The Chippewa River is a stream in
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
, United States, that runs
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed November 7, 2011 through the central
Lower Peninsula
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the S ...
. The Chippewa is a tributary of the
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee River flows in a generally southeasterly direction through the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at Secord Lake in Clement Township, at the confluence of the East Branch and the Middle Branch. From ...
and is thus part of the
Saginaw River
The Saginaw River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed November 7, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is formed by the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Sh ...
drainage basin. The river is named after the
Chippewa people (the
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan ( oj, Ziibiwing Anishinaabek) is a federally recognized band of Chippewa (a.k.a. Ojibwe) located in central Michigan in the United States.
The tribal government offices are located on the Isabella Indian ...
is located in Isabella County).
Description
The main stem of the river begins in northeast
Mecosta County in the village of
Barryton at
where the north and west branches are impounded. The North Branch Chippewa River, also known as Chippewa Creek (there is a second North Branch Chippewa River further east), rises at
as the outflow of Big Cranberry Lake
in
Garfield Township in southwest
Clare County
Clare County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 30,856. The county seat is Harrison.
History
The county was created by the Michigan Legislature from part of Michilimackinac County in 1840, ...
. The West Branch Chippewa River rises as the outflow of Tubbs Lake,
part of a complex of lakes formed by Winchester Dam
several miles southwest of Barryton.
The Winchester Dam, built in 1954, impounds
and forms the Martiny Lake Flooding. The dam, which is owned by the State of Michigan, is identified as a "significant hazard due to its proximity to the Village of Barryton."
An 1879 atlas of Mecosta County gives an indication of the area's geography before the dam was built. Several of the lakes that now form lobes in a continuous body of water are clearly seen as separate lakes, some with different names or spellings. Tubbs Lake is called "Tebbs Lake" and Diamond Lake is "Dimon Lake".
The "second" North Branch Chippewa River rises as the outflow of Grass Lake
near the boundary between Isabella and Clare counties at
and flows south through into the Chippewa River at
a few miles west of
Mount Pleasant. The river flows through
Mt. Pleasant and is the focal point of four parks in the city: Millpond Park, Nelson Park, Chipp-A-Water, and Island Park. In Island Park, the river flows completely around the park and creates a natural island in the center of the city. Three additional Isabella County parks utilize the river for recreation: Meridian Park, Deerfield Nature Park, and Majeski Landing.
The river flows east into
Midland County where it is joined by the
Pine River at the
Chippewa Nature Center
Chippewa Nature Center (CNC) is both a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization and a protected wildlife area in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, encompassing over of forest, rivers and wetlands. Located in Midland County, it is one of the ...
in
Homer Township, then joins the
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee River flows in a generally southeasterly direction through the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at Secord Lake in Clement Township, at the confluence of the East Branch and the Middle Branch. From ...
in downtown
Midland under
The Tridge.
The river flows with a mean discharge rate of 254 cubic feet per second (7.19 cubic meters per second) at its gauge near Mount Pleasant. It is locally known for
bass fishing.
Chubs
Chub is a common fish name. It pertains to any one of a number of ray-finned fish in several families and genera. In the UK, the term ''chub'' usually refers to the species ''Squalius cephalus''. In addition, see sea chub.
In family Cyprinidae ...
and
redhorses are also abundant. There are two canoe liveries on the river: Chippewa River Outfitters and Buckley's Mountainside Canoe Livery. The liveries offer canoe, kayak, and tubing trips for a few hours to all day, even an overnight camping trip. The river flows through a gravel pit named Hubsher Gravel Pit. The river is a main water source for the city of Mount Pleasant.
Tributaries and features
From the mouth:
* (left)
Pine River
** See
Pine River for tributaries of the Pine River
* (right) Dice Drain
* (left) Wilson Drain
** (right) Huber Drain
* (left) Baker Drain
* (left) Hoxie Drain
* (left) Little Salt Creek, also known as Little Salt River
** (left) Turkey Creek
** (right) Frost Drain
* (left) Salt Creek, also known as Little Salt Creek, Little Salt River, Salt River
** (left) Kirch Drain
** (right) Thrasher Creek
** (right) Black Creek
** (right) Potter Creek
*** (right) Onion Creek
** (right) Childs Creek
** (left) LaStrange Lake
*** Lyons Lake
** (left) Mud Lake
** (left) Figg Drain
*** (left) Parcher Drain
** (right) Wyant Drain
* (right) Mission Creek
* (right) North Branch Chippewa River
** (left) Hogg Creek
** (left) Hagerman Drain
** (left) Schofield Creek
** (right) Stevenson Lake
*** Owens Lake
** Deadman Swamp
** Grass Lake
* (left)Johnson Creek
** Peas Lake
*** Wing Lake
* (left) Cedar Creek
* (left) Stony Brook
** Woodruff Lake
* (right)
Coldwater River
** See
Coldwater River for tributaries of the Coldwater River
* Lake Isabella
** (left) Squaw Creek
*** Long Pond
** (left) Indian Creek
*** Indian Lake
** (left) Six Lakes
*** Long Lake
*** Round Lake
*** Hoffman Lake
*** Strong Lake
**** Bamber Creek
***** Hannah Lake
***** Moiles Lake
*** Markel Lake
*** Randall Lake
** (left) Tanner Creek
** (right) Sherman Creek
** (left) West Branch Chippewa River
*** (right) Brown Creek
*** (right) Helmer Creek
*** Winchester Dam
forming the Martiny Lake Flooding
**** Tubbs Lake
**** Lost Lake
**** Diamond Lake
**** Big Evans Lake
***** Roundy Branch
****** Hills Lake
****** Pine Lake
**** Upper Evans Lake
**** Manake Lake
**** Lower Evans Lake
***** Chippewa Creek
****** Chippewa Lake
******* Long Lake
**** Saddlebag Lake
**** Bullhead Lake
**** Boom Lake
**** Bass Lake
**** Dogfish Lake
**** Halfmoon Lake
**** Mud Lake
** (right) North Branch Chippewa River
*** (left) Rattail Creek
**** Rattail Lakes
*** (right) Butts Creek
*** (right) Benjamin Creek
*** (left) Merrill Lake
*** (right) Tubs Lake
*** (right) Atkinson Creek
*** Big Cranberry Lake
**** Mystic Lake
***** Crooked Lake
**** Three Lake Creek
***** Three Lake
Drainage basin
(Including the Pine River)
*
Clare County
Clare County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 30,856. The county seat is Harrison.
History
The county was created by the Michigan Legislature from part of Michilimackinac County in 1840, ...
**
Garfield Township
**
Surrey Township
*
Gratiot County
**
City of Alma
**
Arcada Township
**
Bethany Township
**
Emerson Township
**
Pine River Township
**
City of St. Louis
**
Seville Township
**
Sumner Township
**
New Haven Township
**
Newark Township
**
Wheeler Township
*
Isabella County
**
Broomfield Township
**
Chippewa Township
**
Coe Township
**
Coldwater Township
**
Deerfield Township
**
Fremont Township
**
Gilmore Township
**
Isabella Township
**
Lincoln Township
**
City of Mount Pleasant
**
Nottawa Township
**
Rolland Township
**
Village of Shepherd
**
Sherman Township
**
Union Township
**
Vernon Township
*
Mecosta County
**
Chippewa Township
**
Fork Township
**
Martiny Township
**
Millbrook Township
**
Sheridan Township
**
Wheatland Township
*
Midland County
**
Greendale Township
**
Homer Township
**
Jasper Township
**
Lee Township
**
City of Midland
**
Midland Township
**
Mount Haley Township
**
Porter Township
*
Montcalm County
**
Ferris Township
**
Home Township
**
Richland Township
*
Osceola County
**
Orient Township
References
*
*
External links
USGS Water Data
{{authority control
Rivers of Michigan
Rivers of Isabella County, Michigan
Rivers of Midland County, Michigan
Rivers of Mecosta County, Michigan
Rivers of Clare County, Michigan
Tributaries of Lake Huron