Saginaw River
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The Saginaw River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
accessed November 7, 2011
river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
. 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 Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is shared on the north and east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south and west by the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the lake is derived from early French ex ...
, passing through the cities of Saginaw and Bay City, both of which developed around it in the 19th century. The watershed area is . At its mouth, the river's estimated average discharge is . 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 A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and calm enough for a water vessel (e.g. boats) to pass safely. Navigability is also referred to in the broader context of a body of water having sufficient under ...
rivers. The Saginaw River Rear Range Light, one of a pair of lighthouses built in 1876 to improve navigation, was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1984. Since the turn of the 21st century, it is being renovated.


History

The Saginaw River was used for fishing and as a transportation route by canoe by indigenous peoples for thousands of years prior to European colonization. From the 18th century, fur traders and trappers rendezvoused at a post at the mouth or traveled along the river and its tributaries to trade with the Ojibwe tribes of the region for European and American manufactured goods. As towns developed along the river, it supported additional travel inland, as well as powering the operation of sawmills and later factories. The first lighthouse was completed in 1841, and a pair of lighthouses were built in range configuration in 1876. They were converted to electricity in 1915. The Saginaw River Rear Range Light was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1984. Since the turn of the 21st century, it is being renovated. In the late 19th century, steamers like the ''Wellington R. Burt'' carried passengers between the major cities of Saginaw and Bay City, as well as to other ports along the Great Lakes. The Saginaw River has continued to be used as a major route for trade, carrying shipping into and out of the region. According to Saginaw Future, the river carries 4.6 million tons of commerce annually."Saginaw County Industry Concentrations"
Saginaw Future (Saginaw County economic development), accessed 11 October 2014
Other industries developed, with both
General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
and
Dow Chemical Company The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company was among the three largest chemical producers in the world in 2021. It is the operating subsidiary of Dow Inc., ...
basing major operations from the early 20th century at sites along the river. These generated many industrial jobs for the area economy but both companies have gone through restructuring. New industries in the region have included advanced manufacturing such as Nexteer, medical technology, professional services, renewable energy, and agribusiness.


Recreational activities

For decades, the Saginaw River has been reclaimed for recreational use and the cities have been re-establishing ties to the river for residents. A three-mile, hard-surfaced RiverWalk, great for hiking, biking or easy strolls, was built along the riverbanks in downtown Saginaw and Bay City. The Saginaw Bay Yacht Club, established in 1894, is located near the mouth of the Saginaw River and supports regular sailing races and related events. The river is also popular with boaters who use motors. Sports fishermen are active and many enjoy the annual Shiver on the River walleye
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 fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities. Shelters L ...
contest. Each winter, trophy-sized fish are taken by fishing through holes in the river ice. Another fishing season is observed in early spring. Hundreds of thousands of attendees flock to the riverbanks for annual festivals such as the River Roar speed boat races, Tall Ship Celebrations and two of the largest fireworks displays in the
Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
. In 2012, the largest-ever fireworks display in Michigan was hosted on the Saginaw River in Bay City, with 50,000 mortars, and lasting 50 minutes. It celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Bay City Fireworks Festival.


Clean-up projects

The region around the Saginaw Bay and River encompasses the largest contiguous freshwater coastal wetland in America. Because of industrialization and development of population since the 19th century, the Saginaw River and its watershed have been polluted with various wastes discharged into the river and its tributaries. Since the 1970s, federal and state laws have been passed to regulate waste and establish preventive programs. Historically the
Dow Chemical Company The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company was among the three largest chemical producers in the world in 2021. It is the operating subsidiary of Dow Inc., ...
, with a plant at
Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in Midland County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 42,547 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland metropolitan statistical area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City ...
;
General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
, and the cities of Bay City, and the Saginaw have contributed to the release of dioxins into the Saginaw River. In 1994 the state and federal governments and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe sued General Motors and the cities of Saginaw and Bay City for allegedly dumping tons of
polychlorinated biphenyls Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organochlorine compounds with the formula C12 H10−''x'' Cl''x''; they were once widely used in the manufacture of carbonless copy paper, as heat transfer fluids, and as dielectric and coolant fluids f ...
(PCBs), into the Saginaw River. General Motors and the cities of Bay City and Saginaw agreed to a $28.22 million settlement on November 23, 1998, in what resulted from Michigan's largest natural resources lawsuit. At the time, it was considered possibly the second-largest environmental settlement in United States history. Dredging of contaminated silt from the Saginaw River was expected to start in summer of 1999."Pollution clean-up deal for the Saginaw River"
source ''The Saginaw News'', 27 November 1998, at Edie.net
Environmental clean-up work has continued on the Saginaw River, its tributary Tittabawassee River, and Saginaw Bay. On January 23, 2010, the US Environmental Protection Agency and Dow Chemical reached an administrative settlement for interim control measures, reimbursement of some federal work, and cleanup of floodplain soils in these areas, in association with work to be directed by EPA.Dow Chemical Co, Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Action
Cleanup for Dow Chemical, EPA Region 5, accessed 11 October 2014


References


External links


Shiver on the River website
{{Authority control Rivers of Saginaw County, Michigan Rivers of Michigan Tributaries of Lake Huron Rivers of Bay County, Michigan Saginaw Bay