The
Detroit River is a 28 miles (45.1 km)
straitA strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
in the
Great LakesThe Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
system. The name comes from the
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river travels south from
Lake St. ClairLake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
to
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, and the whole river carries the international border between
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The river divides the major metropolitan areas of Detroit,
MichiganMichigan 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"....
, and
WindsorWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
,
OntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
— an area referred to as Detroit–Windsor. The two are connected by the
Ambassador BridgeThe Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
and the
Detroit–Windsor TunnelThe Detroit–Windsor Tunnel is an underwater highway tunnel connecting Detroit, Michigan in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario in Canada. It was completed in 1930....
.
The river serves as an important transportation route connecting
Lake MichiganLake 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...
,
HuronLake 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...
, and
SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
to the
St. Lawrence SeawayThe Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
and
Erie CanalThe Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
. When Detroit underwent rapid industrialization at the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit River became notoriously
pollutedWater pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
and toxic. In recent years, however, the ecological importance of the river has warranted a vast restoration effort, and the river today has a wide variety of economical and recreational uses. There are numerous islands in the Detroit River, and much of the lower portion of the river is incorporated into the
Detroit River International Wildlife RefugeThe Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It was established in 2001 and is managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The refuge is located along the western coast of Lake...
. The portion of the river in the city of Detroit has been organized into the
Detroit International RiverfrontThe Detroit International Riverfront is an area of Detroit, Michigan that borders the Detroit River. The International Riverfront area extends from the Ambassador Bridge in the west to Belle Isle in the east, extending a total of 5½-miles and encompassing a multitude of parks, restaurants, retail...
and the
William G. Milliken State Park and HarborThe William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor is a state park in Michigan, and the state's first to be located in an urban area. Located just east of downtown Detroit along a portion of the city's International Riverfront, it covers on the Detroit River, and includes a 52-slip harbor of refuge...
. The Detroit River is designated an
American Heritage RiverAmerican Heritage Rivers are designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to receive special attention to further three objectives: natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation.The American Heritage Rivers...
and a
Canadian Heritage RiverThe Canadian Heritage Rivers System was established in 1984 by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada's river heritage, to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them. It is a cooperative...
— the only river to have this dual designation.
Geography
The Detroit River flows for 28 miles (45.1 km) from
Lake St. ClairLake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
to
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. By definition, this classifies it as both a
riverA 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...
and a
straitA strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
— a strait being a narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water. That is why the river was originally called the River of the Strait by early French settlers. However, today, the Detroit River is rarely referred to as a strait, because bodies of water referred to as straits are typically much wider. The Detroit River is only 0.5 to 2.5 mi (0.80467 to 4 ) wide. The Detroit River starts on an east to west flow but then bends and runs north to south. The deepest portion of the Detroit River is 253 feet (77.1 m) deep in the northern portion of the river. At its source, the river is at an elevation of 574 feet (175 m) above sea level. The river drops only three feet before entering into Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m). The river contains no
damA dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s and is easily
navigableA 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...
by even the smallest of vessels. The
watershed basinA 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...
for the Detroit River is approximately 700 square miles (1,813 km²). Since the river is fairly short, it has few tributaries. Its largest tributary is the
River RougeThe River Rouge, also known as the Rouge River, is a river in the Metro Detroit area of southeastern Michigan. It flows into the Detroit River at Zug Island, which is the boundary between the cities of River Rouge and Detroit....
in Michigan, which is actually four times longer than the Detroit River and contains most of the basin. The only other major American tributary to the Detroit River is the much-smaller
Ecorse RiverThe Ecorse River is an river in southern Michigan. Because of its small size, it is often identified as Ecorse Creek. It flows through the Downriver section of Metro Detroit, and is a tributary of the Detroit River. The early French settlers named it the Rivière aux Écorces, meaning the "bark...
. Tributaries on the Canadian side include Little Creek and the
River CanardRiver Canard is a hamlet of roughly 500 people in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada, approximately 12 miles south of Windsor, Ontario, situated on the Canard River. It is home to an attractive French-Canadian-style church, similar to St. Joachim Church in Lakeshore , and Ste. Anne's Church in Tecumseh...
. The
dischargeIn hydrology, discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended solids , dissolved chemical species and/or biologic material , which is transported through a given cross-sectional area...
for the Detroit River is relatively high for a river of its size. The river's average discharge is approximately 188,000 cubic feet per second (5,324 m³/s), and the river's flow is always constant.
The Detroit River forms a major element of the international border between the United States and Canada. The river on the American side is all under the jurisdiction of
Wayne County, Michigan-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
, and the Canadian side is under the administration of
Essex County, OntarioEssex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
. The largest city along the Detroit River is Detroit, and most of the population along the river lives in
MichiganMichigan 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"....
. The Detroit River has only two automobile traffic crossings connecting the United States and Canada: the
Ambassador BridgeThe Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
and the
Detroit–Windsor TunnelThe Detroit–Windsor Tunnel is an underwater highway tunnel connecting Detroit, Michigan in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario in Canada. It was completed in 1930....
. Both of these are heavily protected by the
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionU.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
and the
Canada Border Services AgencyThe Canada Border Services Agency is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border enforcement, immigration enforcement and customs services....
.
The upper portion of the river is one of the few places where a Canadian city lies directly south of an American city. In this case, the city of Detroit is directly north of the city of
Windsor, OntarioWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
. The only other location where this occurs is
Fort Erie, OntarioFort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly across the river from Buffalo, New York....
, lying south of several cities in
Niagara County, New YorkNiagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
. The cities and communities south of Detroit along the American side of the river are popularly referred to as the
DownriverDownriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 suburban cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan south of Detroit along the western shore of the Detroit River....
area, because those areas are said to be "down the river" from Detroit. Several of these communities do not actually border the Detroit River, so the term "Downriver" is actually used to refer to the entire cluster of suburban communities that lie to the southwest of the City of Detroit and to the west of the Detroit River.
Islands
The Detroit River contains numerous islands. Ownership and control of the islands varies by their geographic location along the river. The majority of islands are on the American side of the river. There are no islands in the Detroit River that are divided by the international border. Many of the islands are very small and uninhabited. Most of the islands in the Detroit River are in the southern portion of the waterway near
Grosse IleGrosse Ile is the largest island in the Detroit River and is the most populated island in the state of Michigan. It is on the American side of the river and is part of Wayne County. The island is approximately 9.6 mi² and has a population of 10,894...
and close to where the river empties into Lake Erie.
Belle IsleBelle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
, in the northern section of the river, is entirely used as a Detroit city park, and is open to the public via a bridge connection with the city.
History
The Detroit River was first navigated by non-natives in the 17th century. The
IroquoisThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
traded
fursFur clothing is clothing made of the fur of animals. Fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing; thought to have been widely used as hominids first expanded outside of Africa. Some view fur as luxurious and warm; others reject it due to moral beliefs...
with the
Dutch colonistsThe Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
at
New AmsterdamNew Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
by traveling through the Detroit River. The
FrenchThe French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
later claimed the area for
New FranceNew France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
. The famed sailing ship
Le GriffonLe Griffon was a 17th century sailing ship built by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in his quest to find the Northwest Passage to China and Japan....
reached the mouth of the Detroit River in mid-August 1679 on its maiden voyage through the Great Lakes. Later, when the French began settling in the area, they navigated the river using
canoeA canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s made of
birchBirch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
or
elmElms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
bark. Handcrafted vessels were a common mode of travel across the river, and the
pirogueA pirogue is a small, flat-bottomed boat of a design associated particularly with the Cajuns of the Louisiana marsh. In West Africa they were used as traditional fishing boats. These boats are not usually intended for overnight travel but are light and small enough to be easily taken onto land...
and bateaux were also used. As the
North American fur tradeThe North American fur trade was the industry and activities related to the acquisition, exchange, and sale of animal furs in the North American continent. Indigenous peoples of different regions traded among themselves in the Pre-Columbian Era, but Europeans participated in the trade beginning...
intensified, European settlers began expanding their trade westward into the uncharted territories. French explorer
Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de CadillacAntoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac was a French explorer and adventurer in New France, now an area of North America stretching from Eastern Canada in the north to Louisiana in the south. Rising from a modest beginning in Acadia in 1683 as an explorer, trapper, and a trader of alcohol...
sailed up the Detroit River on July 23, 1701. The next day, he settled
Fort Ponchartrain du DétroitFort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S...
(now known as Detroit). The river itself became known as the Rivière du Détroit, in which
détroit is
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for "
straitA strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
". The river was known literally as the "River of the Strait".
The Detroit River — and the larger area surrounding it — was taken from the French by the
British EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
during the
French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and eventually claimed by the newly formed
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the
American RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. During the
War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, the Detroit River served as a major barrier between the American
Michigan TerritoryThe Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
and British
Upper CanadaThe Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, especially during the
Battle of Fort DetroitThe Siege of Detroit, also known as the Surrender of Detroit, or the Battle of Fort Detroit, was an early engagement in the Anglo-American War of 1812...
in August 1812, when Detroit briefly fell to the British. Following the completion of the
Erie CanalThe Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
in 1817, which opened up easier travel to Lake Erie from the
East Coast of the United StatesThe East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, the Detroit River became a heavily traversed route for settlers traveling to northern Michigan, and Detroit, as well, experienced a sudden increase in population. During the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(1861–1865), the
UnionDuring the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
feared that the seceded
Confederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
(CSA) would plan a northerly attack from Canada, which was still owned by the British Empire and remained neutral in the war. The Union feared that the CSA would cross the Detroit River to launch this attack. For that reason, the Detroit River was heavily patrolled, even though it was far removed from any real combat. Such an attack by the CSA never happened. At the beginning of the 20th century, Detroit's industrialization took off on an unprecedented scale. The Detroit River became the busiest commercial river in the world and was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth" by
The Detroit NewsThe Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
in 1908. In 1907, the Detroit River carried 67,292,504 tons (61 billion kg) of shipping commerce through Detroit to locations all over the world. For comparison,
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
shipped 18,727,230 tons (16 billion kg), and
New YorkNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
shipped 20,390,953 tons (18 billion kg).
Prohibition
On January 29, 1919, the
Eighteenth AmendmentThe Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established Prohibition in the United States. The separate Volstead Act set down methods of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition...
was ratified, ushering in
Prohibition in the United StatesProhibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
, which lasted from 1919 to 1933. Upon the amendment's ratification, the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption were nationally banned overnight. Detroit was (and still is) the largest city bordering Canada, where alcohol remained legal during Prohibition. Detroit became the center of a new industry known as
rum-runningRum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
, which was the illegal
smugglingSmuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
or transporting of alcoholic beverages or any other illegal drinks during Prohibition. There were no bridges connecting Canada and the United States until the
Ambassador BridgeThe Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
was finished in 1929 and the
Detroit–Windsor TunnelThe Detroit–Windsor Tunnel is an underwater highway tunnel connecting Detroit, Michigan in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario in Canada. It was completed in 1930....
in 1930. Since
ferryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
services were inoperable during the winter months, "rum-runners" traveled across the frozen Detroit River by car to Canada and back with trunk loads of alcohol. This led to the rise of mobsters such as
the Purple GangThe Purple Gang, also known as the Sugar House Gang, were a mob with predominantly Jewish members of bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s, operating out of Detroit, Michigan, which was a major port for running alcohol products during Prohibition due to proximity to Canada.Many openly violent...
, who regularly traveled across the frozen river and used violence as a means to control the route known as the "Detroit-Windsor Funnel" — parodying the newly built tunnel. The river typically freezes over during much of the winter. Detroit became the leader in the illegal importation of alcohol, which found its way all over the country. The Detroit River,
Lake St. ClairLake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
, and the
St. Clair RiverThe St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
carried 75% of all liquor smuggled into the United States during Prohibition. During warmer months, specialized boats were used to haul alcohol across the river. There was no limit on the methods used by rum-runners to import alcohol across the river. Government officials were unable or unwilling to deter the flow of alcohol coming across the Detroit River. In some cases, overloaded cars fell through the ice, and today, car parts from this illegal era can still be seen on the bottom of the river. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933 by the
Twenty-first AmendmentThe Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which had mandated nationwide Prohibition...
, the rum-running industry ended.
Conservation efforts
Much of the land surrounding the Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, heavily industrialized. This has resulted in excessive
water pollutionWater pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
from the unregulated dumping of chemicals and industrial waste for many decades. Much of the garbage and sewage from Detroit's rapid industrialization found its way into the river. Much of the Detroit River and its shoreline were heavily polluted and unsafe for recreational use. Large quantities of this pollution collected around the mouth of the Detroit River at
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. The pollutants were so high after the spring thaw that thousands of migrating birds were killed by oil slicks and contaminated water every year. Oxygen levels in the river were depleted to the point where fish were unable to inhabit its waters. Because much of this pollution drained into and affected Lake Erie, the lake itself was considered "dead" and unable to support aquatic life.
In 1961, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was founded by congressional order. That paved the way for tighter restrictions on industries and allocated substantial amounts of government funding to clean up the river. However, there was little support toward cleaning up the river, because it would negatively affect Detroit's industrialism and economy. In 1970, the entire
fishing industryThe fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
in the
St. Clair RiverThe St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
,
Lake St. ClairLake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie had to be closed due to toxic levels of
mercuryMercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
found in the water. This, in turn, spurred a massive conservation effort aimed at cleaning up the Detroit River. For years before, conservation efforts were halted by the enormous multi-million dollar cost of removing pollutants from the river. In addition to that, industries, which had significant political influence, detested the regulations necessary to lessen the amount of pollutants in the river. In 2001, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was absorbed into the much larger
Detroit River International Wildlife RefugeThe Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It was established in 2001 and is managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The refuge is located along the western coast of Lake...
, which is a cooperative effort between the United States and Canada to preserve the area as a ecological refuge. Millions of dollars so far have been used to dredge pollutants out of the river, and the recent cleaning up and restoration of the Detroit River is remarkable, although other problems are still at hand. Today, many species of native animals are returning to the area after being driven out by human development. The Detroit River is home to a growing number of bird species, such as
eagleEagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s (including reintroduced
bald eagleThe 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),
ospreyThe 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...
s, and
peregrine falconsThe Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
. Fish species in abundance in the area include
lake whitefishThe lake whitefish , also called the Sault whitefish or gizzard fish, is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. A valuable commercial fish, they are also...
,
sturgeonSturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
,
salmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
,
perchPerch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
, and
walleyeWalleye 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...
. The Detroit River was designated as an
American Heritage RiverAmerican Heritage Rivers are designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to receive special attention to further three objectives: natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation.The American Heritage Rivers...
in 1998 and a
Canadian Heritage RiverThe Canadian Heritage Rivers System was established in 1984 by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada's river heritage, to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them. It is a cooperative...
in 2001 — the only river to have dual designations.
Economy
Historically, the Detroit River was used primarily for shipping and trading. The earliest use of the river for such economic activities was the shipping of furs for trade as early as the 17th century. When the
fur tradeThe North American fur trade was the industry and activities related to the acquisition, exchange, and sale of animal furs in the North American continent. Indigenous peoples of different regions traded among themselves in the Pre-Columbian Era, but Europeans participated in the trade beginning...
decreased, Michigan had already began to exploit the
lumberLumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
-rich areas of the
Upper PeninsulaThe Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
. Detroit turned into a major industrial region, largely in part because of the Detroit River. The only way a ship could travel out of the Great Lakes system was to travel down the Detroit River. From there, ships could travel anywhere in the world out of the
St. Lawrence SeawayThe Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
or the
Erie CanalThe Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. At the beginning of the 20th century, the automotive industry boomed, and the many manufacturers shipped in abundant supplies of
iron ore.
First hand, the Detroit River also provides a substantial amount of revenue for the local economies. A study in 1991 showed that $20.1 million came from sales related to waterfowl hunting along the Detroit River. During the same year, bird watching, photography, and other non-consumptive uses of waterfowl contributed an additional $192.8 million to Michigan’s economy. Local economies also benefit through boating registrations and fishing licenses. There are over 800,000 recreation boats in the state of Michigan, and more than half of those are regularly used on or near the Detroit River. It is estimated that walleye fishing alone brings in $1 million to the economy of communities along the lower Detroit River each spring. A percentage of the tourist revenue also depends on the Detroit River, which is the most noticeable environmental feature in Detroit. Popular river destinations in the city of Detroit include the
Detroit International RiverfrontThe Detroit International Riverfront is an area of Detroit, Michigan that borders the Detroit River. The International Riverfront area extends from the Ambassador Bridge in the west to Belle Isle in the east, extending a total of 5½-miles and encompassing a multitude of parks, restaurants, retail...
and
Belle Isle ParkBelle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
— both of which host a number of events throughout the year. The city also has a
river cruiseA River cruise is a voyage along inland waterways, often stopping at multiple ports along the way. Since cities and towns often grew up around rivers, river cruise ships frequently dock in the center of cities and towns.- Descriptions :...
called the Detroit Princess Riverboat, which offers cruises throughout much of the year on the river around
downtown DetroitDowntown Detroit is the central business district and a residential area of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Downtown is bordered by the Lodge Freeway to the west, the Fisher Freeway to the north, Interstate 375 to the east, and the Detroit River to the south.Downtown contains much historic...
. The iconic
Renaissance CenterRenaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
is located on the banks of the Detroit River.
According to a 2004 study, 150,000 jobs and $13 billion in annual production depend on the river crossings connecting Detroit to Windsor. In 2004, the total American trade with Ontario alone was $407 billion, in which 28% ($113.3 billion) crossed the Detroit River. Because this puts a large strain on the flow for the only two traffic crossings over the Detroit River, proposals have been made to create a third crossing to connect Detroit and Windsor. The exact location for this crossing is the most debated element, as it could negatively affect a large number of environmental features and communities along the river.
Bridges and crossings
This is a list of
bridgeA bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and other crossings of the Detroit River from
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
upstream to
Lake St. ClairLake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
. The only two automobile traffic routes that completely cross the river are the
Ambassador BridgeThe Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, both of which connect Detroit, Michigan to Windsor, Ontario. A railway tunnel and a commercial truck ferry service also travel between Detroit and Windsor. In Michigan, there are two bridges connecting the mainland to
Grosse IleGrosse Ile Township is a general law township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The township is situated on several islands in the Detroit River, but the largest island is also referred to as simply Grosse Ile. The name comes from French Grosse Île, meaning "Big Island"...
and the
MacArthur BridgeThe MacArthur Bridge is a bridge that spans the Detroit River between Detroit, Michigan and Belle Isle. The bridge, which features nineteen total arches across , provides main access to Belle Isle. Completed in 1923 for $2,635,000 USD, it replaced a mostly wooden bridge that accidentally caught...
, popularly known as the "Belle Isle Bridge," that connects the City of Detroit to
Belle Isle ParkBelle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
. All crossings (ports of entry) on the American side are secured by the
U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionU.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
's Office of Field Operations and on the Canadian side by the
Canada Border Services AgencyThe Canada Border Services Agency is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border enforcement, immigration enforcement and customs services....
; all areas between the American ports of entry and on the American side of the river are secured by the
United States Border PatrolThe United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
.
The
Detroit River International CrossingThe Detroit River International Crossing , alternatively New International Trade Crossing , is a multi-national construction project and committee between Canada and the United States to create a new border crossing over the Detroit River...
is a new bridge project expected to be completed in approximately 2013; it will directly connect Highway 401 in Canada to
Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
in the U.S.
| Crossing |
Carries |
Locations connecting |
Coordinates |
| Wayne County Bridge The Wayne County Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel in the Detroit River. Located in Wayne County, it connects Grosse Ile Township to mainland Trenton. It is one of two bridges connecting the island of Grosse Ile to the mainland — the other being the tolled Grosse Ile Toll...
|
Grosse Ile Parkway |
TrentonTrenton is a small city in Wayne County in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,853...
– Grosse IleGrosse Ile Township is a general law township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The township is situated on several islands in the Detroit River, but the largest island is also referred to as simply Grosse Ile. The name comes from French Grosse Île, meaning "Big Island"...
|
42°07′39.2"N 83°10′31.2"W |
Grosse Ile Toll BridgeThe Grosse Ile Toll Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River connecting Grosse Ile Township, Michigan to the mainland in Riverview, Michigan which is located in Wayne County, Michigan.-History:...
|
Bridge Road |
Riverview Riverview is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,486 at the time of the 2010 census.The city is a suburb in the Metro Detroit area, located along the shore of the Detroit River. Riverview incorporated as a village in 1922 and as a city in 1959...
– Grosse IleGrosse Ile Township is a general law township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The township is situated on several islands in the Detroit River, but the largest island is also referred to as simply Grosse Ile. The name comes from French Grosse Île, meaning "Big Island"...
|
42°10′20.9"N 83°09′34.3"W |
Detroit-Windsor Truck FerryThe Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry is a ferry service that has transported cars and trucks across the Detroit River for over 100 years. It currently accepts only trucks. The ferry is the primary crossing for hazardous materials trucks between Windsor, La Salle, and Detroit, Michigan and the Downriver...
|
(Ferry servicesA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
) |
Detroit – WindsorWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
|
42°16′40.9"N 83°06′03.2"W |
Ambassador BridgeThe Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
|
Ambassador Bridge Street
 I-96Interstate 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...
/  I-75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
/  H-3King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
|
42°18′43.0"N 83°04′26.8"W |
| Michigan Central Railway Tunnel The Michigan Central Railway Tunnel is a railroad tunnel under the Detroit River connecting Detroit, Michigan, USA with Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The U.S. entrance is south of Porter St. and Vermont St. near Rosa Parks Blvd. The Canadian entrance is south of Wyandotte St. W. between Cameron Ave....
|
Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
|
42°19′06.6"N 83°03′37.8"W |
| Detroit-Windsor Tunnel |
 I-375The unsigned Business Spur Interstate 375 , which is long, continues west on Jefferson Avenue from the southern end of I-375, ending at the entrance to the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel at Randolph Street . Jefferson Avenue past that intersection is M-10, quickly becoming the Lodge Freeway. BS I-375 runs...
/  M-10M-10, is a state trunkline route in the US state of Michigan. The southernmost portion follows Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit, and the southern terminus is at the intersection of Jefferson and Randolph Street leading to the entrance to the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel...
/  H-3BNot to be confused with the Highway 3B that became Highway 51, in Norfolk County.King's Highway 3B was a provincially maintained highway in Windsor...
|
42°19′28.2"N 83°02′24.2"W |
MacArthur BridgeThe MacArthur Bridge is a bridge that spans the Detroit River between Detroit, Michigan and Belle Isle. The bridge, which features nineteen total arches across , provides main access to Belle Isle. Completed in 1923 for $2,635,000 USD, it replaced a mostly wooden bridge that accidentally caught...
|
E. Grand BoulevardGrand Boulevard is a thoroughfare in Detroit, Michigan, running east to west in some places and north to south in other places. It once constituted the city limits of Detroit. Grand Boulevard is named the "Berry Gordy, Jr...
/ Casino Way |
Detroit – Belle Isle ParkBelle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
|
42°20′30.1"N 82°59′52.3"W |
See also
- Ambassador Bridge
The Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
- Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
- Canada – United States border
- Detroit-Windsor
- Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
- Detroit International Riverfront
The Detroit International Riverfront is an area of Detroit, Michigan that borders the Detroit River. The International Riverfront area extends from the Ambassador Bridge in the west to Belle Isle in the east, extending a total of 5½-miles and encompassing a multitude of parks, restaurants, retail...
- Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It was established in 2001 and is managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The refuge is located along the western coast of Lake...
- Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, a sprawlingnetwork covering more than 1,000 square miles, servicing more than 40 percent of the state's population, andemploying over 3,000 people.-History :...
- Downriver
Downriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 suburban cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan south of Detroit along the western shore of the Detroit River....
- Grosse Ile (island)
Grosse Ile is the largest island in the Detroit River and is the most populated island in the state of Michigan. It is on the American side of the river and is part of Wayne County. The island is approximately 9.6 mi² and has a population of 10,894...
- Grosse Ile Township
Grosse Ile Township is a general law township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The township is situated on several islands in the Detroit River, but the largest island is also referred to as simply Grosse Ile. The name comes from French Grosse Île, meaning "Big Island"...
- List of international border rivers
- List of islands in the Detroit River
- List of Michigan rivers
- List of Ontario rivers
- Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
- Riverfront Condominiums Detroit
Riverfront Condominiums Detroit is a complex of three luxury high rise residential skyscrapers along the International Riverfront in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Each Riverfront Tower creates an ascending tier of three.-Buildings:...
- William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor
The William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor is a state park in Michigan, and the state's first to be located in an urban area. Located just east of downtown Detroit along a portion of the city's International Riverfront, it covers on the Detroit River, and includes a 52-slip harbor of refuge...
- Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival
The International Freedom Festival is a multi-day celebration in early July marking Canada Day on July 1 and the American Independence Day on July 4. Detroit, Michigan, USA and Windsor, Ontario, Canada jointly celebrate the multi-day festival which draws about 3.5 million visitors. The...
- Zug Island
Zug Island is a heavily industrialized island in the city of River Rouge near the southern city limits of Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located where the mouth of the River Rouge spills into the Detroit River...
Specialized further reading
External links