Water is a central element of Naperville's geography and civic identity. The city is bisected by the **West Branch of the DuPage River**, which meanders directly through the downtown area and serves as the scenic foundation for the Naperville Riverwalk. The **East Branch of the DuPage River** also flows through the southern and eastern portions of the city, eventually converging with the West Branch at Knoch Knolls Park.
While non-motorized boating (such as kayaking and paddleboarding) is popular in designated areas of the river and at Whalon Lake (just south of the city limits), the area's most famous body of water is the man-made **Centennial Beach** quarry. Springbrook Creek and numerous municipal retention ponds also thread through local neighborhoods, supporting wetland habitats and waterfowl.