The Ontonagon River's principal tributaries are its West, South, Middle and East branches, all of which flow in part through theOttawa National Forest:[6]
TheWest Branch Ontonagon River[7] is entirely contained inOntonagon County. It begins at the outlet ofLake Gogebic near the community ofBergland and flows generally east-northeastwardly for approximately 34.5 miles (55.5 km),[8] collecting the South Branch and passing through a dam which forms the Victoria Reservoir.[4][6]
TheSouth Branch Ontonagon River[9] is formed in southwestern Ontonagon County by the confluence of the short Tenmile Creek and theCisco Branch Ontonagon River. The Cisco Branch starts in Cisco Lake in easternGogebic County and flows generally north-northeastwardly for 32.7 miles (52.7 km)[8] to the South Branch,[10] which then flows northwardly for 33.3 miles (53.6 km),[8] passing the community ofEwen, to join the West Branch.[6]
The South Branch Ontonagon River atEwenAgate Falls on the Middle Branch
TheMiddle Branch Ontonagon River,[11] 70.7 miles (113.8 km) long,[8] issues from Crooked Lake in eastern Gogebic County and initially flows eastwardly, passing the community ofWatersmeet. After collecting theTamarack River, the Middle Branch turns northwardly into Ontonagon County, where it collects theBaltimore River and joins the East Branch.[6]
TheEast Branch Ontonagon River,[12] 59.3 miles (95.4 km) long,[8] issues from Jingle Lake in northernIron County and flows generally northwestwardly throughHoughton County into Ontonagon County, where it joins the Middle Branch.[6]
The Ontonagon River inOntonagon, just above its mouth at Lake Superior
Below the confluence of its various branches, the Ontonagon River flows generally north-northwestwardly for 24.7 miles (39.7 km)[8] in Ontonagon County to the village ofOntonagon, where it flows intoLake Superior.[6]
On March 3, 1992, the following reaches of the Ontonagon's upper tributaries were collectively designated theOntonagon National Wild and Scenic River: The upper courses of the East and Middle branches in theOttawa National Forest; the Cisco Branch in its entirety; and approximately the middle section of the West Branch, from Cascade Falls to the Victoria Reservoir.[5][6]
^abThe American Rivers Outstanding Rivers List, Second Edition, May 1991. Compiled and edited by Matthew H. Huntington and John D. Echeverria. Washington, DC: American Rivers, Inc.
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