Betsie River

The Betsie River ( ') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed November 21, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is mostly within Benzie County (which takes its name from a variant pronunciation of the river), although the river rises in southwest Grand Traverse County and flows briefly through northern Manistee County, Michigan.

The river widens to form Betsie Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan between Frankfort and Elberta. The Betsie River is a part of Michigan's Natural Rivers Program.

Etymology

The name is derived from the French ', meaning river of sawbill ducks (''bec-scie''). A corruption of this pronunciation led to the name of Benzie County. Other alternate historical names include the following:

* Aug-sig-o-sebe
* Aux Buscies River
* Betsey's River
* Black Robe River
* Gay-she-say-ing
* Riviere du Pere Marquette
* Sawbill Ducks River
* Shelldrake Ducks River

Course

While most sources indicate the river rises as the outflow of Green Lake in southwestern Grand Traverse County, some consider it navigable immediately south of US-31 from Tullers Lake into Green Lake. Another tributary of the river flows directly out of northern Duck Lake and into northern Green Lake, connecting with the aforementioned Tullers Lake Outlet. Although not considered part of the Betsie River today, older maps of the area do say so. Green Lake straddles the boundary between Grant Township on the south and Green Lake Township on the north between Karlin and Interlochen. Several nearby lakes, including Duck Lake and its tributaries, drain into Green Lake.

The river winds southwesterly from Green Lake into eastern Benzie County, and then briefly into northern Manistee County before turning northerly back into Benzie County. A dam on the river forms Homestead Pond, after which is flows mostly west and slightly north to Lake Michigan.

Drainage basin

The Betsie River drains an area of approximately in three counties. The drainage basin include about of linear stream, of which is part of the mainstream.

Dams

* Homestead Dam was mostly removed in 1974 and currently acts as a lamprey barrier. It impounds little water and does not impede salmon migrations.Betsi River
Mark A. Tonello, "Status of the Fishery Resource Report, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, No. 2004-3, 2004 The remains of the dam are now sometimes called "Homestead Falls". The dam was a power generating facility formerly owned by Consumers Energy.
* Grass Lake Dam, approximately downstream from Green Lake, forms an approximately impoundment. The dam was constructed in 1951 to improve waterfowl habitat and northern pike fishing. The dam was installed by the state Wildlife Division and created a waterfowl flooding.Betsie River Natural River Plan
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, July 1973, revised March 12, 2002
* Thompsonville Dam was an old power dam that failed in the spring of 1989 and was subsequently removed. Prior to its removal, the dam posed a barrier to salmon migration. Salmon and trout have access to the entire mainstream of the river, even above the Grass Lake Dam.

Bridges

Below is a list of public crossings of the Betsie River:

Tributaries

* Betsie Lake
* Crystal Lake Outlet
** Crystal Lake
***Cold Creek in Beulah

* Rice Creek
* Dair Creek
* Little Betsie River
* Pickerel Creek
** Twin Lake
** Upper Twin Lake
* Grass Lake
* Mud Lake
* Green Lake
** Bridge Lake
** Tullers Lake
** Cedar Hedge Lake
** Mud Lake
** Duck Lake
*** Horton Creek
*** Brigham Creek
*** Mason Creek
**** Weidenhamer Swamp
*** Tonawanda Lake
**** Ellis Lake
***** Saunders Lake

Notes

External links

Map of the Betsie River
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

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Rivers of Michigan
Rivers of Benzie County, Michigan
Tributaries of Lake Michigan
Rivers of Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Rivers of Manistee County, Michigan