500:, all the way to Byron, Michigan and the protection of the habitat along the river and in the river to make that experience special. They have cleaned the river as far down as Byron each year. Volunteer crews remove dead falls, and woody debris, which are anchored to the banks for shore protection and fish habitat; and remove garbage to allow canoe/kayak paddling. This will allow paddlers to start in Holly, do a small portage at Fenton dam, and continue on to Lake Ponemah. The more adventuresome can go as far as the dam in Byron. Every year Headwaters Trails hosts an annual Shiawassee River Paddle along the river between Holly and Fenton in June, known as the "Adventure Paddle". In the October, it hosts "Canoeing in Color", a time to see migrating birds and the changing of the leaves to brilliant fall colors. These paddles are to raise awareness of the river to the community and help support the efforts of Headwaters Trails to continue making improvements in the form of new places to put in the river as well as signage and fund the purchase of things like steel cables to anchor logs to the banks of the river. They work closely with the communities along the river to promote and conserve that trail as a place where paddle craft can go and where fish habitat is preserved. The number of Kingfishers, Blue Herons and other fishing birds is a tribute to that effort.
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banks of the upper
Shiawassee make it one of the least flashy, with regard to floods, in the lower part of the state. It means that as one paddles down the river, mostly you see trees and fields as opposed to houses and lawns and the river does not go into flood stage because a rainstorm came through, making paddling safer than on flashy rivers. It means that habitat for the endangered Blanding's turtle and the fringed gentian, is preserved. More still needs to be done. These efforts are ongoing. NOHLC is currently seeking grants and volunteers to increase the protection of critical breeding habitat for the Blanding's turtle and has been waging war against invasive plants like the Autumn olive tree, the Buckthorn tree, the Multiflora Rose bush, Japanese barberry, Asian Bittersweet, Phragmites, Purple Loosetrife, Garlic Mustard, Swallow-wort and others. These invasives crowd out native plants that are needed by many native species of animals for survival. The decrease in Warblers and other beautiful and colorful native birds, for instance can in many cases be tied to habitat loss exacerbated by the introduction of invasive plants. In many cases, these invasive plants were planted because they have fierce thorns that make impenetrable natural fences or because the flowers or berries are pretty. Each has its own destructive effect.
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put mile markers along the river and emergency takeout markers; marked the bridges with their names and purchased land for a takeout at Fish Lake Road. They are still attempting to raise money to build that takeout, which will be expensive due to the soil conditions, current lack of parking and the fact that it will need to be handicap accessible. Headwaters Trails Inc. sought and received the designation of
Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail, for the river. This effort was supported by Oakland County Parks, who designed a logo for the trail and helped with creating the art work that describes the historic and natural features of the river. Headwaters Trails hired renowned artist Gayle Vandercook to create the signs on the kiosks. Kristen Wiltfang of Oakland County Parks helped with the colorful graphics of the Saginaw Bay Watershed and descriptions.
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is the take-out point after 7 miles (11 km) of paddling. Although this is the official length of the
Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail as it was originally conceived, Headwaters Trails and the communities along the river, Linden, Argentine Township, Holly and Fenton, have extended the trail
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Headwaters Trails, a 501 (c)(3)non-profit, has received grants to put in a launch in Water Works Park in Holly; put a bridge over the sluice in Water Works Park to make the launch more accessible from the parking lot; put up kiosks and signs that describe historic and natural features of the river,
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The Upper
Shiawassee River is bordered by alternating east-west trending moraines, glacial till, and outwash plains. The moraines and outwash plains contain sand and gravel deposits that are more permeable than the fine-grained glacial till and lake clays found in the downstream. The upper half of
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Several Land
Conservation groups, including the North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy (NOHLC), the Michigan Nature Association (MNA) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have either purchased land or have easements that seek to protect the land from development. This lack of development along the
516:, to increase recreational access and responsible use of the Shiawassee River. The Friends also hold an annual river clean-up and conduct invasive species removal workdays. They mainly concern themselves with the part of the river below Walnut Hills campground, on down to Owosso.
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to continue the creation and evolution of a navigable river throughout
Michigan. They promote paddling events to create public awareness, such as moonlight and sunrise paddles. These events contribute to the economic well being of the communities served by the Shiawassee River.
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Other groups that help maintain and conserve the
Shiawassee River include local advocates, the Friends of the Shiawassee River, and many others. The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a special interest group and non-profit organization founded in 1996. Their mission is to
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The Lower
Shiawassee is bordered by a low-relief till plain overlain by relatively impermeable and are poorly-drained fine-grained glacial lake clays and relict beach deposits that were deposited over a several thousand-year period when glacial
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The
Keepers of the Shiawassee are a new group that has grown out of the efforts started by Headwaters Trails, Inc. in Holly that created a paddling trail along the river from Holly to Fenton. The Keepers organize and link volunteers in
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found in the watershed. The swamps and fens adjacent to the river's headwaters support several rare species of plants and animals and play a major role in the travels of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds.
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Township at
Shiawassee Lake. It is predominantly a rural watershed that is dominated by agriculture uses in its lower region and agricultural and rural/small community residential uses upstream.
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rivers. Smaller tributaries of the river include: Denton/North Ore Creek, South Branch Shiawassee, Jones Porter Drain, Beaver Creek, Birch Run Creek, and Swan Creek. It flows through
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the watershed has variable (high) relief and is generally well-drained with numerous shallow aquifers that contribute groundwater flow to the headwaters of the Shiawassee River.
356:. Its basin is shaped like an hourglass, approximately 65 miles (105 km) long and 30 miles (48 km) wide at each end, and narrows to 5 miles (8.0 km) wide near
472:. The present day river bed has eroded into the till plain surface and is now deeply incised, as are the tributary streams and agricultural drains flowing into it.
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752:"Identifying and Valuing Restoration Opportunities at Watershed and Subwatershed Scales:Final Report - Chapter 3 Watershed Results (Part 1)"
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Supporting approximately 1,201 square miles (3,110 km) of watershed environment, there are over 61 species of fish, including
597:, GPS data: 17T E 285205 N 4740417) is the launch site for the beginning of the trail. Strom Park in (42°47.172′N 83°37.565′W) in
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and the ability to paddle the river all the way to Byron and are working to create new canoe launches and parks along the river.
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counties. It flows in a generally northerly direction for approximately 110 miles (180 km) from its source to its
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695:. National Service Center for Environmental Publications,United States Environmental Protection Agancy
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512:, to enhance the community’s appreciation and knowledge of the river, especially among youth; and
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784:"Fenton, Linden officials hope grant money boosts recreation, economy along Shiawassee River"
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834:"Shiawassee River - State Heritage Water Trail - Michigan - Canoe/Kayak Trips on"
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693:"Lake Huron Basin: Shiawassee River, Michigan, Water Quality Data 1965 Survey"
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complete with mileage markers and kiosks is open for kayakers and canoeists.
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Near its confluence with the Tittabawassee River, within the bounds of the
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The Shiawassee watershed is located south and west of Saginaw Bay in
809:"Fall kayaking opportunities abundant in and around Genesee County"
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Han, Lila; Society, Shiawassee County Historical (May 15, 1987).
492:(Oakland County) promotes the navigability of the river through
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covered much of the area, after the most recent retreat of the
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Shiawassee River clean-up near Bush Park in Fenton, Michigan.
716:"Echoes of Yesteryears: Bennington and Shiawassee Townships"
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drains an area of 1,201 square miles (3,110 km) within
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Map of Shiawassee River Watershed, with locations of dams
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Winter canoeing and kayaking upon the Shiawassee River.
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216:2,639.68 cu ft/s (74.747 m/s) (
59:Springfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
664:United States Environmental Protection Agency
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375:, the Shiawassee receives the waters of the
884:Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail map
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645:United States Department of the Interior
562:Water Works Park at 690 Broad Street in
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344:" meaning "the river straight ahead."
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939:Rivers of Livingston County, Michigan
929:Rivers of Shiawassee County, Michigan
557:Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail
543:Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail
537:Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail
184:1,201 sq mi (3,110 km)
7:
659:"Watershed Report: Shiawassee River"
636:Geographic Names Information System
373:Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge
944:Rivers of Oakland County, Michigan
934:Rivers of Genesee County, Michigan
924:Rivers of Midland County, Michigan
919:Rivers of Saginaw County, Michigan
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718:. Crest – via Google Books.
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16:River in Michigan, United States
889:Friends of the Shiawassee River
671:from the original on 2021-07-05
641:United States Geological Survey
442:. There are also 14 species of
135: • coordinates
66: • coordinates
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336:The name is derived from the
36:Physical characteristics
949:Superfund sites in Michigan
763:Great Lakes Protection Fund
202: • location
119: • location
54: • location
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488:HeadWaters Trails Inc. in
212: • average
954:Tributaries of Lake Huron
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176:110 mi (180 km)
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730:"A Headwaters Community"
855:"Headwaters Trails Inc"
815:. MLive.com. 2009-09-29
790:. MLive.com. 2009-06-10
585:42.786200°N 83.626083°W
894:Headwaters Trails Inc.
732:. Springfield township
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590:42.786200; -83.626083
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360:. The river rises in
157:43.38697°N 83.96608°W
88:42.73086°N 83.51077°W
899:Water Data from USGS
470:Wisconsin glaciation
325:, which drains into
612:Parshallburg Bridge
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319:Tittabawassee River
162:43.38697; -83.96608
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93:42.73086; -83.51077
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914:Rivers of Michigan
631:"Shiawassee River"
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468:at the end of the
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857:. Holly, Michigan
444:freshwater mussel
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498:Lake Ponemah
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476:Conservation
462:Lake Saginaw
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438:and striped
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861:13 February
588: /
576:83°37.565′W
573:42°47.172′N
366:Springfield
348:Description
327:Saginaw Bay
160: /
91: /
908:Categories
840:2010-02-13
819:2010-02-13
813:Flint News
794:2010-02-13
675:2021-07-05
618:References
436:river chub
331:Lake Huron
315:confluence
303:Shiawassee
299:Livingston
283:U.S. state
181:Basin size
148:83°57′58″W
145:43°23′13″N
79:83°30′39″W
76:42°43′51″N
768:August 1,
759:glpf.org/
405:Chesaning
317:with the
281:) in the
193:Discharge
736:July 31,
699:July 31,
669:Archived
606:See also
496:towards
432:stonecat
338:Chippewa
287:Michigan
218:estimate
128:Michigan
451:Geology
416:minnows
412:darters
358:Corunna
311:Saginaw
307:Midland
295:Genesee
291:Oakland
599:Fenton
494:Fenton
440:shiner
403:, and
401:Owosso
397:Linden
393:Fenton
383:, and
274:shy-ə-
196:
173:Length
113:
48:
45:Source
755:(PDF)
514:Enjoy
510:Share
490:Holly
389:Holly
381:Flint
206:mouth
109:Mouth
863:2010
770:2015
738:2015
701:2015
555:The
506:Care
385:Cass
309:and
278:-see
230:The
466:ice
377:Bad
364:in
329:of
285:of
276:WAH
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