Dead River (Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dead River (Michigan) |
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|---|---|
| Native name | Gaa-waakwimiigong-neyaashi-ziibi |
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Marquette County, Michigan 46°39′47″N 87°59′36″W / 46.663°N 87.9932°W |
| River mouth | Lake Superior, Michigan 46°34′36″N 87°23′33″W / 46.5766°N 87.39263°W |
| Length | 43.2 mi (69.5 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 400 sq mi (1,000 km2) |
The Dead River is a 43.2-mile (69.5 km) long river in Marquette County, Michigan. It flows into Lake Superior. The area of land that drains into the river is about 400 square miles (1,000 km²).
Contents
What Happened to the Dams?
In 2003, there were five dams along the Dead River. These included the Silver Lake Dam, Hoist Dam, McClure Dam, Forestville Dam, and Tourist Park Dam. Some of these dams, like Hoist and McClure, help create electricity.
The Big Flood of 2003
On May 14, 2003, something unexpected happened. A part of the Silver Lake Dam broke. This caused a huge amount of water, about nine billion gallons, to rush down the river.
The dam at Tourist Park also broke because of the rushing water. Luckily, the other dams upstream held strong. It was amazing that no one was hurt or lost their life during this event.
However, the flood did cause a lot of damage to buildings and property. The cost of the damage was estimated to be around $100 million. Both the Silver Lake and Tourist Park dams were rebuilt after the flood. They are now working again.
How Did the River Get Its Name?
The name "Dead River" has a long history. It comes from the Ojibwe language, which is spoken by Native American people.
Ojibwe and French Names
One Ojibwe name for the river was Gaa-waakwimiigong-neyaashi-ziibi. This means "Peninsula by the Roads to the Land of the Dead River." Another Ojibwe name was Ne-waakwimiinaang. This meant "by the Peninsula for Road to the Land of the Dead." Both names refer to the river's mouth being close to Presque Isle Point, which is a cape on Lake Superior.
Early maps also showed the river with different names. In French, it was called "Rivière des Morts" or "Rivière du Mort." These names also mean "River of the Dead." Sometimes, it was called "Rivière au Paresseux" (Lazy River). In English, it was sometimes called "Deadman's River."
Today, the Ojibwe people have new names for the river. These include Giiwe-gamigong-neyaashi-ziibi (Return-by-shore Peninsula River) or Niboowaagaming (At the Death's Shores).
