Betsie River

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The Betsie River (Template:IPAc-en Script error: No such module "Respell".) is a Script error: No such module "convert".[1] river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is located in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of the state, flowing into Lake Michigan at Frankfort. The river's course is mostly within Benzie County, (which takes its name from a variant pronunciation of the river), although the river rises in western Grand Traverse County and flows briefly through northern Manistee County.

The river widens to form Betsie Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan between Frankfort and Elberta. The Betsie River is a part of Michigan's Natural Rivers Program.[2]

File:Betsie River Delta.jpg
Betsie River Wetland Delta near Elberta

Etymology

The name is derived from the French Script error: No such module "Lang"., meaning river of sawbill ducks (bec-scie). A corruption of this pronunciation led to the name of Benzie County. Other alternate historical names include the following:[3]

  • Aug-sig-o-sebe
  • Aux Buscies River
  • Betsey's River
  • Benzie River
  • Black Robe River
  • Gay-she-say-ing
  • Riviere du Pere Marquette
  • Sawbill Ducks River
  • Shelldrake Ducks River

Course

While most sources indicate the river rises as the outflow of Green Lake in southwestern Grand Traverse County, some consider it navigable immediately south of US-31 from Tullers Lake into Green Lake. Another tributary of the river flows directly out of northern Duck Lake and into northern Green Lake, connecting with the aforementioned Tullers Lake Outlet. Although not considered part of the Betsie River today, older maps of the area do say so.[4] Green Lake straddles the boundary between Grant Township on the south and Green Lake Township on the north between Karlin and Interlochen. Several nearby lakes, including Duck Lake and its tributaries, drain into Green Lake.

The river winds southwesterly from Green Lake into eastern Benzie County, and then briefly into northern Manistee County before turning northerly back into Benzie County. A dam on the river forms Homestead Pond, after which is flows mostly west and slightly north to Lake Michigan.

File:Betsie River emptying into Betsie Lake.jpg
Betsie River emptying into Lake Betsie, Elberta, MI (bridge shown is M-22 crossing the river outlet)

Drainage basin

The Betsie River drains an area of approximately Script error: No such module "convert".[5] in three counties. The drainage basin include about Script error: No such module "convert". of linear stream, Script error: No such module "convert". of which is part of the mainstream.[6]

Dams

  • Homestead Dam Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[7] was mostly removed in 1974 and currently acts as a lamprey barrier. It impounds little water and does not impede salmon migrations.[5] The remains of the dam are now sometimes called "Homestead Falls".[8] The dam was a power generating facility formerly owned by Consumers Energy.[6]
  • Grass Lake Dam, approximately Script error: No such module "convert". downstream from Green Lake, forms an approximately Script error: No such module "convert". impoundment. The dam was constructed in 1951 to improve waterfowl habitat and northern pike fishing.[5] The dam was installed by the state Wildlife Division and created a Script error: No such module "convert". waterfowl flooding.[6]
  • Thompsonville Dam was an old power dam[6] that failed in the spring of 1989 and was subsequently removed. Prior to its removal, the dam posed a barrier to salmon migration. Salmon and trout have access to the entire mainstream of the river, even above the Grass Lake Dam.[5]

Bridges

Below is a list of public crossings of the Betsie River:

Route Type Municipality County Location
Script error: No such module "Jct". (Frankfort Avenue) State highway Benzonia Township Benzie Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Betsie Valley Trailway (west) Paved trail Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
River Road (west) County road Crystal Lake Township Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
River Road (east) County road Benzonia Township Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Grace Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
US 31/M-115 (Benzie Highway) State highway Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Script error: No such module "Jct". (west) State highway Weldon Township Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
County Line Road County road Weldon/Springdale township Benzie/Manistee line Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Psutka Road County road Springdale Township Manistee Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Kurick Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Script error: No such module "Jct". (east) State highway Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Lindy Road County road Weldon Township Benzie Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Wolf Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Betsie Valley Trailway (east) Paved trail Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
King Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
South Thompsonville Highway County road Colfax Township Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
South Carmean Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Wallin Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Nostwick Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
South Reynolds Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Betsie River Road County road Grant Township Grand Traverse Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Diamond Park Road County road Green Lake Township Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
J. Maddy Parkway County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Birch Road County road Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
Script error: No such module "Jct". State highway Script error: No such module "Coordinates".

Tributaries

  • Betsie Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[9]
  • Crystal Lake Outlet Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[10]
  • Rice Creek Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[12]
  • Dair Creek Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[13]
  • Little Betsie River Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[14]
  • Pickerel Creek Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[15]
    • Twin Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[16]
    • Upper Twin Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[17]
  • Grass Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[18]
  • Mud Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[19]
  • Green Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[20]
    • Bridge Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[21]
    • Tullers Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[22]
    • Cedar Hedge Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[23]
    • Mud Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[24]
    • Duck Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[25]
      • Horton Creek
      • Brigham Creek Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[26]
      • Mason Creek Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[27]
        • Weidenhamer Swamp Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[28]
      • Tonawanda Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[29]
        • Ellis Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[30]
          • Saunders Lake Script error: No such module "Coordinates".[31]

Notes

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  1. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Template:Webarchive, accessed November 21, 2011
  2. ↑ Betsie River, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
  3. ↑ Template:Gnis
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ a b c d Betsi River, Mark A. Tonello, "Status of the Fishery Resource Report, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, No. 2004-3, 2004
  6. ↑ a b c d Betsie River Natural River Plan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, July 1973, revised March 12, 2002
  7. ↑ Template:Gnis
  8. ↑ The Betsie River, Hanmer's Canoe Trips
  9. ↑ Template:Gnis
  10. ↑ Template:Gnis
  11. ↑ Template:Gnis
  12. ↑ Template:Gnis
  13. ↑ Template:Gnis
  14. ↑ Template:Gnis
  15. ↑ Template:Gnis
  16. ↑ Template:Gnis
  17. ↑ Template:Gnis
  18. ↑ Template:Gnis
  19. ↑ Template:Gnis
  20. ↑ Template:Gnis
  21. ↑ Template:Gnis
  22. ↑ Template:Gnis
  23. ↑ Template:Gnis
  24. ↑ Template:Gnis
  25. ↑ Template:Gnis
  26. ↑ Template:Gnis
  27. ↑ Template:Gnis
  28. ↑ Template:Gnis
  29. ↑ Template:Gnis
  30. ↑ Template:Gnis
  31. ↑ Template:Gnis

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External links

Template:Authority control

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