Black River (Southwest Michigan)

Black River is a 4.2-mile-long (6.8 km)[2] river in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Michigan that empties into Lake Michigan in South Haven at 42°24′08″N 86°17′04″W,[1] where it discharges past the South Pier Lighthouse. The river takes its name from the dark brown color of its water, which is caused by suspended sediments and organic materials picked up along its course. The river supports a variety of wildlife including trout, snapping turtles, leeches, and many other varieties of flora and fauna. The Black River watershed encompasses 287 square miles (740 km2) across two counties and 13 townships.[3]

Black River
Black River flowing into Lake Michigan
Location
CountryUnited States
Physical characteristics
Mouth 
  location
Lake Michigan at South Haven, Michigan
  elevation
581 ft (177 m)[1]

The main course of the river is formed by the confluence of the North Branch Black River and Middle Branch Black River at 42°25′57″N 86°14′00″W, northwest of South Haven. The South Branch Black River joins the main course at 42°25′04″N 86°15′01″W.[4]

The North Branch Black River is formed out of the Black River Drain, which rises out of a complex of drains including the Leverich Drain and North State Road Drain in Clyde Township and Ganges Township in Allegan County. The Middle Branch Black River is formed by the junction of the Little Bear Lake Drain and Melvin Creek at 42°25′04″N 86°15′01″W[5] in southern Lee Township, near the boundary with Van Buren County. The South Branch Black River is formed by the junction of the Lower Jeptha Lake Drain and the Black River Extension Drain at 42°20′10″N 86°02′19″W in Columbia Township near Breedsville.[4]

About three miles above its mouth on Lake Michigan, the river forks, with the South Branch draining Van Buren County. Less than three miles further upstream, the river forks again into the Middle and North Branches. The Middle branch drains areas of both Van Buren and Allegan counties, and the North Branch watershed is entirely in Allegan County.

Tributaries

From the mouth:

  • (right) South Branch Black River[4]
    • (left) Butternut Creek[6]
      • (left) Tripp and Extension Drain[7]
    • (right) Cedar Creek[8]
    • (left) Eastman Creek[9]
      • (left) Picture Lake[10]
      • (right) Moon Lake[11]
    • (right) Merriman Lake[12]
      • School Section Lake[13]
    • Maple Creek[14]
      • (left) Cedar Drain[15]
      • (right) Nelson Extension Drain[16]
    • Great Bear Lake Drain[17]
    • (left) Lower Jeptha Lake Drain[23]
      • Lower Jeptha Lake[24]
        • Upper Jeptha Lake[25]
    • (right) Black River Extension Drain[26]
      • (left) South Scott Lake[27]
        • (right) Abernathy Lake[28]
        • (left) North Scott Lake[30]
  • Middle Branch Black River[5]
    • (right) Spicebush Creek[31]
    • (left) Scott Creek Drain, also known as Scott Creek[32]
      • (left) Elm Creek Drain, also known as Elm Creek[33]
      • Lower Scott Lake[34]
        • Upper Scott Lake[35]
    • Barber Creek, also spelled Barbor Creek[36]
      • (right) Lester Lake[37]
        • (right) Mud Lake[38]
      • (right) Coffee Lake[39]
      • Saddle Lake[40]
    • Spring Brook[41]
      • Spring Brook Lake[42]
    • (left) Osterhout Lake[43]
    • (left) Melvin Creek[44]
    • (right) Little Bear Lake Drain[48]
      • (left) Lake Eleven[49]
      • Lake Fourteen[50]
  • North Branch Black River[51]
    • Black River Drain[52]
      • (right) Ockford Drain[53]
      • (left) Beaver Dam Drain[54]
      • (left) North State Road Drain[55]
      • Leverich Drain[57]

References

  1. "Black River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-04-05 at WebCite, accessed May 19, 2011
  3. Fuller, Eric (September 2009) [April 2005]. "Black River Watershed Management Plan" (PDF). Black River Watershed Project. Van Buren Conservation District. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  4. "South Branch Black River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  5. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Branch Black River
  6. "Butternut Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  7. "Tripp and Extension Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  8. "Cedar Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  9. "Eastman Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  10. "Picture Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  11. "Moon Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  12. "Merriman Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  13. "637413". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  14. "Maple Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  15. "Cedar Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  16. "Nelson Extension Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  17. "Great Bear Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  18. "Great Bear Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  19. "Haven and Max Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  20. "Max Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  21. "Mill Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  22. "Munn Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  23. "Lower Jeptha Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  24. "Lower Jeptha Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  25. "Upper Jeptha Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  26. "Black River Extension Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  27. "South Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  28. "Abernathy Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  29. "Max Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  30. "North Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  31. "Spicebush Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  32. "Scott Creek Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  33. "Elm Creek Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  34. "Lower Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  35. "Upper Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  36. "Barber Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  37. "Lester Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  38. "Mud Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  39. "Coffee Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  40. "Saddle Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  41. "Spring Brook". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  42. "Spring Brook Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  43. "Osterhout Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  44. "Melvin Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  45. "Deer Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  46. "Lake Moriah". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  47. "Mud Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  48. "Little Bear Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  49. "Lake Eleven". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  50. "Lake Fourteen". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  51. "North Branch Black River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  52. "Black River Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  53. "1617402". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  54. "Beaver Dam Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  55. "North State Road Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  56. "Hutchins Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  57. "Leverich Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
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