| Flat River | |
|---|---|
 Flat River upstream fromWhites Bridge, Fall 2006 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| Counties | Montcalm,Kent,Ionia |
| Cities | Belvidere Township,Lowell,Greenville,Belding |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | First Lake,Montcalm County |
| • coordinates | 43°26′23″N85°6′7″W / 43.43972°N 85.10194°W /43.43972; -85.10194 |
| • elevation | 915 ft (279 m) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Grand River |
• coordinates | 42°55′40″N85°20′19″W / 42.92778°N 85.33861°W /42.92778; -85.33861 |
• elevation | 617 ft (188 m) |
| Length | 70 mi (110 km) |
| Basin size | 560 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | mouth |
| • average | 530.62 cu ft/s (15.025 m3/s) (estimate)[1] |
TheFlat River (Ottawa:Quabahquasha, "Winding Stream"[2][3]) is atributary of theGrand River in the western part of theU.S. state ofMichigan. It rises as the outflow of First Lake, the last in a chain of geographically close, connected lakes known as Six Lakes inBelvidere Township, west ofEdmore inMontcalm County. It flows mostly south and slightly west through Montcalm County,Ionia County, andKent County, flowing into the Grand River inLowell. Other cities it flows through along the way includeGreenville andBelding.[4]
The river was an important water route and fishing source for the Grand River Band ofOttawa who lived along it in the 18th and 19th centuries.[5]
Two historiccovered bridges cross the river. One, theFallasburg Bridge, inVergennes Township, Kent County is in Fallasburg County Park a few miles north of Lowell. The other,Whites Bridge is a few miles to the northeast in adjacent northwestKeene Township, Ionia County, nearSmyrna.[4] On July 7, 2013, an arson fire destroyed White's Bridge.[6] Fund-raising efforts are underway in attempt to have the bridge rebuilt. At the time of its destruction, it was the oldest covered bridge of its kind in Michigan.[7]
There are 5 dams along the river: Greenville, Belding, Whites Bridge, Burroughs and Lowell.[4]
It is the river named in the song "Sad Ballad of Jack Haggerty", sometimes known as "Flat River Girl."
Media related toFlat River (Michigan) at Wikimedia Commons
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