Saginaw River

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The Saginaw River is a 22-mile-long (35 km) river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is formed by the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Shiawassee rivers southeast of Saginaw. It flows northward into the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron just northeast of Bay City.

The river is an important shipping route for Mid-Michigan, passing through the cities of Saginaw and Bay City.

[edit] Recreational Activities

The Saginaw River is popular with recreational boaters and fishermen.

The city of Saginaw is home of the annual Shiver on the River walleye ice fishing contest. Each year trophy-sized fish are taken through the ice and early in the spring. A three-mile, hard-surfaced riverwalk that is great for hiking, biking or just easy strolls is featured along the riverbanks in downtown Saginaw.

In Bay City, millions of people flock to its banks in Bay City for annual festivals such as the River Roar boat races and the Fireworks Festival. The Saginaw Bay Yacht Club is located near the mouth of the Saginaw river.

[edit] Pollution

The Saginaw River has been polluted with waste discharged into the Tittabawassee River by Dow Chemical Company. The pollution by Dow has in large part caused widespread contamination of dioxins in and around the areas surrounding the Saginaw river watershed.^[1] However, Dow Chemical Company is not solely at fault; several other industrial sites along the river, including a General Motors operation, have also contributed to the pollution.^[2]

[edit] References