flows through Rib Falls then to Marathon City, before it converges into the Wisconsin River at the northeast face of Rib Mountain. The Dells of the Big Rib River, below Goodrich, are believed to be the rapids where Father René Menard disappeared in 1661, which attempting to reach a band of Huron Indians