Huron River (Michigan)


The Huron River is a river in southeastern Michigan, rising out of the Huron Swamp in Springfield Township in northern Oakland County and flowing into Lake Erie, as it forms the boundary between present-day Wayne and Monroe counties. Thirteen parks, game areas, and recreation areas are associated with the river, which passes through the cities of Dexter, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Belleville, Flat Rock and Rockwood that were developed along its banks.
The Huron River is a typical Southeast Michigan stream; mud banks, slow stream flow and a low gradient define this river. It runs through the following counties, in order from the headwaters to its mouth: Oakland, Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Monroe. There are 24 major tributaries totaling about in addition to the mainstream. The Huron River watershed drains. It is the only state-designated Country-Scenic Natural River in southeast Michigan. This includes of the mainstream, plus an additional of three tributaries.
The river was named after the Huron band of Native Americans who lived in the area. In Native languages, it was called cos-scut-e-nong sebee or Giwitatigweiasibi. It was part of a Native American trade route.
The river has many dams, 19 on the main stream and at least 96 in the entire system. Most dams are only a few feet high, built to slightly increase and maintain water levels in existing lakes to provide drought protection and flood control, a use that is now environmentally controversial. However, at least a dozen dams were built for mill or hydroelectric power and several formed large new lakes behind them. Some of these on the Huron River mainstream are Kent Lake, Barton Pond, Argo Pond, Ford Lake, Belleville Lake, and Flat Rock Pond.
The Huron River flows through numerous parks and is a prime canoeing river with a generally slow current and only a few minor rapids or obstructions, except for the short Delhi rapids which is runnable by experienced canoeists and kayakers except during low water.
The river is heavily fished by sportsmen for rock bass, sunfish, bluegill, black crappie, white bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, catfish, trout, muskie, and below Belleville Dam, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and Steelhead. Suckers and carp are also common fish in the river.
In 2009, faculty and students from the University of Michigan produced "Mapping the River," a multimedia presentation combining dance, poetry, music, and projected images which explored the role of the Huron in communities along it.

History

The Huron River was declared navigable by Congress in the 19th century, and for a time, there was flat-boat traffic from Ypsilanti to Lake Erie. This was discontinued as the railroads penetrated the region and milling developed along the river. By the 1880s, the Huron River was considered peculiar among the rivers in the region because it was intensely exploited for water-powered manufacturing. The census reported a total of 17 developed mill dams on the river, many providing power to multiple mills. Flour milling dominated, but there were also sawmills and woolen mills.
As the 20th century began, the Detroit Edison Company and Ford Motor Company began acquiring and developing dams along the river for electric power.

Floods

Notable floods have occurred in 1904, 1918, 1968 and 1982.

Tributaries

Significant tributaries of the Huron River are listed below, in order of progression upstream. Sub-tributaries are indented below their parent watercourse.
The river flows through the following parks and cities in this order starting from the headwaters:
NameImageMunicipalityCountyCoordinatesBuiltReservoir
Big Lake DamSpringfield TownshipOakland1969Big Lake
Pontiac Lake DamWhite Lake TownshipOakland1930Pontiac Lake
Oxbow Lake DamWhite Lake TownshipOakland1965Oxbow Lake
Cedar Island Lake DamWhite Lake TownshipOakland1965Cedar Island Lake
Commerce DamCommerce TownshipOakland1965Commerce Lake
Proud Lake DamCommerce TownshipOakland1962Proud Lake
Hubble DamMilford TownshipOakland1939Hubble Pond
Kent Lake DamMilford TownshipOakland1946Kent Lake
Flook DamDexter TownshipWashtenaw1965Portage Lake
Baseline Lake
Barton DamAnn ArborWashtenaw1915Barton Pond
Argo DamAnn ArborWashtenaw1920unnamed
Geddes DamAnn Arbor
Township		Washtenaw1919unnamed
Superior DamSuperior TownshipWashtenaw1920unnamed
Peninsular Paper DamYpsilantiWashtenaw1914unnamed
Ford Lake DamYpsilanti TownshipWashtenaw1931Ford Lake
French Landing DamVan Buren TownshipWayne1925Belleville Lake
Flat Rock DamFlat RockWayne1924Flat Rock Pond

Historical name confusion with Clinton River

The Clinton River was also known as the Huron River until 1824. The Clinton River, which drains into Lake St. Clair north of Detroit, shares about of watershed boundary with the Huron River system. It was renamed in 1824 by the Michigan Territorial Council to avoid confusion between the two rivers.