Platte River (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
The Platte River is a short river
in the northern part
of the Lower Peninsula
of Michigan
. Its mouth is located in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
and much of the rest is in the Pere Marquette State Forest
.
The Platte River is about 28 miles (45.1 km) in length from its origin in Lake Dubonett. The watershed
area is about 193 square miles (499.9 km²). The land coverage is 82% forested, open lands or wetlands; 12% agriculture, and 7% urban. Approximately three quarters of the watershed is publicly owned lands. Water in the river is clear due to extensive wetland
s. Mixed conifer and hardwood
wetlands give way to tamarack
and arborvitae
swamp near Platte Lake.
The Platte River originates in Lake Dubonett at 44°41′07"N 85°47′57"W flowing west and eventually turning north, flowing into Mud Lake and then into Lake Ann. From the east, additional drainage into Lake Ann comes from Ransom Creek, which drains Ransom Lake, and in turn Bellows Lake and Lyons Lake. From Lake Ann, the Platte River run west and south. It collects the outflow of Upper and Lower Woodcock Lakes then flows through Bronson Lake. The river continues southwest. The Platte River State Fish Hatchery is on the river at Platte Creek, Michigan and Brundage Creek joins the river just to the east. The main branch receives Collison Creek just east of Honor, Michigan
. At the Platte River Campground in the state forest, the river turns north west flowing toward Platte Lake.
The north branch of the Platte River receives the outflow of Little Platte Lake shortly before joining the main branch just before the combined flow enters Platte Lake.
The lower part of the Platte River begins as the outflow of Platte Lake, south of Empire, Michigan
. It runs generally northwest, widening into Loon Lake about a third of the way through it course from Platte Lake. Its mouth is at Platte Bay of Lake Michigan
at Platte River Point at 44°43′54"N 86°09′10"W. Mud Lake is a tributary upstream of Loon Lake.
There are 3 boat launches, a canoe launch and 3 picnic areas on the river in the national lakeshore.
The river above Platte Lake tends to be much swifter and colder than the lower stretch, which is warmed considerably by it passage through the relatively shallow, three mile (5 km) stretch of Platte Lake.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the northern part
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
of the Lower Peninsula
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
of 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"....
. Its mouth is located in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a United States National Lakeshore located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Leelanau County and Benzie County....
and much of the rest is in the Pere Marquette State Forest
Pere Marquette State Forest
The Pere Marquette State Forest encompasses lands in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, on the western side of the state. Counties within the Pere Marquette are: Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo and Mecosta.There are...
.
The Platte River is about 28 miles (45.1 km) in length from its origin in Lake Dubonett. The watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
area is about 193 square miles (499.9 km²). The land coverage is 82% forested, open lands or wetlands; 12% agriculture, and 7% urban. Approximately three quarters of the watershed is publicly owned lands. Water in the river is clear due to extensive wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s. Mixed conifer and hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
wetlands give way to tamarack
Tamarack Larch
Tamarack Larch, or Tamarack, or Hackmatack, or American Larch is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and also south into the northeastern United States from Minnesota to Cranesville Swamp, West Virginia; there is also a...
and arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis
Thuja occidentalis is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is widely cultivated for use as an ornamental plant known as American Arbor Vitae. The endemic occurrence of this species is a northeastern distribution in North America...
swamp near Platte Lake.
The Platte River originates in Lake Dubonett at 44°41′07"N 85°47′57"W flowing west and eventually turning north, flowing into Mud Lake and then into Lake Ann. From the east, additional drainage into Lake Ann comes from Ransom Creek, which drains Ransom Lake, and in turn Bellows Lake and Lyons Lake. From Lake Ann, the Platte River run west and south. It collects the outflow of Upper and Lower Woodcock Lakes then flows through Bronson Lake. The river continues southwest. The Platte River State Fish Hatchery is on the river at Platte Creek, Michigan and Brundage Creek joins the river just to the east. The main branch receives Collison Creek just east of Honor, Michigan
Honor, Michigan
Honor is a village in Benzie County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 299. The village is located within Homestead Township on U.S...
. At the Platte River Campground in the state forest, the river turns north west flowing toward Platte Lake.
The north branch of the Platte River receives the outflow of Little Platte Lake shortly before joining the main branch just before the combined flow enters Platte Lake.
The lower part of the Platte River begins as the outflow of Platte Lake, south of Empire, Michigan
Empire, Michigan
Empire is a village in Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 378 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Empire Township.-Description:...
. It runs generally northwest, widening into Loon Lake about a third of the way through it course from Platte Lake. Its mouth is at Platte Bay of 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...
at Platte River Point at 44°43′54"N 86°09′10"W. Mud Lake is a tributary upstream of Loon Lake.
There are 3 boat launches, a canoe launch and 3 picnic areas on the river in the national lakeshore.
The river above Platte Lake tends to be much swifter and colder than the lower stretch, which is warmed considerably by it passage through the relatively shallow, three mile (5 km) stretch of Platte Lake.