List of rivers of Michigan facts for kids
Michigan is a state in the United States known for its many beautiful waterways. It has over 300 named rivers! Even though they are all called "rivers," some might seem smaller than streams called "creeks" or "brooks." In Michigan, you'll find many different names for flowing water, like "swales," "bayous," and "drains."
Sometimes, different rivers share the same name. For example, there are eight "Pine Rivers" and seven "Black Rivers" in Michigan. In a few cases, two rivers with the same name are even in the same county! When this happens, extra details are added, like where the river flows or another name it might have, to help tell them apart.
Contents
Rivers by Watershed
A watershed is like a giant bowl where all the rain and snowmelt drain into a common river, lake, or ocean. Michigan's rivers flow into four of the Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan, as well as Lake Superior. Understanding watersheds helps us see how all these rivers are connected!
Lake Erie Basin
The rivers in this basin eventually flow into Lake Erie. This lake is one of the five Great Lakes and is important for shipping and fishing.
- The Maumee River (mostly in Ohio) has some important Michigan branches:
- The Tiffin River (mostly in Ohio) includes Bean Creek.
- The St. Joseph River (mostly in Ohio) has the East Branch Saint Joseph River and West Branch Saint Joseph River.
- Ottawa River
- River Raisin
- Saline River
- Little River Raisin
- Huron River (flows through Monroe, Wayne, Washtenaw, Livingston, and Oakland counties)
- Detroit River
- Ecorse River
- River Rouge (also called Rouge River)
Lake St. Clair Basin
These rivers flow into Lake St. Clair, which is located between Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
- Milk River
- Clinton River
- Salt River (in Macomb County)
- Saint Clair River
- Belle River
- Black River (in Sanilac and St. Clair counties)
Lake Huron Basin
Rivers in this basin empty into Lake Huron, another one of the Great Lakes.
The Thumb
This area is called "The Thumb" because of its shape on the Michigan map.
- White River (Huron County, Michigan)
- Pigeon River (in Huron County)
Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay is a large bay on Lake Huron.
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan
- Au Sable River
- Black River (in Alcona County)
- Thunder Bay River
- Ocqueoc River
- Cheboygan River (mouth at Cheboygan in Cheboygan County)
- Black River (flows through Cheboygan, Montmorency, Presque Isle, and Otsego counties)
- Pigeon River (flows into Mullett Lake)
- Indian River (in Cheboygan County)
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
- Carp River (in Chippewa and Mackinac counties)
- Pine River (in Chippewa and Mackinac counties)
- Saint Mary's River
- Munuscong River
- Charlotte River
Lake Michigan Basin
These rivers flow into Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake located entirely within the United States.
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
Northern Michigan
- Bear River
- Jordan River (flows into Lake Charlevoix)
- Elk River (part of the Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed)
- Boardman River
- Platte River
- Betsie River
- Manistee River
- Little Manistee River
- Pine River (also called South Branch of Manistee River)
West Michigan
- White River (in Muskegon and Oceana counties)
- Muskegon River
- Little Muskegon River
- Grand River
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- Bass River
- Buck Creek
- Thornapple River
- Flat River
- Maple River (in Ionia, Clinton, Gratiot, and Shiawassee counties)
- Red Cedar River
- Kalamazoo River
- Black River (in Allegan and Van Buren counties)
- St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
- Galien River
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Green Bay
Green Bay is a large bay on Lake Michigan, shared with Wisconsin.
- Menominee River (forms part of the border with Wisconsin)
- Little River
- Brule River
- Paint River
- Iron River (Iron County, Michigan)
- Michigamme River
- Cedar River (in Menominee County)
- Ford River
- Little Bay de Noc
- Escanaba River
- Days River
- Rapid River (in Delta and Marquette counties)
- Whitefish River
- Big Bay de Noc
- Big River
- Sturgeon River (in Alger and Delta counties)
Remainder of Lake Michigan/Upper Peninsula
- Manistique River
- Indian River (in Alger and Schoolcraft counties)
- Fox River
- Black River (in Mackinac County)
- Cut River
Beaver Island
Beaver Island is an island in Lake Michigan.
- Jordan River
Lake Superior Basin
These rivers flow into Lake Superior, the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes.
- Tahquamenon River
- Two Hearted River
- Blind Sucker River
- Sucker River
- Au Train River
- Rock River
- Chocolay River
- Carp River (in Marquette County)
- Dead River
- Yellow Dog River
- Salmon Trout River (in Marquette County)
- Huron River (in Baraga and Marquette counties)
- Portage River (the southern end of the Keweenaw Waterway)
- Sturgeon River (in Baraga and Houghton counties)
- Otter River
- Sturgeon River (in Baraga and Houghton counties)
- Eagle River
- Ontonagon River
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- West Branch Ontonagon River
- Middle Branch Ontonagon River
- East Branch Ontonagon River
- Presque Isle River
- Black River (in Gogebic County)
- Montreal River (on the Wisconsin–Michigan border)
Isle Royale
Isle Royale is a large island in Lake Superior.
- Big Siskiwit River
- Siskiwit River
See also
