Coldwater River (Western Michigan)

Coldwater River
The Coldwater River in Freeport
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountiesBarry, Kent
Physical characteristics
MouthThornapple River
Length19.4 mi (31.2 km)
Discharge 
 • locationmouth
 • average190.38 cu ft/s (5.391 m3/s) (estimate)[1]
Basin features
ProgressionThornapple River—Grand River—Lake Michigan
River systemSaint Lawrence River

The Coldwater River is a 19.4-mile-long (31.2 km)[2] stream in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in western Michigan, the river is a part of the Grand River drainage basin.[3]

The Coldwater River flows through Barry and Kent counties, and the drainage basin also includes a large portion of southwest Ionia County and a tiny portion of Sunfield Township in the northwest corner of Eaton County.[4]

The Coldwater is formed from the Little Thornapple River in Carlton Township in Barry County. It flows northerly for a few miles and then flows mostly west until emptying into the Thornapple River in southern Caledonia Township at 42°46′29″N 85°27′38″W / 42.77472°N 85.46056°W / 42.77472; -85.46056.

Major tributaries (from the mouth):

  • Clarke and Bunker Drain (draining a complex of small lakes in Bowne Township
  • Tyler Creek (AKA Bear Creek), rises from the confluence of Pratt Lake Creek and Bear Creek in eastern Bowne Township
    • Walton Drain, rises in western Campbell Township in Ionia County
      • Bond Drain, rises in western Campbell Township in Ionia County
    • Pratt Lake Drain, rises from the outflow of Pratt Lake in southeast Lowell Township
      • Kilgus Branch, rises in southeast Lowell Township
    • Bear Creek, rises in southern Boston Township, just north of the village of Clarksville
      • Peddler Lake Drain, rises from the outflow of Peddler Lake in Campbell Township
  • Duck Creek, rises in northeast Odessa Township in Ionia County
  • Geieger Drain, rises in northeast Irving Township, just west of the village of Freeport, in Barry County
  • Stecklee Drain, a small drain on the east side of Freeport
  • Bullhead Drain, rises in eastern Irving Township, south of Freeport
  • Bird Drain, rises in western Carlton Township in Barry County
  • Messer Brook, rises in southwest Odessa Township, just northwest of the village of Lake Odessa
    • Kart Creek, rises in eastern Campbell Township
  • Drainage from Lower Lake in south central Carlton Township
  • Little Thornapple River, rises from the outflow of Jordan Lake
    • Mallson Ditch/Drain, rising in northeast Carlton Township
    • Woodland Creek, rises near the village of Woodland in Woodland Township
    • Jordan Lake, on the boundary between Barry and Ionia counties
    • Tupper Lake, in Odessa Township, Ionia County

References

  1. ↑ United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Watershed Report: Coldwater River". watersgeo.epa.gov. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2016-06-30 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 19, 2011
  3. ↑ "Coldwater River". Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds Coldwater River". Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
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