Situated on the flat Central Illinois prairie, Champaign is not built on a major navigable river, but water remains a key feature of its landscape. The **Boneyard Creek** is the city's most famous waterway—a historic drainage creek that has been beautifully transformed in recent years into a linear park and greenway flowing through both Campustown and Downtown Champaign.
For still water, **Kaufman Lake** and **Mattis Lake** offer scenic walking loops, casual fishing, and habitats for local ducks and geese. Nearby (outside city limits) is the Sangamon River, which provides opportunities for kayaking and canoeing.
