Betsie River
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The Betsie River is a stream in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Michigan. The name is derived from the French Riviere Aux Bec Scies, meaning river of sawbill ducks (bec-scie). Other alternate names include Aug-sig-o-sebe, Aux Buscies, Betsey's River, Black Robe, Gay-she-say-ing, Riviere du Pere Marquette, Sawbill Ducks, and Shelldrake Ducks.[1] The river is mostly within Benzie County (which takes its name from a variant pronunciation of the river), although the river rises in southwest Grand Traverse County and flows briefly through northern Manistee County, Michigan.
The river widens to form Betsie Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan at between Frankfort and Elberta. The Betsie River is a part of Michigan's Natural Rivers Program[2]
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[edit] Course
The river rises as the outflow of Green Lake at in southwestern Grand Traverse County. 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.
[edit] Drainage basin
The Betsie River drains an area of approximately 155,026 acres (627.37 km²).[3] in three counties. The drainage basin include about 93 miles (150 km) of linear stream, 52 miles (84 km) of which is part of the mainstream.[4]
[edit] Dams
- Homestead Dam [5] was mostly removed in 1974 and currently acts as a lamprey barrier. It impounds little water and does not impede salmon migrations.[3] the remains of the dam are now sometimes called "Homestead Falls".[6] The dam was a power generating facility formerly owned by Consumers Energy.[4]
- Grass Lake Dam, approximately four miles downstream from Green Lake, forms an approximately 90 acres (36 ha) impoundment. The dam was constructed in 1951 to improve waterfowl habitat and northern pike fishing.[3] The dam was installed by the state Wildlife Division and created a 482 acres (195 ha) waterfowl flooding.[4]
- Thompsonville Dam was an old power dam[4]
- Crystal Lake Outlet [7]
- Rice Creek [9]
- Dair Creek [10]
- Little Betsie River [11]
- Pickerel Creek [12]
- Grass Lake [15]
- Mud Lake [16]
- Green Lake [17]
[edit] Notes
- ^ USGS GNIS: Betsie River
- ^ Betsie River, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- ^ a b c Betsi River, Mark A. Tonello, "Status of the Fishery Resource Report, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, No. 2004-3, 2004
- ^ a b c d Betsie River Natural River Plan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, July 1973, revised March 12, 2002
- ^ USGS GNIS: Homestead Dam
- ^ The Betsie River, Hanmer's Canoe Trips
- ^ USGS GNIS: Crystal Lake Outlet
- ^ USGS GNIS: Cold Creek
- ^ USGS GNIS: Rice Creek
- ^ USGS GNIS: Dair Creek
- ^ USGS GNIS: Little Betsie River
- ^ USGS GNIS: Pickerel Creek
- ^ USGS GNIS: Twin Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Upper Twin Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Grass Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Mud Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Green Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Bridge Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Tullers Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Cedar Hedge Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Mud Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Duck Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Brigham Creek
- ^ USGS GNIS: Mason Creek
- ^ USGS GNIS: Weidenhamer Swamp
- ^ USGS GNIS: Tonawanda Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Ellis Lake
- ^ USGS GNIS: Saunders Lake
