User:DDerby/Flint River (Michigan)

The Flint River is a river in the thumb of Michigan, 142 mi (229 km) long, that flows through the city of Flint

Location
The Flint River drains 1332 sq mi (3450 km²) of Michigan, mostly in the counties of Lapeer, Genesee, Shiawassee, and Saginaw. It also drains parts of Oakland, Tuscola, and Sanilac.

The river is formed in Lapeer County near Columbiaville where the river's South Branch and North Branch come together. The river is supplemented by four major creeks, the Kearsley (draining the south and central portions of the east side of Genesee County), Thread (draining south central part of the county), Swartz (draining the Swartz Creek area), and Misteguay (draining the area near the northern section of the border of Genesee and Shiawassee Counties).

The river empties into the Shiawassee River in the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near the city of Saginaw. Within the refuge, the Cass and Tittabawassee combine with the Shiawassee to form the Saginaw River. The Saginaw empties into the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron.

Features along the Flint River
The river is dammed up near the village of Genesee to form the Holloway Reservoir, and again shortly afterward to form Mott Lake.

Once the river enters the city of Flint, it receives pollution from accidental sewage discharges and creeks contaminated by natural sources, as well as possibly being polluted by industrial sites.

In the city of Flint, the river flows past General Motors factories, and downtown through the campus of the University of Michigan-Flint. The Riverview Park is downtown, as well as a hotel and Kettering University.

Cities and villages along the river

 * Birch Run, Michigan
 * Flushing, Michigan
 * Flint, Michigan
 * Genesee, Michigan
 * Columbiaville, Michigan