Thornapple River
Encyclopedia
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of Michigan's longest river, the Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
. The Thornapple is located in western 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 joins the Grand in Ada
Ada Township, Michigan
Ada Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 9,882. Ada is the corporate home of Alticor and its subsidiary companies Quixtar and Amway.- Communities :...
, 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"....
.
Description
Eaton County, Michigan
Eaton County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 107,759. The county seat is Charlotte. Eaton County was named for John Eaton, who was Secretary of War under U.S. President Andrew Jackson, making it one of Michigan's Cabinet counties...
and flows through Barry County
Barry County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-37* M-43* M-50* M-66* M-78* M-79* M-89* M-179-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 56,755 people, 21,035 households, and 15,986 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 23,876 housing units at an average density of...
before entering the Grand River in Kent County
Kent County, Michigan
-Air Service:*Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport . Previously named Kent County International Airport, it holds Grand Rapids' mark in modern history with the United States' first regularly scheduled airline service, beginning July 31, 1926,...
. The Grand 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...
, and the Thornapple watershed/drainage basin
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...
is a part of that larger watershed/drainage basin system. The Thornapple is described as "An easygoing stream that meanders through low southwest Michigan woodlands." The Thornapple itself has a major tributary in the Coldwater River
Coldwater River (Western Michigan)
Coldwater River is a stream in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in western Michigan, the river is a part of the Grand River drainage basin....
. The Thornapple is the only major Grand tributary to join the lower Grand from the south.
History
The major rivers and drainages of the Grand River drainage basin were formed during the PleistocenePleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch and the subsequent advance/retreat glaciation cycle, terminating about 6–8000 years ago. Prior to European settlement, the Thornapple drainage basin had mixed 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...
/conifer forest and barrens
Pine barrens
Pine barrens, pine plains, sand plains, or pinelands occur throughout the northeastern U.S. from New Jersey to Maine as well as the Midwest and Canada....
. and was home to the Ottawa
Odawa people
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
and Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
Native Americans. who called it the Tomba-Signe (or "river with the forked stream")
During the early settlement of Michigan, Rix Robinson
Rix Robinson
Rix Robinson was a Michigan pioneer. He was a fur trader and the first permanent settler of Kent County, Michigan, a representative to the state constitutional convention of 1850 and a state senator.- Early years :...
, the first permanent settler of Kent County, established a fur trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
in conjunction with John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
's American Fur Company
American Fur Company
The American Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808. The company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest businesses in the country. The company was one the first great trusts in American business...
, at the mouth of the Thornapple in 1821 to trade with the Potawottomi and conduct other business. By 1837, with the fur trade in decline, Robinson facilitated a treaty between local tribes and the Federal government that opened much of the area, including the Thornapple basin, to white settlement.
As with many rivers in 19th and early 20th century America, the Thornapple had significant logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, milling
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
, and manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
activity along it. As an example:
- "by 1862 Ada had a number of businesses which included: general stores, a flour mill, a saw mill, hotels, a blacksmithBlacksmithA blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, a carriage makerCarriageA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
, a boot and shoe store, two churches, a doctor, three Justices of the PeaceJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, and an attorneyLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. Later, a basket factory was built next to the flour and saw mills on the Thornapple River."
The river was subject to periodic flooding. The 1904-1905 flood was "the worst flooding in Ada history." A number of dams were constructed in the early 20th century for flood control and power generation.
In 1957, as part of a M-21
M-21 (Michigan highway)
M-21 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan connecting the cities of Grand Rapids and Flint. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula...
Grand River bridge replacement project, the mouth of the Thornapple and lower channel were relocated about 500 feet upstream on the Grand, and land that had been the site of Robinson's first home in Ada and trading post was inundated.
Modern use
Today the Thornapple is not a navigable waterwayWaterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
, and there is no commercial water transport on it. The major use of the river is recreational. The Thornapple River sees significant use for rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
, kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
on a small but significant portion of its 88 miles (141.6 km) extent. The Thornapple supports several canoe livery
Canoe livery
A canoe livery or canoe rental is a business engaged in the livery of canoes or kayaks. It is typically found on or near streams, rivers, or lakes that provide good recreational opportunities...
businesses.
From the headwaters in Eaton County to Thornapple Lake, the river is creeklike, with narrow banks and tangled undergrowth restricting easy passage. The lower stretch of the river is a series of dam-created reservoirs that are heavily developed. However from the lake to the first dam impoundment below Irving, is a 14 miles (22.5 km) stretch of river that is suitable for family outings and float trips.
The river is also very fishable. A large number of species inhabit the river, among them: sunfishes
Centrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
(largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, rock bass
Rock bass
The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...
bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:...
, and warmouth
Warmouth
The common name of Lepomis gulosus is the warmouth. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-Introduction:The following is a description of a monitoring plan for the Warmouth . One of the eleven species in the Lepomis genus, the species name gulosus refers to the warmouths big eyes...
), bowfin
Bowfin
The Bowfin, Amia calva, is the last surviving member of the order Amiiformes , and of the family Amiidae...
, brown bullhead
Brown bullhead
The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead...
, minnows
Cyprinid
The family Cyprinidae, from the Ancient Greek kyprînos , consists of the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives . Commonly called the carp family or the minnow family, its members are also known as cyprinids...
(common carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
, chub
Chub
The European chub , sometimes called the round chub, fat chub, chevin, pollard or simply "the" chub, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae...
, dace
Phoxinus
Phoxinus is a genus of freshwater fish in the carp family of order Cypriniformes. The type species is Phoxinus phoxinus, the Common Minnow. The North American members of this genus are known as daces, and the Old World ones as Eurasian minnows. The latter term is also used specifically for P...
, and shiner
Shiner (fish)
Shiner is a common name used for any of several kinds of small, usually silvery fish, in particular a number of cyprinids, but also e.g. the Shiner Perch .Cyprinid shiners are:* Eastern shiners, genus Notropis...
), suckers
Catostomidae
Catostomidae is the sucker family of the order Cypriniformes. There are 80 species in this family of freshwater fishes. Catostomidae are found in North America, east central China, and eastern Siberia...
(white sucker
White Sucker
The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...
and redhorse
Moxostoma
Moxostoma is a genus of ray-finned fish in the Catostomidae family.- Species :* Moxostoma albidum * Moxostoma anisurum * Moxostoma ariommum C. R...
), perches
Percidae
The Percidae are a family of perciform fish found in fresh and brackish waters of the Northern Hemisphere. The family contains about 200 species in ten genera...
(yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, walleye
Walleye
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...
, darter
Etheostoma
Etheostoma is a diverse genus of small freshwater fish in the family Percidae. It contains nearly 140 member species. Most are native to North America. They are commonly known as darters although the term "darter" is shared by several other genera...
), brook stickleback, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, longnose gar
Longnose gar
The longnose gar, Lepisosteus osseus, is a primitive ray-finned fish of the gar family. It is also known as the needlenose gar.- Description :...
trouts
Salmonidae
Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only living family currently placed in the order Salmoniformes. It includes salmon, trout, chars, freshwater whitefishes and graylings...
(brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
), and lamprey
Lamprey
Lampreys are a family of jawless fish, whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth. Translated from an admixture of Latin and Greek, lamprey means stone lickers...
s (American brook lamprey
Lampetra appendix
The American brook lamprey , is non-parasitic, and their disc-like mouths contain poorly developed teeth, useless for attaching to a host.-Physical description:...
and chestnut lamprey
Chestnut lamprey
The chestnut lamprey is a species of lamprey.-Abstract:The following is a management plan description for the Chestnut Lamprey . This lamprey is one of the North American native parasitic species of lamprey, and can be found in rivers along the eastern United States and Canada...
).
The river is claimed to be "nationally known as a fine smallmouth bass stream", and there are typically large numbers of small mouth bass in the free-flowing sections between Nashville
Nashville, Michigan
Nashville is a village in Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,684 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
and the junction with the Coldwater river. Fishing access is good, as most of the free-flowing Thornapple can be waded or floated during normal summer flows, and many county road crossings afford good access.
In addition to the many fish species that live in the Thornapple, the river is also home to other wildlife including osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s, heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s, and various species of duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, some who winter in Michigan. People use the recreational facilities on the river to observe these species for pleasure and knowledge seeking.
On the lower reaches of the river, especially in the several impoundments behind the dams, there is significant recreational watercraft usage, both powered
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
and sail
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
, as well as personal water craft
Personal water craft
A personal water craft , also called water scooter, is a recreational watercraft that the rider rides or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat....
, although no provisions for specific clearance
Clearance
A clearance can refer to:* in chess, A positional move, where a player moves a piece occupying a certain square away, replacing it with an allied piece that will strengthen the player's position....
s under bridges have been made, and the dams do not have locks, so portaging or trailered transport is required to move craft from one reach to another.
Notable features
Crossings
The river is crossed by many county and state roads, as well as I-96Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
and several railway lines. A notable crossing is one of nine remaining covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
s in Michigan, the Ada Covered Bridge
Ada Covered Bridge
The Ada Covered Bridge is a span Brown truss covered bridge erected in 1867 in Ada, Michigan, United States. Carrying Bronson Street across the Thornapple River, it is located just south of where the Thornapple enters the Grand River, in turn just south of M-21...
, which spans the Thornapple in Ada.
No specific clearance provision is required, as the river is not navigable
Navigability
A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and slow enough for a vessel to pass. Preferably there are few obstructions such as rocks or trees to avoid. Bridges must have sufficient clearance. High water speed may make a channel unnavigable. Waters may be...
and is broken into sections by the dams and low bridges.
Dams
The river has at least five dams. In stream flow order from headwaters to the mouth, the major dams are:| Location | Description/Notes | Coordinates | Mean Elevation of Impoundment |
Google Maps Link |
Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Nashville, Michigan Nashville is a village in Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,684 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.... |
Closest to the headwaters. A very small elevation change dam that does not generate power, only serves to control flow. Some may consider it more of a weir, although it is signed as a dam. The dam was removed in September 2009 to improve fish habitat. | 42.610085°N 85.100355°W | 813 ft | http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=14&ll=42.610085,-85.100355&spn=0.049778,0.077419 |  |
| Irving Irving Township, Michigan Irving Township is a civil township of Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,682 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water... |
Downstream from Thornapple Lake (natural lake). Actually 3 different dams, a power dam at the west end of a power canal, and two flow control (one obsolete and unused, the other more recent) dams to the east. This topographic map from USGS (via Microsoft Research Maps) should clarify. See also this image from TIGER data. Operated by Commonwealth Power Company. | 42.690322°N 85.419731°W | 741 ft | http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=14&ll=42.690322,-85.419731&spn=0.049713,0.077419&t=h |  |
| Middleville Middleville, Michigan Middleville is a village in Thornapple Township, Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,721 at the 2000 census.- History :... |
Operated by Commonwealth Power Company. and located in the village of Middleville. | 1=42.71122°N 2=N°W | 724 ft | http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=42.711216,-85.465624&spn=0.003063,0.005085&t=h&om=1 | see CPC images |
| Labarge (Caledonia Caledonia Township, Kent County, Michigan The Charter Township of Caledonia is a charter township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,964 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The Village of Caledonia is within the township on M-37 in the southeast part of the township.... ) |
Near 84th street crossing. Operated by Commonwealth Power. | 42.81075°N 85.484394°W | 692 ft | http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=18&ll=42.81075,-85.484394&spn=0.003101,0.004839&t=k |  |
| Cascade | Near the Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R.... airport. Generates 1.4 Mw of electric power. Owned by Cascade Township Cascade Township, Michigan Cascade Charter Township is a charter township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,107 at the 2000 census.The township is situated in the southeastern section of Kent County, approximately 10 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. A defining feature of the township is the... and operated under contract by STS Hydropower Ltd. A picture is on Flickr. |
1=42.908349°N 2=N°W | 665 ft | http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=42.908349,-85.49891&spn=0.006192,0.009677&t=h |  |
| Ada Ada Township, Michigan Ada Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 9,882. Ada is the corporate home of Alticor and its subsidiary companies Quixtar and Amway.- Communities :... |
Just upstream from the Ada Covered Bridge Ada Covered Bridge The Ada Covered Bridge is a span Brown truss covered bridge erected in 1867 in Ada, Michigan, United States. Carrying Bronson Street across the Thornapple River, it is located just south of where the Thornapple enters the Grand River, in turn just south of M-21... , less than 1 mi from the mouth. Generates 1.6 Mw of electric power. Owned by the Thornapple Association and operated under contract by STS Hydropower Ltd, (DBA Doing business as The phrase "doing business as" is a legal term used in the United States, meaning that the trade name, or fictitious business name, under which the business or operation is conducted and presented to the world is not the legal name of the legal person who actually own it and are responsible for it... Ada Cogeneration Limited Partnership) |
42.950651°N 85.485885°W | 632 ft | http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=42.950651,-85.485885&spn=0.006188,0.009677&t=h |  |
Ada Dam
The lowermost dam in Ada (known as the Ada Dam) is owned by an association of about 230 homeowners who have property on the river between the Cascade and Ada dams. Formerly a power dam, built in 1926 by the Water Power Company, and, from 1934 on, owned and operated by Consumers Power, it was sold to the Thornapple Association for $1 in 1969 so they would maintain it for flood control after Consumers discontinued electricity generation as uneconomical in 1968. The association operated the dam for flood and water control, funding operations with a special tax levy.However, in the late 1970s, the association, using a study grant from the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, did a feasibility study on re-electrification. In 1983 the power generation capability was restored by STS Hydropower, who operates the dam under long term contract, and the association now generates substantial income from the sale of electricity, with well over $750,000 in retained surplus..
External links
- map of watershed area from TIGERTigerThe tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
. - map of lower Grand watershed from the Michigan Michigan Department of Environmental QualityMichigan Department of Environmental QualityThe Michigan Department of Environmental Quality was the agency of the state of Michigan charged with "Protecting Michigan's Environment - Ensuring Michigan's Future"-History:...
. site - Web Site of Thornapple River Watershed Group
- Watershed Viewer at GVSUGrand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
Annis Water Resources Institute site - Hydrologic map from NOAA site
- river info page from the NOAA site from the USGS GNIS database for the river, giving coordinates and elevations
- map page from the USGS National Map Viewer site. (with satellite imagery)
- Human impacts in the lower Grand, from the GVSUGrand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
ISC site - 1837 Editorial extolling the lower Grand, from the GVSUGrand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
ISC site - River Association Cascade Thornapple River Association Site