Dowagiac River
Encyclopedia
The Dowagiac River is a 30.9 miles (49.7 km) stream in the Lower Peninsula
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
The stream rises as the "Dowagiac Drain" a few miles east of Decatur
in central Decatur Township
in southern Van Buren County, Michigan
. Flowing west and south, it is joined first by Red Run and then by the Lake of the Woods Drain near the southern edge of Hamilton Township
, it becomes the "Dowagiac River" before entering Wayne Township
in Cass County
. It is joined from the north first by Osborn Drain and then Silver Creek. North of the city of Dowagiac
, the river passes through the Dowagiac Swamp.
Just west of Dowagiac, the river is joined by its principal tributary, Dowagiac Creek, at 41°58′55"N 86°10′16"W. Dowagiac Creek rises in Volinia Township
at 42°02′25"N 85°54′46"W from the outflow of a series of lakes including Saddlebag Lake, Fish Lake, Finch Lake and Bunker Lake. The creek flows southwest into LaGrange Lake in LaGrange Township. From the outflow of the lake, it continues west and north through the city of Dowagiac before joining the Dowagiac River.
As the river continues south-southwest it is joined by Peavine Creek, Pokagon Creek, and McKinzie Creek. It enters Berrien County
, where it flows into the St. Joseph River
just north of Niles
at 41°50′43"N 86°15′58"W.
The watershed includes all or portions of the following townships:
In the southern tier of Van Buren County:
In Cass County:
In Berrien County:
Tributaries of the Dowagiac River from the mouth
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
The stream rises as the "Dowagiac Drain" a few miles east of Decatur
Decatur, Michigan
Decatur is a village in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,838 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Decatur Township...
in central Decatur Township
Decatur Township, Michigan
Decatur Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,916 at the 2000 census. The village of Decatur is located within the township...
in southern Van Buren County, Michigan
Van Buren County, Michigan
-Parks, preserves, natural areas:* Dunes Parkway, an 84 acre preserve of dunes in Covert Township* Jeptha Lake Fen Preserve, a 49 acre preserve in Columbia Township...
. Flowing west and south, it is joined first by Red Run and then by the Lake of the Woods Drain near the southern edge of Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Van Buren County, Michigan
Hamilton Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,797.The township is mostly agricultural with no towns...
, it becomes the "Dowagiac River" before entering Wayne Township
Wayne Township, Michigan
Wayne Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,861 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
in Cass County
Cass County, Michigan
Cass County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 51,104. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area which has a total population of 316,663 and is sometimes considered part of Greater Michiana...
. It is joined from the north first by Osborn Drain and then Silver Creek. North of the city of Dowagiac
Dowagiac, Michigan
Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,147 at the 2000 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, the river passes through the Dowagiac Swamp.
Just west of Dowagiac, the river is joined by its principal tributary, Dowagiac Creek, at 41°58′55"N 86°10′16"W. Dowagiac Creek rises in Volinia Township
Volinia Township, Michigan
Volinia Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,174 at the 2000 census. When the township was organized in 1833, it was at first named Volhynia, after the province in Poland. It is believed to have been given to honor General Thaddeus...
at 42°02′25"N 85°54′46"W from the outflow of a series of lakes including Saddlebag Lake, Fish Lake, Finch Lake and Bunker Lake. The creek flows southwest into LaGrange Lake in LaGrange Township. From the outflow of the lake, it continues west and north through the city of Dowagiac before joining the Dowagiac River.
As the river continues south-southwest it is joined by Peavine Creek, Pokagon Creek, and McKinzie Creek. It enters Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
, where it flows into the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
just north of Niles
Niles, Michigan
Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. The population was 11,600 at the 2010 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
at 41°50′43"N 86°15′58"W.
The watershed includes all or portions of the following townships:
In the southern tier of Van Buren County:
- Porter TownshipPorter Township, Van Buren County, MichiganPorter Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,406 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Decatur TownshipDecatur Township, MichiganDecatur Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,916 at the 2000 census. The village of Decatur is located within the township...
- Hamilton TownshipHamilton Township, Van Buren County, MichiganHamilton Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,797.The township is mostly agricultural with no towns...
- Keeler TownshipKeeler Township, MichiganKeeler Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 2,601.Keeler Township is largely agricultural, though it has a large influx of summer visitors who own cottages or stay at summer resorts in the Sister Lakes area in the...
In Cass County:
- Marcellus TownshipMarcellus Township, MichiganMarcellus Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,712 at the 2000 census. The Village of Marcellus is within the township.The Township Hall is located at 13163 Marcellus Highway, Marcellus, MI, 49067....
- Volinia TownshipVolinia Township, MichiganVolinia Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,174 at the 2000 census. When the township was organized in 1833, it was at first named Volhynia, after the province in Poland. It is believed to have been given to honor General Thaddeus...
- Wayne TownshipWayne Township, MichiganWayne Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,861 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
- Silver Creek TownshipSilver Creek Township, MichiganSilver Creek Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,491 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Penn TownshipPenn Township, MichiganPenn Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,902 at the 2000 census.Penn Township is the location of the Bonine House, a lookout post on the Underground Railroad, on the corner of M-60 and Penn Road...
(the western edge around section 7) - Lagrange Township
- Pokagon TownshipPokagon Township, MichiganPokagon Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,199 at the 2000 census. The township includes the unincorporated communities of Pokagon and Sumnerville, adjacent to each other on M-51....
- Howard TownshipHoward Township, MichiganHoward Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,309 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
In Berrien County:
- Niles Township
Tributaries of the Dowagiac River from the mouth
- McKinzie Creek
- Pokagon Creek
- Peavine Creek
- Dowagiac Creek
- LaGrange Lake
- Kelsey Lake
- Bunker Lake
- Finch Lake
- Fish Lake
- Saddlebag Lake
- Silver Creek
- Osburn Drain
- Lake of the Wood Drain
- Red Run
- Dowagiac Drain