An Old Man and His River

March 2024

As you know by now, I am from Michigan and proud of it.  I originate from Muskegon, an amazing port on Lake Michigan that has its own storied history.  But no matter how you look at it, whether on a map or when standing on one of its beaches, Lake Michigan is the dominating feature in western Michigan.  Not just in its geography, but in its history. 

I have written many times about her, and how I feel about her vulnerability.  But she is not the only body of water I am concerned with.  Today I am pondering Michigan’s rivers. Especially those of western Michigan. The tributaries that make Lake Michigan come alive and become the jewel that she is. 

The eastern shore of Lake Michigan is blessed with many rivers flowing into it. The Betsie, Manistee, Big Sable, Pere Marquette, Pentwater, White, Pigeon, Macatawa, Kalamazoo, Black, and St Joseph.  To name the most prominent from north to south. Of course, I have left out my two favorites and the most famous, the Grand River and the Muskegon River. As much as I love these two rivers, I realized I didn’t know enough about them.  So, I did a little research.

The Grand River is the longest river in Michigan. It flows 252 miles from its source to its mouth. Native American residents of the river referred to it as the “O-wash-ta-nong”.  Which meant “far away water”, likely describing its length. The Grand River forms the largest watershed for Lake Michigan, measuring 5,572 square miles.

The river’s origin rises in Somerset Township in northeastern Hillsdale County.  Its spring fed source lies in the rich agricultural plains of Southeast Michigan, sitting at 1266 feet above sea level. It drains to the north, and finally west to terminate into Lake Michigan at Grand Haven.  Where the elevation is 577 feet.

On its winding travels, it passes through Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Portland, Ionia, and Grand Rapids. Making it a fairly urban route.  There are 14 dams along the course of its travels.  All in all, a wonderful waterway with a rich history.  But it’s nowhere near my favorite river!  That distinction goes to the great Muskegon River.

I grew up very near the mouth of the Muskegon River, which is the second longest river in Michigan. So, I am quite familiar with its geography.  Its mainstream runs generally southwest over 215 miles from its headwaters in Roscommon County at Houghton Lake. It empties into Muskegon Lake and finally joins with Lake Michigan through a one-mile-long channel.

The Muskegon River has a rich history.  For centuries, aboriginals lived along its banks. These Native Americans used the river mainly for fishing and hunting. Buried carcasses of partially butchered woolly mammoths have been discovered in Michigan, and certainly more will be.  This showcases both the length of time these natives have inhabited the area, as well as their skills as hunters. 

French explorer Etienne Brule is given the honor of being one of the first Europeans to arrive in and around the Muskegon River somewhere around 1620. In the century after this, the river played a crucial role, as European’s continued their exploration of the Muskegon River, as well as the Great Lakes region.  The river was an excellent means for this, as it was navigable for its entire span.

Jesuit missionaries like Jacques Marquette and Isaac Jogues left an indelible mark on Western Michigan’s history. Driven by their faith and dedication to their mission of saving the native’s souls, they paved the way for the next set of early European settlers, mainly the French or French Canadians.  These were the “coureur de bois”. Woodland entrepreneurs that made a living by trading with the natives and trapping beaver, otter, and muskrats along its banks. 

The British arrived in the early 1700’s.  Exiting slowly after ceding lands from their defeat in the American Revolution.  In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the river was used for logging Michigan’s White Pine forests. Creating a highway for timber to be transported to the growing city of Muskegon, lying at its mouth.  Much of this timber was turned to lumber and finally transported by ship throughout the great lakes.  A great deal of it went to Chicago.  Supporting its rapid growth both before and after its infamous fire.

Today, the banks of Muskegon River still create the habitat for abundant wildlife, including black bears, foxes, coyotes, otters, white-tailed deer and an abundance of rodents, reptiles, and birds.  Despite increasing development, much of the river passes through areas that are still remote and largely in their natural state.  Due to its large water capacity and slow current, it provides the perfect conditions for kayaking, canoeing, fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing.

When I was young, I loved canoeing and fishing on the Muskegon River.  Several times, again in my youth, I road tripped from the river’s mouth its origin.  Always taking care to stay as close to its banks as possible.  There were many very rural roads that stayed close to it as it coursed its way through the Michigan woodlands. Last summer, I tried to follow the same route. Literally 40 years after my original adventures.  To my surprise, at first glance it seemed much the same.

Utilizing my truck’s navigation, I worked my way north from Muskegon through small towns and villages.  Bridgeton to Newaygo, to Croton.  Stopping there to visit the dam and having lunch at a nice little pub.  Then I took the short trip to Oxbow, and across Hardy Dam.  Finally, only a short journey northwest led me to Rogers Dam. I had now visited three of the four dams of the Muskegon River.

From there I proceeded the short distance to Big Rapids, the largest city on my route.  Not being in the mood for the hustle and bustle, even of a smallish city like Big Rapids, I quickly found my way back into the countryside.  I made my way through the hamlets of Hersey, then Evart, then Leota.  Finally, several wrong turns later, I made it to the river’s origin at the North Bay of Houghton Lake. 

Altogether, I trekked 280 miles, just over 7 hours, with a bunch of diversions including lunch and a stop for gas.  Taking at least 10 roads that dead ended into the river where I needed to backtrack. All in all, I crossed the river 25 times.  Not bad, given there are only 30 crossings in total.  

What did I learn?  Thankfully, things have not changed too dramatically.  I was pleased that much of the watershed appeared to be well maintained with a focus on nature.  Yes, there were new subdivisions and plenty of new homes.  But generally, things looked pretty good.  But my research has pointed out that the Muskegon River lies on a knife’s edge.

In September 2002, an article in National Geographic raised concerns about a controversial deal made with Nestlé Waters North America, giving them permission "to bottle up to 210 million gallons a year from an aquifer that recharges the Muskegon River".  Nestle has been bottling from this Ice Mountain plant near Evart since May 2002. And the scale of Nestlé’s operation is immense.

Since 2002, the company has extracted billions of gallons of aquifer-based groundwater from underneath the Muskegon River. It packages an average of 4.8 million bottles of water a day.  And get this, it pays only a $200 annual permit fee to pump from wells in this location. What!? Our water, our most precious natural resource, is being depleted for corporate profits, and Nestlé has paid next to nothing for it. 

Long time residents appreciate the jobs that Nestlé provides but cite changes to the ecosystem as well. The locals describe small streams that no longer exist. Larger tributaries to the Muskegon River are now a fraction of the size they were in the past.

The people also comment that their own wells now must be drilled deeper to retrieve the water they need. Showcasing that the aquifer certainly feeds the river system and is a fragile resource that is being depleted. Less water means less wildlife.  A great deal of politics is ongoing to try to better understand the impact of the removal of so much water from the basin and river system. Needless to say, very important information to have.

To compound this, the dams that control the river flow are also in jeopardy.  I found records that indicate officials of the power company that owns the 100+ year old dams are considering closure.  They are expensive to maintain, and the constant need for upgrades is driving up the costs of running them. But they do so much more than provide a marginal amount of electricity.

Yes, these dams are manmade. But they have shaped Muskegon River’s landscape and ecosystem for over a century. The reservoirs they have created and the amount of silt they control help shape the landscape of the entire river system.  To lose them now would be unthinkable. Potentially catastrophic.

In 1986, the great Muskegon River flood occurred.  It was caused by more than 10 inches of heavy rain falling over the entire watershed for over two days. This influx of water led to the failure of these dams.  The destruction was unthinkable. 

The flooding caused 6 deaths and injured 89. It ruined crops and 30,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. The floodwaters obstructed 3,600 miles of roadways. Many of those crossings I had traversed on my trek had been destroyed or seriously damaged.  It was called "the worst flood disaster in 100 years," causing damages of nearly $500 million.

I could continue listing all the things that concern me about these crucial parts of our ecosystem.  How so many things are interdependent when it comes to aquatic ecosystems.  Suffice it to say, to have a future as celebrated as its history, the Muskegon River as well as the other rivers that feed Lake Michigan, must be considered the fragile, living things that they are.

Even more broadly, water in and of itself, must be considered one of our Earth’s most precious resources. So maybe today, I am not only pondering the Muskegon River, but all rivers, all lakes, all sources of fresh water.  Maybe just water in general and that which it surrounds or flows through or lies upon.

Living in and around the Great Lakes, one can forget how many people live without enough water.  How our planet’s fresh water is finite and a truly perishable requirement for life.  Not to mention how it establishes the environment for so many things to live, to prosper and for us to enjoy. I guess what I am trying to say is this; Find a river near you.  Learn about it.  Enjoy it.  But most of all protect it.