Pool 18 of the Upper Mississippi River extends 26.6 miles from Lock and Dam 18 in Gladstone, IL to Lock and Dam 17 in New Boston, IL. Pool 18 contains 11,746 acres of aquatic habitat. Pool 18 has islands, side channels, and backwaters. Most of the rivers floodplain in Pool 18 lies behind agricultural levies. This training of the river has caused loss and degradation of much of the rivers side channel and backwater habitats. The Iowa River enters the Mississippi River in upper Pool 18. The Iowa DNR’s Lake Odessa Wildlife Management Area is located in upper Pool 18 above the mouth of the Iowa River. The Keithsburg Division of the Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge is also located in Pool 18.
Navigation maps are available from this US Army Corps of Engineers website (link takes you offsite).