Pere Marquette River
Encyclopedia
The Pere Marquette River is a river
in the State of Michigan. The main stream of this river is about 67 miles (107.8 km) long, running from Lake County, Michigan
just west of Reed City
into the Pere Marquette Lake, and from there into Lake Michigan
.
This river is named after the French Roman Catholic missionary Jacques Marquette
, who explored the Great Lakes
and Mississippi River
areas during the mid-17th century.
. In 1978, 66 miles of the river was designated a National Scenic River
. This section begins near Baldwin
at the junction of the Little South and Middle Branches and continues until the river meets U.S. Highway 31 in Scottville
.
since 1876. In 1884, the Baldwin River, a major tributary, became the first American river to ever be stocked with brown trout
fish.
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 the State of Michigan. The main stream of this river is about 67 miles (107.8 km) long, running from Lake County, Michigan
Lake County, Michigan
-Highways:* US 10* M-37-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,333 people, 4,704 households, and 3,052 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 13,498 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
just west of Reed City
Reed City, Michigan
Reed City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,430. It is the county seat of Osceola County.It is the home town of author Timothy James Bazzett.-Geography:...
into the Pere Marquette Lake, and from there into 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...
.
This river is named after the French Roman Catholic missionary Jacques Marquette
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
, who explored the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
areas during the mid-17th century.
National Wild and Scenic River designation
The upper portion of the Pere Marquette runs approximately 44 miles from the forks of the Little South and Middle Branches downstream to highway M-37M-37 (Michigan highway)
M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
. In 1978, 66 miles of the river was designated a National Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
. This section begins near Baldwin
Baldwin, Michigan
Baldwin is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,107. It is the county seat of Lake County...
at the junction of the Little South and Middle Branches and continues until the river meets U.S. Highway 31 in Scottville
Scottville, Michigan
Scottville is a city located in the north west of the U.S. state of Michigan in rural Mason County.On July 23, 2007 Governor Jennifer Granholm announced Scottville as the community chosen by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to take part in the Cool Cities Michigan Main Street program...
.
Wildlife
This river has been stocked with rainbow troutRainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
since 1876. In 1884, the Baldwin River, a major tributary, became the first American river to ever be stocked with brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
fish.
Other animal species living along this river
- salmonSalmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, successfully introduced in the 1960s - brook troutBrook troutThe brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
- the western chorus frogWestern Chorus FrogThe Western Chorus Frog, Striped Chorus Frog, or Midland Chorus Frog is a species of tree frog found in Canada and the United States.- Description and Identification :...
- the bullfrogBullfrogThe American bullfrog , often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”, native to much of North America. This is a frog of larger, permanent water bodies, swamps, ponds, and lakes, where it is usually found...
- crayfishCrayfishCrayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
- the northern leopard frogNorthern Leopard FrogThe Northern Leopard Frog is a species of leopard frog from the true frog family, native to parts of Canada and United States. It is the state amphibian of Minnesota and Vermont.-Physical description:...
- the mudpuppyMudpuppyMudpuppies or waterdogs are aquatic salamanders of the family Proteidae. Their name originates from the misconception that they make a dog-like barking sound. The range of the genus Necturus runs from southern central Canada, through the midwestern United States, east to North Carolina and south to...
- the eastern tiger salamanderTiger SalamanderThe Tiger Salamander is a species of Mole Salamander. The proper common name is the Eastern Tiger Salamander, to differentiate from other closely related species.-Description:...
and several other species of salamanderSalamanderSalamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant... - the northern water snakeNorthern Water SnakeThe Northern water snake is a large, nonvenomous, well-known snake in the Colubridae family that is native to North America.-Behavior:...
- the red-bellied snakeRed-bellied Black SnakeThe Red-bellied Black Snake, Pseudechis porphyriacus, is a species of elapid snake native to eastern Australia. Though its venom is capable of causing significant morbidity, it is not generally fatal and less venomous than other deadly Australian snakes. It is common in woodlands, forests and...
- the copper-bellied water snake
- common snapping turtles
- the red-eared sliderRed-eared sliderThe red-eared slider is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and also popular in the rest of the world...
- the five-lined skinkFive-lined SkinkThe Five-lined Skink is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the five species of lizards in Canada...
External links
- Pere Marquette River Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesThe Michigan Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor and accepted by the Natural Resources Commission...