Black River is a
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed May 19, 2011 river in the southwest part of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
that empties into
Lake Michigan in
South Haven at ,
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 across two counties and 13 townships.
The main course of the river is formed by the confluence of the North Branch Black River and Middle Branch Black River at , northwest of South Haven. The South Branch Black River joins the main course at .
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
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 in
Columbia Township near
Breedsville.
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
** (left) Butternut Creek
*** (left) Tripp and Extension Drain
** (right) Cedar Creek
** (left) Eastman Creek
*** (left) Picture Lake
*** (right) Moon Lake
** (right) Merriman Lake
*** School Section Lake
** Maple Creek
*** (left) Cedar Drain
*** (right) Nelson Extension Drain
** Great Bear Lake Drain
*** Great Bear Lake
**** Haven and Max Lake Drain
**** Max Lake
***** Mill Lake
***** Munn Lake
** (left) Lower Jeptha Lake Drain
*** Lower Jeptha Lake
**** Upper Jeptha Lake
** (right) Black River Extension Drain
*** (left) South Scott Lake
**** (right) Abernathy Lake
***** (left) Max Lake
**** (left) North Scott Lake
* Middle Branch Black River
** (right) Spicebush Creek
** (left) Scott Creek Drain, also known as Scott Creek
*** (left) Elm Creek Drain, also known as Elm Creek
*** Lower Scott Lake
**** Upper Scott Lake
** Barber Creek, also spelled Barbor Creek
*** (right) Lester Lake
**** (right) Mud Lake
*** (right) Coffee Lake
*** Saddle Lake
** Spring Brook
*** Spring Brook Lake
** (left) Osterhout Lake
** (left) Melvin Creek
*** Deer Lake
**** Lake Moriah
***** (left) Mud Lake
** (right) Little Bear Lake Drain
*** (left) Lake Eleven
*** Lake Fourteen
* North Branch Black River
** Black River Drain
*** (right) Ockford Drain
*** (left) Beaver Dam Drain
*** (left) North State Road Drain
**** Hutchins Lake
*** Leverich Drain
References
External links
Black River Watershed ProjectSouthwest Michigan Planning CommissionTwo Rivers Coalition
{{authority control
Rivers of Michigan
Rivers of Allegan County, Michigan
Rivers of Van Buren County, Michigan
Tributaries of Lake Michigan