Clinton River
Encyclopedia
The Clinton River is a river
in southeastern Michigan
in the United States
.
The main branch of the river rises from wetlands in Springfield Township
, Oakland County
, northwest of Pontiac
. A series of dams create a number of small lakes west of Pontiac, the last of which is Dawson's Millpond. The river is piped under downtown Pontiac, re-emerging to the east of downtown. The north branch and the middle branch rise in northern Macomb County
and join the main branch in Charter Township of Clinton
, which was named after the river. The main branch flows 83 miles (133.6 km) from its headwaters to Lake St. Clair
in Harrison Township, Michigan
.
The Clinton River watershed
drains 760 square miles (1,968.4 km²), including most of Macomb County
, a large portion of Oakland County
and small portions of Lapeer County
and St. Clair County
. More than 1.4 million people in over 60 municipalities live in the watershed. For the most part, only the waters located downstream of the city of Mount Clemens
are navigable by recreational and industrial water vessels.
Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972, along with 42 other areas, the lower segment of the river was designated as an Area of Concern
, based on the heavy presence of pollutant contamination. In 1995, the designation was expanded to include the entire watershed of the river and the lower nearshore of Lake St. Clair.
The Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
was a failed attempt to build a waterway connecting Lake St. Clair
with Lake Michigan
.
The river was renamed in honor of DeWitt Clinton
, the governor of New York
from 1817 to 1823. Previously, the river had been known as the "Nottawasippee" by the French
and Native Americans
.
The word Nottawasippee is an Anishnabek term that means "like rattlesnakes," which was a name given to the Huron people by the Ojibwa, Odawa and Bwaadaawatomee.
The English
referred to it as the Huron River of St. Clair. It was referred to as "The River Huron" in the 1784 home eulogy of the area's first white settler, William Tucker, who built his home along the river about 3 miles (5 km) upstream. The name was changed on July 17, 1824, by the Michigan Territorial Council to avoid confusion caused by the many other places known as "Huron" in eastern Michigan, including the Huron River
which rises in adjacent Oakland County
. The same legislative act also changed the name of Huron Township in Macomb County to Clinton Township.
The Huron-Clinton Metroparks
system preserves land in the watershed as public parks.
Riverland Amusement Park was located in the watershed in Macomb County in the 1980s.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in southeastern Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The main branch of the river rises from wetlands in Springfield Township
Springfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
Springfield Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 13,940...
, Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
, northwest of Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
. A series of dams create a number of small lakes west of Pontiac, the last of which is Dawson's Millpond. The river is piped under downtown Pontiac, re-emerging to the east of downtown. The north branch and the middle branch rise in northern Macomb County
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
and join the main branch in Charter Township of Clinton
Clinton Charter Township, Michigan
The Charter Township of Clinton, usually referred to as Clinton Township, is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a part of Metro Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 96,796, and is Michigan's most populous township...
, which was named after the river. The main branch flows 83 miles (133.6 km) from its headwaters to Lake St. Clair
Lake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
in Harrison Township, Michigan
Harrison Township, Michigan
Harrison Charter Township is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 24,461. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 26,004.- Places :...
.
The Clinton River watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
drains 760 square miles (1,968.4 km²), including most of Macomb County
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
, a large portion of Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
and small portions of Lapeer County
Lapeer County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 87,904 people, 30,729 households, and 23,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 134 people per square mile . There were 32,732 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile...
and St. Clair County
St. Clair County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
. More than 1.4 million people in over 60 municipalities live in the watershed. For the most part, only the waters located downstream of the city of Mount Clemens
Mount Clemens, Michigan
Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,312. It is the county seat of Macomb County.-Early history:...
are navigable by recreational and industrial water vessels.
Under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972, along with 42 other areas, the lower segment of the river was designated as an Area of Concern
Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Great Lakes Areas of Concern are designated geographic areas within the Great Lakes Basin that show severe environmental degradation. There are a total of 43 areas of concern within the Great Lakes, 26 being in the U.S., 17 in Canada, with five shared by the two countries.The Great Lakes, the...
, based on the heavy presence of pollutant contamination. In 1995, the designation was expanded to include the entire watershed of the river and the lower nearshore of Lake St. Clair.
The Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
The Clinton–Kalamazoo Canal is an abandoned canal in Michigan that was only partially completed. The canal was to connect Lake St. Clair with Lake Michigan. The inspiration came from the success of the Erie Canal in New York, which was completed in 1825...
was a failed attempt to build a waterway connecting Lake St. Clair
Lake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
with Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
.
The river was renamed in honor of DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
, the governor of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1817 to 1823. Previously, the river had been known as the "Nottawasippee" by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
.
The word Nottawasippee is an Anishnabek term that means "like rattlesnakes," which was a name given to the Huron people by the Ojibwa, Odawa and Bwaadaawatomee.
The English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
referred to it as the Huron River of St. Clair. It was referred to as "The River Huron" in the 1784 home eulogy of the area's first white settler, William Tucker, who built his home along the river about 3 miles (5 km) upstream. The name was changed on July 17, 1824, by the Michigan Territorial Council to avoid confusion caused by the many other places known as "Huron" in eastern Michigan, including the Huron River
Huron River (Michigan)
The Huron River is a river in southeastern Michigan, rising out of the Huron Swamp in Indian Springs Metropark in northern Oakland County and flowing into Lake Erie on the boundary between Wayne County and Monroe County...
which rises in adjacent Oakland County
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
. The same legislative act also changed the name of Huron Township in Macomb County to Clinton Township.
The Huron-Clinton Metroparks
Huron-Clinton Metroparks
The Huron-Clinton Metroparks system is a regional park system in Metro Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan. The park system includes 13 parks totalling arranged along the Huron River and Clinton River forming a partial ring around the metro area. Plans are in development to finish the ring by...
system preserves land in the watershed as public parks.
Riverland Amusement Park was located in the watershed in Macomb County in the 1980s.