Two state agencies in Oklahoma recently teamed up to stop erosion of a state highway near Tahlequah and at the same time made improvements to the Illinois River.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation funded the $900,000 project and worked closely with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission in protecting State Highway 10 just north of Tahlequah in Cherokee County. Working with area landowners, the two agencies expanded the river bank and slightly channeled the river away from the highway to prevent further erosion that had threatened the highway.
An announcement indicated the work will also enhance the floodplain and improve water quality and fish habitats of the Illinois River.