Galena River (Indiana)
Encyclopedia
The Galena River is an 8.5 miles (13.7 km) stream in northern Indiana
in the United States
. It rises in the northeast corner of Springfield Township
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of LaPorte
in LaPorte County
and flows northeast. Just after it cross the state boundary into Three Oaks Township
in Berrien County, Michigan
, it is joined from the east by Spring Creek to form the South Branch Galien River. After becoming the Galien River in Michigan
, the river ultimately flows to Lake Michigan
in New Buffalo
.
, a French missionary and explorer. In Michigan the name was changed to Galien River
by legislative action in 1829, and presumably the Indiana Galena River tributary has the same etymology.
Within Indiana, the Galena River watershed is located within the physiographic unit known as the Valparaiso Morainal Area. The Valparaiso Moraine
, located south of the Lacustrine Plain
, is an arc-shaped moraine complex that parallels the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The moraine divides LaPorte County into northern and southern drainage areas. The area north drains into Lake Michigan; south of the moraine water drains to the Kankakee River
. Numerous kettle lakes sit on the moraine. Land use in the watershed is principally forest and agriculture.
called the Springfield Fen Nature Preserve, which join to form the river. Typical presettlement vegetation consisted of extensive forests, specifically oak-hickory forests in uplands, and beech or northern swamp forest in wetlands, although today most of the old growth forests have been harvested.
exceeded water quality standards at eight of nine sampling sites. The most common sources of E. coli are livestock operations, failing septic systems, illicit sewage connections, and combined sewer overflows. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources
has designated the Galena River as a salmonid stream, which requires a higher level of water quality standards.
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It rises in the northeast corner of Springfield Township
Springfield Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
Springfield Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,742. Communities in the township include the incorporated town of Michiana Shores and the unincorporated community of Springville...
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of LaPorte
LaPorte, Indiana
La Porte is a city in La Porte County, Indiana, United States, of which it is the county seat. Its population was 22,053 at the 2010 census. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the...
in LaPorte County
LaPorte County, Indiana
LaPorte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 111,467. The county seat is the city of La Porte. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area, Northwest Indiana and Michiana. The largest city is Michigan City...
and flows northeast. Just after it cross the state boundary into Three Oaks Township
Three Oaks Township, Michigan
Three Oaks Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the border with the state of Indiana. The population was 2,949 at the 2000 census.The Village of Three Oaks is the only incorporated community within the township....
in Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
, it is joined from the east by Spring Creek to form the South Branch Galien River. After becoming the Galien River in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, the river ultimately flows to 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...
in New Buffalo
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. This city is within New Buffalo Township, but is politically autonomous.-Geography:...
.
History
The river was named after René Bréhant de GalinéeRené Bréhant de Galinée
René Bréhant de Galinée was a member of the Society of Saint-Sulpice at Montreal and an explorer and missionary to the Native Americans. In 1670, he and François Dollier de Casson were the first Europeans to make a recorded transit of the Detroit River...
, a French missionary and explorer. In Michigan the name was changed to Galien River
Galien River
The Galien River is a stream in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at the outlet of Dayton Lake and flows in a predominantly westerly direction until it enters southeastern Lake Michigan at New Buffalo...
by legislative action in 1829, and presumably the Indiana Galena River tributary has the same etymology.
Watershed
Although the Galena River is mostly in Indiana, the entire Galena/Galien watershed consists of 112222 acres (45,414.7 ha), of which one-quarter, 29630 acres (11,990.8 ha), are in Indiana, the remainder being in Berrien County, Michigan. In Indiana, the watershed remains relatively undeveloped; the two principal land uses are forest and agriculture. There are no large urbanized areas in the watershed. In comparison to other watersheds along the Lake Michigan coastal area, the Galena River has not been significantly impacted by human influence,Within Indiana, the Galena River watershed is located within the physiographic unit known as the Valparaiso Morainal Area. The Valparaiso Moraine
Valparaiso Moraine
The Valparaiso Moraine is a terminal moraine around the Lake Michigan basin in North America. It is a band of high, hilly terrain made up of glacial till and sand that reaches an elevation of near 300 feet above the level of Lake Michigan at its maximum height in Indiana and 17 miles wide at its...
, located south of the Lacustrine Plain
Lacustrine plain
Some lakes get filled up by the sediments brought down by the rivers and turn into plains in the course of time. Such plains are called lacustrine plains...
, is an arc-shaped moraine complex that parallels the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The moraine divides LaPorte County into northern and southern drainage areas. The area north drains into Lake Michigan; south of the moraine water drains to the Kankakee River
Kankakee River
The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. At one time the river drained one of the largest wetlands in North America and furnished a significant portage between the Great Lakes and the...
. Numerous kettle lakes sit on the moraine. Land use in the watershed is principally forest and agriculture.
Ecology
The Galena River originates from two wetland sources, the 165 acres (66.8 ha) Galena Wetland Conservation Area and a 45 acres (18.2 ha) prairie fenFen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
called the Springfield Fen Nature Preserve, which join to form the river. Typical presettlement vegetation consisted of extensive forests, specifically oak-hickory forests in uplands, and beech or northern swamp forest in wetlands, although today most of the old growth forests have been harvested.
Pollution
In 2009, Escherichia coliEscherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
exceeded water quality standards at eight of nine sampling sites. The most common sources of E. coli are livestock operations, failing septic systems, illicit sewage connections, and combined sewer overflows. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Indiana charged with maintaining natural areas such as state parks, state forests, recreation areas, etc...
has designated the Galena River as a salmonid stream, which requires a higher level of water quality standards.