The conference comprises small public, and two private, high schools with enrollments between 200-600 students in portions of Bureau, Henry, Lee, Rock Island, and Whiteside counties.

In addition, Erie and Prophetstown formed a cooperative to share certain sports programs, including football and wrestling.

Included in the expansion are Orion, Rockridge, Sherrard, Princeton, St. Bede Academy of Peru and Spring Valley Hall.

During this hiatus, the league offered championships in other sports,[12] and member schools, either independently or as part of a co-operative, participated in the football-exclusive Big Rivers Conference.

The North Division includes Amboy-La Moille, Bureau Valley, Erie-Prophetstown, Fulton, Morrison, Newman Central Catholic, and Riverdale.

The decision to create a geographical North-South alignment was based upon a desire to maintain existing rivalries and minimize travel times.

In order to maintain competition, the teams from the Three Rivers' football programs including: Amboy, Erie, Fulton, Morrison, Sterling Newman, Prophetstown, Riverdale, and Savanna joined the ranks of Tri-County Conference schools Peru St. Bede, Bureau Valley, Ottawa Marquette, Eureka, and Bradford (now Stark County High School) to make up the newly formed Big Rivers Conference's Illinois Division.