Sheboygan River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sheboygan River |
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Riverfront in downtown Sheboygan near the river's mouth
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| Counties | Fond du Lac; Sheboygan; Calumet; Manitowoc |
| Cities | Eden; Dundee; St. Peter; St. Cloud; Elkhart Lake; Kiel; Sheboygan Falls |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 43°42′35″N 88°16′04″W / 43.7097152°N 88.267878°W |
| River mouth | Lake Michigan 43°44′56″N 87°42′11″W / 43.74888°N 87.70314°W |
| Length | 81 mi (130 km) |
The Sheboygan River is a river in eastern Wisconsin, United States. It flows into Lake Michigan. The river is about 81 miles (130 km) long. It reaches Lake Michigan at the city of Sheboygan.
The name "Sheboygan" comes from the Chippewa language, a Native American language. It means things like 'hollow bone', 'noise underground', or 'river disappearing underground'.
Where the River Flows
The Sheboygan River starts in eastern Fond du Lac County. It first flows northeast through parts of Sheboygan County, Calumet County, and Manitowoc County. After that, it turns southeast and flows back into Sheboygan County.
Along its journey, the river passes by several towns. These include the village of St. Cloud, and the cities of Kiel and Sheboygan Falls. It also flows past the village of Kohler and the city of Sheboygan. In Sheboygan, the river finally flows into Lake Michigan.
Near Sheboygan Falls, two important smaller rivers join the Sheboygan River. These are the Mullet River and the Onion River.
River Cleanup Efforts
In the past, some factories along the eastern part of the Sheboygan River caused pollution. Companies like Tecumseh Products and Kohler Company used to release chemicals into the river. This led to high levels of certain chemicals, like PCBs, in the riverbed.
Because of this pollution, swimming in parts of the river is not safe. Since 1986, the river has been part of a special cleanup program called a Superfund site. This means the government helps clean up polluted areas.
A lot of work has been done to clean the river. For example, parts of the riverbed were dug up and cleaned. This process is called dredging. Dredging near Tecumseh was finished in 2005. More dredging near Sheboygan's downtown was completed by 2012.
Even with the cleanup, there are still warnings about eating fish from the river. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has put up signs at boat launches. These signs tell people about safe fishing practices and warn them about eating fish from certain parts of the river. These efforts help keep people safe while the river continues to be monitored and cleaned.
