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South Branch Lincoln River flowing through the campus of West Shore Community College
Around the County is a presentation of Preferred Credit Union, www.preferredcu.org, located locally at 266 N. Jebavy Dr., Ludington.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
Have you ever wondered where a river begins? In Mason County, three rivers deposit into Lake Michigan, the Pere Marquette River, the Big Sable River, and the Lincoln River. In this article, we will explore the sources of the Lincoln River and the its two tributary rivers.
The Lincoln River is a 7.8 mile long river that is formed from the North Branch Lincoln River and the South Branch Lincoln River which converge in Section 32 of Victory Township, north of the Fisher Road bridge. The South Branch begins in Section 26 of Sherman Township near the southwest corner of Reek and Dewey roads. The North Branch begins at Round Lake in Sheridan Township (well, technically).
The Lincoln River watershed includes Lincoln Lake (160 acres), Hackert Lake (125 acres), Vogel Lake (25 acres), Gun Lake (219 acres), Blue Lake (69 acres), Thunder Lake (68 acres), Ford Lake (208 acres), Picnic Lake (150 acres), Cunningham Lake (approximately 5 acres), Cartier Lake (37 acres) and Round Lake (571 acres),
The river travels through Lincoln Lake and ends at Lake Michigan within Epworth Heights. Lincoln Lake is located within three municipalities including the City of Ludington, Pere Marquette Charter Township and Hamlin Township.
Of the three rivers (and branches) that flow through Mason County, the Lincoln River is the only one that completely originates within the boundaries of Mason County. The Pere Marquette River and Big Sable River — and their branches — originate in other counties.
Headwaters of the South Branch
South Branch Lincoln River.
I have to admit, there’s nothing remarkable about the headwaters of the South Branch Lincoln River. The river begins at 689 feet above sea level (ASL) in Section 26 of Sherman Township near the southwest corner of Reek and Dewey roads. A small holding pond on private property, south of Dewey Road and west of Reek Road, leads into a culvert under Dewey Road then travels in a ditch on the north side of the road until it crosses at a 45 degree angle, southwest at the intersection of Dewey and Stephens roads. The ditch is mostly dried up.
Evidence of wetland begins on the east side of Stephens Road south of Dewey Road as the river weaves through a field (this certainly isn’t a fast-moving current yet).
South Branch runs in a ditch on the north side of Dewey Road west of Reek Road.
The river crosses under Sugar Grove Road just east of Custer Road. It then crosses under Custer Road south of Sugar Grove Road.
About halfway between Custer and Tuttle roads, the river heads back north and crosses Sugar Grove Road again. This is where there are more signs of an actual river. This was evident in the evening of June 12 and 13, 2008 when Mason County was hit by 11 inches of rain within a few hours, flooding the Lincoln River, Big Sable River and their branches and tributaries. That flooding impacted Mason County roads in about 200 locations, many along the routes of the north and south branches of the Lincoln River and the main river itself.
Also in this area is the beginning of Frog Paradise Drain, which through a series of other drains, ultimately ends in a waterway at the Pere Marquette River just east of Custer Road. During the Great Depression, in the 1930s, the Civil Conservation Corps. dug many drainage ditches throughout the county to assist in agriculture. Prior to that, lumbering firms often would manipulate waterways. These actions had major impact on the flow of water in the county.
South Branch near the Darr Road bridge north of Sugar Grove Road
The South Branch Lincoln River then crosses Tuttle Road and begins to travel in a northwesterly direction. From this point it stays between Sugar Grove and Dewey roads until it reaches Victory Corner Road. In between those points, it crosses through the campus of West Shore Community College.
Just west of Victory Corner Road, both the South Branch and North Branch join to form the Lincoln River.
Cunningham Lake
North Branch Lincoln River
Maps show the headwaters of the North Branch Lincoln River being Round Lake, specifically, the northwest side of the lake near Sheridan Township Park. The river is also fed by Ford Lake, Picnic Lake and Cunningham Lake. One could argue, that in spite of what maps show, Cunningham Lake is technically the source of the river, since it is the farthest point upstream, sitting at a higher elevation, 722 feet above sea level (ASL), than Round Lake, 604 feet ASL. Cunningham Lake is located just east of Campbell Road between Dewey and Millerton Roads in Sheridan Township. Round Lake is located about one mile southwest of Cunningham Lake.
While Cartier Lake, located about half mile northeast of Cunningham Lake, south of Millerton Road, is in the watershed, it sits at a lower elevation, 706 feet ASL, than Cunningham Lake.
North Branch near Darr Road bridge south of Fountain Road.
Picnic Lake is located about one mile northwest of Cunningham Lake at 715 feet ASL. Ford Lake is about a 1/4 mile northwest of Picnic Lake and is 717 ASL. Streams from Ford Lake, Picnic Lake and Cunningham Lake converge at a point just south of Millerton Road between Campbell and Benson roads.
Again, according to most maps, the North Branch Lincoln River begins at Round Lake. The river travels north parallel to the east side of Morse Road and merges with the Cunningham/Picnic streams about 1/4 mile south of Millerton Road. From there it travels westerly and starts a northwesterly course beginning just east of Larson Road. It crosses Millerton Road and then Larson Road.
The river then crosses Reek Road in the village limits of Fountain, traveling west then slightly southwest just north of Manales Road. After crossing Stephens Road, a stream that appears to begin at Batcheller Lake (located just east of Round Lake) joins the North Branch. When studying the map, one could speculate that this stream may also feed into the South Branch Lincoln River, which begins near the corner of Reek and Dewey roads, as it travels within 1/4 mile of the headwaters.
The North Branch then travels northwest and crosses Fountain Road before heading mostly west along Fountain Road. After crossing US 31 it begins to travel southwest until it finally meets up with the South Branch adn forms the Lincoln River.
North Branch at Victory Corner bridge south of Dewey Road.
Lincoln River west of Jebavy Drive bridge.
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