Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed, commonly known as the Chain of Lakes, is a 75-mile-long (121 km) waterway consisting of 14 lakes and connecting rivers in the northwestern section of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, which empty into Lake Michigan.
The watershed includes 500 square miles (1,300 km2) in Antrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Kalkaska counties. The watershed includes a series of 14 lakes and interconnecting rivers. From the uppermost lake in the chain, Beals Lake in Echo Township, Antrim County, the water flows 55 miles (89 km) and drops 40 feet (12 m) in elevation. It has over 200 miles (320 km) of shoreline and almost 60 square miles (160 km2) of water surface.[1][2]
Geography
The chain of lakes system begins with the upper stage of the Intermediate River, which rises in hill country at 45°00′20″N 85°04′45″W / 45.00556°N 85.07917°W
History
Various tribes of primarily
Rivers and lakes in the watershed
The 14 lakes (numbered) and connecting waterways in the chain of lakes are highlighted in bold. Other tributaries are in normal text
- Elk River[4]
- 1) Elk Lake[5]
- Williamsburg Creek[6]
- Battle Creek[9]
- 2) Lake Skegemog[10]
- Barker Creek[11]
- Desmond Creek[12]
- Torch River[13]
- Rapid River[14]
- Rugg Pond (also known as Antrim Pond)[15]
- 3) Torch Lake[17]
- Spencer Creek[18]
- Eastport Creek[19]
- Wilkinson Creek (also Wilkenson Creek)[20]
- 4) Clam Lake[21]
- Finch Creek[22]
- Crow Creek[23]
- Grass River[24]
- Cold Creek[25]
- Shanty Creek[26]
- 5) Lake Bellaire[27]
- Grass Creek[28]
- Intermediate River[3]
- Cedar River[29]
- 6) Intermediate Lake[33]
- Finch Creek[22]
- Rapid River[14]
- 1) Elk Lake[5]
Cities, villages, and townships in the watershed
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed includes all or portions of the following cities, villages, and townships:
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See also
- Inland Waterway (Michigan)
- List of lakes in Michigan
References
- ^ "Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Project – CMI" (PDF).
- ^ Elk River Chain of Lakes Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, 2010 Report, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
- ^ a b c "Intermediate River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b "Elk River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Elk Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Williamsburg Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Bissell Pond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Bissell Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Battle Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Lake Skegemog". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Barker Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Desmond Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Torch River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Rapid River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Rugg Pond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Little Rapid River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Torch Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Spencer Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Eastport Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Wilkinson Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Clam Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Finch Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Crow Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Grass River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Cold Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Shanty Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Lake Bellaire". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Grass Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Cedar River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Blair Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "North Branch Cedar River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Woolcott Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Intermediate Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Openo Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Fisk Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Hanley Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Green River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Ogletree Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Kitty Ann Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Toad Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Toad Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Mud Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Little Torch Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Ben-way Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Benway Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Wilson Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Vonstraten Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "King Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Eaton Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Ellsworth Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Skinner Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Skinner Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Marion Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "St. Clair Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "St. Clair Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Lyman Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Lymans Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Sixmile Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Liscon Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Ranney Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Vance Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Dingman River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Smith Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Scotts Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Beal Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Beals Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Spence Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Taylor Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Seamon Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Hitchcock Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
External links
- Elk River Watershed, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
- Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality