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]

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 / 42.40222°N 86.28444°W / 42.40222; -86.28444 (Black River (mouth)),[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]

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 / 42.43250°N 86.23333°W / 42.43250; -86.23333 (Black River (source)), northwest of South Haven. The South Branch Black River joins the main course at 42°25′04″N 86°15′01″W / 42.41778°N 86.25028°W / 42.41778; -86.25028 (Black River (source)).[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 / 42.41778°N 86.25028°W / 42.41778; -86.25028 (Middle Branch Black River (source))[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 / 42.33611°N 86.03861°W / 42.33611; -86.03861 (South Branch Black River (source)) 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. 1 2 "Black River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, 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. 1 2 3 "South Branch Black River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  5. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Branch Black River
  6. "Butternut Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  7. "Tripp and Extension Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  8. "Cedar Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  9. "Eastman Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  10. "Picture Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  11. "Moon Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  12. "Merriman Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  13. "637413". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  14. "Maple Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  15. "Cedar Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  16. "Nelson Extension Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  17. "Great Bear Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  18. "Great Bear Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  19. "Haven and Max Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  20. "Max Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  21. "Mill Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  22. "Munn Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  23. "Lower Jeptha Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  24. "Lower Jeptha Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  25. "Upper Jeptha Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  26. "Black River Extension Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  27. "South Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  28. "Abernathy Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  29. "Max Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  30. "North Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  31. "Spicebush Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  32. "Scott Creek Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  33. "Elm Creek Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  34. "Lower Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  35. "Upper Scott Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  36. "Barber Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  37. "Lester Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  38. "Mud Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  39. "Coffee Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  40. "Saddle Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  41. "Spring Brook". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  42. "Spring Brook Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  43. "Osterhout Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  44. "Melvin Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  45. "Deer Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  46. "Lake Moriah". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  47. "Mud Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  48. "Little Bear Lake Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  49. "Lake Eleven". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  50. "Lake Fourteen". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  51. "North Branch Black River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  52. "Black River Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  53. "1617402". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  54. "Beaver Dam Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  55. "North State Road Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  56. "Hutchins Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  57. "Leverich Drain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
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