Rocky River (Michigan) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rocky River
The Rocky River in Flowerfield Township
Country	United States
Physical characteristics
Main source	Southwest Marcellus Township in Cass County, Michigan
River mouth	St. Joseph River in Three Rivers
Length	28 mi (45 km)
Basin features
River system	St. Joseph River
Basin size	450 km2 (170 sq mi)

The Rocky River is a stream about 28 miles (45 kilometers) long. It flows through the southwest part of Michigan, a state in the United States. This river eventually joins a bigger river called the St. Joseph River. It meets the St. Joseph River in a city named Three Rivers.

The city of Three Rivers gets its name from three important rivers. These are the Rocky River, the St. Joseph River, and the Portage River.

Where Does the Rocky River Start?

The Rocky River begins in the southwest part of Marcellus Township. This area is in Cass County. From there, it flows towards the northeast.

The river then gently curves towards the southeast. After a while, it makes a sharp turn to the south. This happens in eastern Flowerfield Township. Soon after this turn, another stream called Flowerfield Creek joins the Rocky River. The river then mostly flows south until it reaches the St. Joseph River in Three Rivers.

What is a River's Watershed?

A river's watershed is like a giant bowl. It's all the land where rain and snow melt and drain into that river. The Rocky River's watershed is very large. It covers more than 112,000 acres (about 453 square kilometers).

This big area includes parts of several cities and townships. These places are located in different counties in Michigan:

• In Cass County:
  • Marcellus Township
  • Newberg Township
  • Penn Township
  • Volinia Township
• In Kalamazoo County:
  • Prairie Ronde Township (water flows in from Flowerfield Creek)
  • Schoolcraft Township (water flows in from Spring Creek)
  • Texas Charter Township
• In St. Joseph County:
  • Fabius Township (water flows in from Kerr Creek)
  • Flowerfield Township
  • Lockport Township
  • Park Township
  • Three Rivers
• In Van Buren County:
  • Porter Township (water flows in from Sheldon Creek, Flowerfield Creek, and Four County Drain)

Other Streams Joining the River

Smaller streams and creeks that flow into a larger river are called tributaries. The Rocky River has several tributaries that add water to it along its journey. Some of these include:

• Kerr Creek (which gets water from Little Pleasant Lake and Pleasant Lake)
• Armalege Drain (which gets water from Goose Lake)
• Flowerfield Creek (which gets water from Spring Creek)
• Four County Drain
• Ayers Lake
• Sheldon Creek (which gets water from Lewis Lake and Mud Lake)
• Pickerel Lake (which gets water from Skyhawk Lake, Streaters Mill Pond, and Bogart Lake)
• Huyck Lake