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″N86°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]
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.
^U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 19, 2011
^Fuller, Eric (September 2009) [April 2005]. "Black River Watershed Management Plan" (PDF). Black River Watershed Project. Van Buren Conservation District. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
black, river, southwest, michigan, other, black, rivers, michigan, black, river, michigan, black, river, mile, long, river, southwest, part, state, michigan, that, empties, into, lake, michigan, south, haven, 40222, 28444, 40222, 28444, black, river, mouth, wh. For other Black Rivers in Michigan see Black River 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 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 Black RiverBlack River flowing into Lake MichiganLocationCountryUnited StatesPhysical characteristicsMouth locationLake Michigan at South Haven Michigan elevation581 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 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 editFrom 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 Great Bear Lake 18 Haven and Max Lake Drain 19 Max Lake 20 Mill Lake 21 Munn Lake 22 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 Max Lake 29 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 Deer Lake 45 Lake Moriah 46 left Mud Lake 47 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 Hutchins Lake 56 Leverich Drain 57 References edit a b Black River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior 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 Fuller Eric September 2009 April 2005 Black River Watershed Management Plan PDF Black River Watershed Project Van Buren Conservation District Retrieved 3 October 2010 a b c South Branch Black River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior a b U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Middle Branch Black River Butternut Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Tripp and Extension Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Cedar Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Eastman Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Picture Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Moon Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Merriman Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior 637413 Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Maple Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Cedar Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Nelson Extension Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Great Bear Lake Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Great Bear Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Haven and Max Lake Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Max Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Mill Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Munn Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lower Jeptha Lake Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lower Jeptha Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Upper Jeptha Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Black River Extension Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior South Scott Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Abernathy Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Max Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior North Scott Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Spicebush Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Scott Creek Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Elm Creek Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lower Scott Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Upper Scott Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Barber Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lester Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Mud Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Coffee Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Saddle Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Spring Brook Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Spring Brook Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Osterhout Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Melvin Creek Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Deer Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lake Moriah Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Mud Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Little Bear Lake Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lake Eleven Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Lake Fourteen Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior North Branch Black River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Black River Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior 1617402 Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Beaver Dam Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior North State Road Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Hutchins Lake Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Leverich Drain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior External links editBlack River Watershed Project Black River Watershed Management Plan Southwest Michigan Planning Commission Two Rivers Coalition Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Black River Southwest Michigan amp oldid 1092400047, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
