Saginaw River
Encyclopedia
The Saginaw River is a 22.4 miles (36 km) river
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is formed by the confluence of the Tittabawassee
and Shiawassee
rivers southwest of Saginaw
. It flows northward into the Saginaw Bay
of Lake Huron
just northeast of Bay City
. The watershed area is 8595 square mile.
The river is an important shipping route for Mid-Michigan, passing through the cities of Saginaw and Bay City. It is one of Michigan's few inland navigable rivers.
ice fishing
contest. Each winter, trophy-sized fish are taken through the ice and again early in the spring. The Saginaw Bay Yacht Club
is located near the mouth of the Saginaw River.
Tens of thousands flock to its banks for annual festivals such as the River Roar speed boat races and two of the largest fireworks displays in the Midwest.
A three-mile, hard-surfaced RiverWalk that is great for hiking, biking or just easy strolls is featured along the riverbanks in downtown Saginaw and Bay City.
have been polluted with various wastes discharged into the Saginaw River and its tributaries from several sources. The Dow Chemical Company
, General Motors
, City of Bay City
, and the City of Saginaw
have contributed to the release of dioxins
into the Saginaw River. Agricultural and various other activities result in the release of even more chemicals and other toxic wastes into the river.
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 U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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"....
. It is formed by the confluence of the Tittabawassee
Tittabawassee River
The Tittabawassee River is a stream which flows in a generally southeasterly direction through the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at Secord Lake in Clement Township, at the confluence of the East Branch and the Middle Branch...
and Shiawassee
Shiawassee River
The Shiawassee River in the U.S. state of Michigan is long and generally flows in a northerly direction. It merges together with the Flint River, the Cass River and the Tittabawassee River to form the Saginaw River, which drains into the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron.-Description:Supporting...
rivers southwest of Saginaw
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
. It flows northward into the Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay
Saginaw Bay is a bay within Lake Huron located on the eastern side of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms the space between Michigan's Thumb region and the rest of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Saginaw Bay is in area...
of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
just northeast of Bay City
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
. The watershed area is 8595 square mile.
The river is an important shipping route for Mid-Michigan, passing through the cities of Saginaw and Bay City. It is one of Michigan's few inland navigable rivers.
Recreational activities
The Saginaw River is popular with recreational boaters and fishermen. It is home to the annual Shiver on the River walleyeWalleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
contest. Each winter, trophy-sized fish are taken through the ice and again early in the spring. The Saginaw Bay Yacht Club
Saginaw Bay Yacht Club
IntroductionThe Saginaw Bay Yacht club is situated on the Eastern shore of the Saginaw river about a mile and a half from the Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron, Michigan.-Establishment:...
is located near the mouth of the Saginaw River.
Tens of thousands flock to its banks for annual festivals such as the River Roar speed boat races and two of the largest fireworks displays in the Midwest.
A three-mile, hard-surfaced RiverWalk that is great for hiking, biking or just easy strolls is featured along the riverbanks in downtown Saginaw and Bay City.
Pollution
The Saginaw River and its watershedDrainage 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...
have been polluted with various wastes discharged into the Saginaw River and its tributaries from several sources. The Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
, General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, City of Bay City
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
, and the City of Saginaw
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
have contributed to the release of dioxins
Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds
Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds are by-products of various industrial processes, and are commonly regarded as highly toxic compounds that are environmental pollutants and persistent organic pollutants . They include:...
into the Saginaw River. Agricultural and various other activities result in the release of even more chemicals and other toxic wastes into the river.