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The Detroit River is about 51 km (32 miles) long and 1 to 4 km (0.5 to 2.5 miles) wide in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from French Rivière du Détroit, i.e. "River of the Strait". The name is a reference to the fact that the river connects Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie. However, it is not a strait by definition. The boundary between Canada and the United States of America passes through the river lengthwise. Its elevation is 175 meters (579 feet) above sea level.
Geography
Tributaries
While primarily a lake outlet, the Detroit River does have a few tributaries of its own which drain 2,000 km² (772 mi²). These include the Rouge River, Ecorse River, Conner Creek and Marsh Creek in the U.S., and Turkey Creek, Little River and Canard River in Canada.Islands
Islands in the Detroit River include Peche Island, Belle Isle, Zug Island, Fighting Island, Grosse Ile, and Bois Blanc (also known as Boblo) Island. The islands of the lower Detroit River are part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.History
Historical events concerning the Detroit River began with the arrival of the French voyageurs, the first non-natives to navigate the river and land on Detroit's shores. Canoes made of birch or elm bark were a common mode of travel across the river, although the pirogue and bateaux were also used.
The War of 1812 was partially fought along the Detroit River front, and by 1850, the census showed 21,019 people populated Detroit. Ferries, schooners and steamboats were found traveling along the river.
During the Civil War, the river was patrolled in case of a Confederate attack from the Canadian north.
As commerce grew, Detroit was becoming the busiest port in the world, and was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth." 67,292,504 tonnage had passed through the Detroit River in 1907, compared with 18,727,230 through London, and 20,390,953 through New York City.
From 1919 to 1933, when Prohibition outlawed the manufacture, distribution and purchase of alcoholic beverages in the United States, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River carried 75 percent of all liquor smuggled into the United States*. It was known as "The Detroit-Windsor Funnel".
Bridges and crossings
The Detroit River is spanned by three crossings between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. The southernmost is the Ambassador Bridge, connecting I-75 and Highway 3. The Michigan Central Railway Tunnel carries rail traffic between the two nations, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel connects the downtowns of Detroit and Windsor. Two bridges connect Grosse Ile to the mainland U.S. and one bridge connects Belle Isle to Detroit.
Modern uses
The Detroit River supplies the drinking water for over five million people and was designated an American Heritage River in 1998. A shipping channel for the Great Lakes Waterway system is maintained in the river. The river flows past the American towns of Detroit, River Rouge, Ecorse, Wyandotte, Grosse Ile, Riverview, Trenton, and Gibraltar and the Canadian towns of Windsor, LaSalle and Amherstburg.
See also
External links
- Detroit River, Canadian Heritage River site
- US EPA page on Detroit RIver
- External link with map and satellite photo
American Heritage Rivers | Canadian Heritage Rivers | Detroit River
"Detroit River"