Boardman River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Boardman River
Boardman River in downtown Traverse City
Other name(s)	Ottawa River
Country	United States
Cities	Traverse City, South Boardman, Kalkaska
Physical characteristics
Main source	Union Township, Grand Traverse County: Confluence of North & South Branches, Michigan
River mouth	Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan, Michigan
Length	28 mi (45 km)
Basin features
Progression	Boardman River → Grand Traverse Bay → Lake Michigan → Lake Huron
Tributaries	Left: Beitner Creek, Kids Creek, Hoosier Valley Creek Right: Swainston Creek, Jaxon Creek, Hauerstein Creek

The Boardman River is a 28.2-mile (45.4 km) long river in Michigan. It flows into the western part of Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan. The river starts near Kalkaska, Michigan. Its watershed, which is the area of land that drains into the river, covers about 295 square miles (764 km²). This includes 130 miles (209 km) of the main river and its smaller streams.

The Boardman River is known as one of the top ten trout streams in Michigan. Before it reaches Grand Traverse Bay, the river flows into Boardman Lake. This natural lake grew from 259 acres (1.05 km²) to 339 acres (1.37 km²) after the Union Street Dam was built in 1867. After leaving Boardman Lake, the river winds through downtown Traverse City. It then follows a sharp, hairpin-shaped path to Grand Traverse Bay. You can use motorboats on the Traverse City part of the river, from the bay up to a small barrier called a weir. Just upstream from the weir is the Union Street Dam. This small dam used to power a mill but is no longer in use. The main smaller streams that flow into the Boardman River are Kids Creek, Beitner Creek, Swainston Creek, and the North and South branches of the river.

What is the History of the Boardman River?

In 1847, a man named Captain Horace Boardman bought land on Grand Traverse Bay. The Boardman River was named after him. Before that, it was known as the Ottawa River.

Later in the 1800s, as Traverse City was being settled, the Hannah-Lay Company built the Union Street Dam. This dam was used for a sawmill. Around this time, people were unfortunately dumping sewage into the Boardman River. This caused serious health problems for the community.

By 1869, Boardman Lake became a popular tourist attraction for people in Traverse City. A company called Oval Wood Dish built a factory on the northwest side of the lake. The western shore of the lake was used for moving logs and as a rail yard for trains. This continued until the early 2000s.

In 1894, the Boardman Dam was built about 4.6 miles (7.4 km) upstream from the Union Street Dam. This new dam was for a hydroelectric power plant, which uses water to make electricity. Building this dam created Boardman Pond and changed the river's path. The old path of the river is now called the relic channel.

Over the years, other dams like Sabin, Keystone, and Brown Bridge were also built. The Keystone Dam caused the small towns of Beitner and Keystone to be flooded. These dams survived many floods over time. In 2013, the Brown Bridge Dam was removed, which drained Brown Bridge Pond. The Keystone Pond was taken down sometime in the 1960s.

In 2017, the Boardman Dam was removed. The Boardman River was then sent back into its old path, the relic channel, for good. That same year, the Murchie Bridge near the river's mouth was replaced. In August 2018, the Sabin Dam was also removed. This means only the Union Street Dam is left on the main river today.

What is Boardman Lake Like?

Boardman Lake
Traverse Lake, Lake Boardman, Lake Logan
Boardman Lake Location in Michigan
Location	Grand Traverse County, Michigan (Garfield Township & Traverse City)
Coordinates	44°44′47″N 85°36′52″W / 44.7462666°N 85.6143119°W / 44.7462666; -85.6143119
Type	Reservoir
Etymology	Boardman River
Primary inflows	Boardman River
Primary outflows	Boardman River
Max. length	1.64 mi (2.63 km)
Max. width	2,623 ft (7.99 m)
Surface area	339 acres (137 ha)
Max. depth	73 ft (22.2 m)
Surface elevation	863 feet (263 m)
Islands	Logan Island
Settlements	Traverse City

Boardman Lake is the largest body of water on the Boardman River. It is located about 1.65 miles (2.65 km) upstream from where the river flows into Grand Traverse Bay. When the Union Street Dam was built in 1894, Boardman Lake grew by about 33.3%.

This lake is a popular spot for fun activities and fishing. It has many types of fish, including:

• Bluegill
• Largemouth Bass
• Northern Pike
• Smallmouth Bass
• Sunfish
• Walleye
• Yellow Perch

Boardman Lake is a very important part of the Boardman River's path. It also plays a big role in the history of Traverse City.

What Are Some Interesting Places Along the River?

There are many cool places to visit along the Boardman River:

• New Murchie Bridge & Wequetong Park
• American Legion Memorial Bridge
• Lay Park
• Hull Park and Traverse City Children's Garden (next to the main library)
• Logan's Landing
• Boardman River Trail and Nature Center at Sabin Dam Park
• Cass Road Bridge
• Keystone Rapids and Trail System
• Keystone and River roads, which run next to the river.
• Brown Bridge Quiet Area
• South Boardman, a small, peaceful town on the river's south branch.

What About the Dams on the Boardman River?

South Union Street Bridge over the Boardman in downtown Traverse City

Dams are structures built across a river to hold back water. They can create lakes or ponds, and sometimes generate electricity.

Which Dams Are Still There?

• Union Street Dam (this dam helps keep Boardman Lake at its current size)

What Are Mill Ponds?

Mill ponds are small lakes created by dams, often used to power mills.

• South Boardman Mill Pond No. 1 & 2 (located in South Boardman, on the South Branch)
• Court Street Mill Pond (located in Kalkaska, on the North Branch)
• Mayfield Pond (on Swainston Creek)

Which Dams Have Been Removed?

• Brown Bridge Dam (removed in October 2013, it used to create Brown Bridge Pond)
• Boardman Dam (removed in September 2017, it used to create Boardman Pond)
• 

  Site of the former Brown Bridge Dam and Pond in southern East Bay Township.
  Keystone Dam (removed sometime in the 1960s, it used to block the Keystone Rapids)
• Sabin Dam (removed in September 2018, it used to create Sabin Pond)

What is the River Restoration Project?

A big project has been underway to remove three dams on the Boardman River: Sabin, Boardman, and Brown Bridge. The goal is to help the river flow more naturally and improve the environment for fish and wildlife.

The removal of the Brown Bridge Dam was finished in January 2013. This brought back about 2.5 miles (4 km) of the river's original channel. Work to replant trees and restore the area is still happening. Before the Boardman and Sabin Dams were removed, their gates were opened to lower the water levels in the ponds they created.

A new two-lane bridge on Cass Road was built downstream from where the Boardman Dam used to be. The Boardman Dam was completely removed in October 2017. The Sabin Dam was fully removed by the end of 2018.

Pine Street Pedestrian Bridge, crossing the river in Traverse City

In March 2016, the Cass Road Bridge, which was a one-lane bridge, was closed. This was done to build a new, modern arch-bridge over the river channel between Keystone and Sabin ponds. The old bridge was removed in 2017, and the river now flows under the newer bridge.

What Are the Boardman River's Tributaries?

Tributaries are smaller streams or rivers that flow into a larger river. The Boardman River has many tributaries, including:

The new Murchie Bridge in January 2018

What Areas Does the Boardman River System Drain?

The Boardman River system, including Boardman Lake, collects water from all or parts of these areas in Michigan:

• Grand Traverse County
  • Traverse City
  • Garfield Township
  • Long Lake Township
  • Green Lake Township
  • Blair Township
  • East Bay Township
  • Paradise Township
  • Mayfield Township
  • Union Township
  • Whitewater Township
  • Fife Lake Township
• Kalkaska County
  • Boardman Township
  • Springfield Township
  • Orange Township
  • Kalkaska Township
  • Kalkaska
  • Rapid River Township
  • Coldsprings Township
  • Excelsior Township