to Saginaw Bay Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose Clio Otisville Columbiaville New Lothrop Flint Davison Lapeer Grand Blanc Thornville Figure 1. Flint River watershed drainage. 165
Upper South Branch 1. Horseshoe Lake 2. South Branch 3. Whigville Creek 4. Winns Pond Middle South Branch 5. Pine Creek 6. Hunters Creek 7. Mill Creek 8. Lapeer Lake 9. South Branch Farmers Creek. Farmers Creek 11. Plum Creek Lower South Branch 12. Elm Creek 13. Cedar Creek 14. Bottom Creek 15. Bottom Creek Impoundment 16. Gravel Creek 17. Indian Creek 18. Fostoria Drain 19. Squaw Creek 2. Crystal Creek 21. Upper Flint 22. Henry Drain 23. Holloway Reservoir 24. Hasler Creek 25. Powers-Cullen Drain 26. Butternut Creek 27. C. S. Mott Lake 28. Lake Louise 29. Kearsley Creek 3. Duck Creek 31. Goodrich Mill Pond 32. Atlas Mill Pond 33. Black Creek 34. Kearsley Reservoir 35. Hamilton Impoundment 36. Gilkey Creek 37. Thread Creek 38. Thread Lake 39. Swartz Creek 4. West Branch Swartz Creek 41. Kimball Drain Middle Flint 42. Mud Creek 43. Cole Creek 44. Brent Creek 45. Brent Run Creek Lower Flint 46. Pine Run Creek 47. Runnels Drain 48. Silver Creek 49. Misteguay Creek Figure 2. Major tributaries and landmarks in the Flint River watershed. 166
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters 19 17 48 18 New Lothrop 49 Montrose 44 43 46 45 42 4 41 Flint 39 Clio 27 35 38 47 34 Grand Blanc 26 Columbiaville Otisville 23 36 37 25 Davison 33 32 31 24 7 8 21 2 16 22 11 Lapeer 6 4 5 Thornville 9 2 3 15 14 13 12 29 1 3 28 Figure 2. 167
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N Lower South Branch Flint River Fosters MILES Lower Flint River Montrose Clio Otisville Columbiaville New Lothrop Flint Davison Lapeer Grand Blanc Thornville Upper Flint River Middle South Branch Flint River Middle Flint River Upper South Branch Flint River Figure 3. Flint River basin valley segments. 168
Superior Lobe Saginaw Lobe Michigan Lobe Huron-Erie Lobe Figure 4. Diagram of Wisconsinan Glacier with major lobes. Information from Farrand, 1988. 169
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River N Huron District Sandusky Subdistrict Cass River MILES Fosters Saginaw District Ionia District Greenville Subdistrict Montrose Clio Columbiaville Otisville New Lothrop Flint Davison Lapeer Grand Blanc Thornville Ionia District Lansing Subdistrict Huron District Lum Subdistrict Figure 5. Regional Landscape Ecosystem boundaries of the Flint River basin. Data from Albert 1994. 17
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose Clio Columbiaville Otisville New Lothrop Flint Davison Lapeer Grand Blanc Thornville Ground water inflows less than the Lower Pennisula mean Ground water inflows greater than the Lower Pennisula mean Figure 6. Flint River basin groundwater in ow. 171
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N 16 15 Fosters MILES Montrose 14 New Lothrop 13 12 Flint Clio 7 9 Grand Blanc 6 Columbiaville Otisville 5 8 Davison 4 3 2 Lapeer 1 Thornville 11 1. Farmers Creek (4146) 2. South Branch Flint River (414663) 3. Flint River (41465) 4. Holloway Reservoir (4147) 5. Flint River (41475) 6. Butternutt Creek (414799) 7. Flint River (4148) 8. Kearsley Creek (414814) 9. Gilkey Creek (414816). Thread Creek (414844) 11. Swartz Creek (41482) 12. Swartz Creek (41483) 13. Flint River (41485) 14. Brent Run (41472) 15. Flint River (4149) 16. Flint River (41495) Figure 7. Approximate locations of Flint River basin United States Geological Survey (USGS) gauging stations. USGS identification number in parentheses. Bold circle indicates active gauging station, all others are retired stations. 172
Discharge in cubic feet per second 2 18 16 14 12 8 6 4 Flint River at Fosters Flint River at Flint Flint River at Otisville 2 South Branch Flint River Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Water year Figure 8. Mean monthly discharge at four locations on the Flint River. Data source United States Geological Survey gauges for period of record (Table 2). 173
25 Swartz Creek, Flint Discharge in cubic feet per second 2 15 5 Farmers Creek, Lapeer Kearsley Creek, Davison Thread Creek, Flint Butternut Creek, Flint Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Water year Figure 9. Mean monthly discharge for Flint River tributaries. Data from United States Geological Survey for period of record (Table 2). 174
12 Standardized discharge 8 6 4 S. Br. Flint River, Columbiaville Flint River, Otisville Flint River, Flint Flint River, Fosters 2 5 15 2 25 3 35 4 45 5 Percent exceedence Figure. Standardized high flow exceedence curves for the South Branch and mainstem Flint rivers. (Standardized discharge = discharge (Q)/median discharge(5% Q)). Exceedence curves represent the probability of a discharge exceeding a given value. Data from United States Geological Survey gauges for period of record (Table 2). 175
12 Farmers Creek, Lapeer Butternut Creek, Genesee Standardized discharge 8 6 4 Kearsley Creek, Davison Swartz Creek, Flint Thread Creek, Flint 2 5 15 2 25 3 35 4 45 5 Percent exceedence Figure 11. Standardized high flow exceedence curves for Flint River tributaries. (Standardized discharge = discharge (Q)/median discharge(5% Q)). Exceedence curves represent the probability of a discharge exceeding a given value. Data from United States Geological Survey gauges for period of record (Table 2). 176
1.2 1. S. Br. Flint River, Columbiaville Flint River, Otisville Standardized discharge.8.6.4 Flint River, Flint Flint River, Fosters.2. 5 55 6 65 7 75 8 85 9 95 Percent exceedence Figure 12. Standardized low flow exceedence curves for the South Branch and mainstem Flint rivers. Standardized discharge is the discharge (Q)/median (5% Q) discharge. Exceedence curves represent the probability of a discharge exceeding a given value. Data from United States Geological Survey gauges for period of record (Table 2). 177
Standardized discharge 1.2 1..8.6.4 Farmers Creek, Lapeer Butternut Creek, Genesee Kearsley Creek, Davison Swartz Creek, Flint Thread Creek, Flint.2. 5 55 6 65 7 75 8 85 9 95 Percent exceedence Figure 13. Standardized low flow exceedence curves for Flint River tributaries. Standardized discharge is the discharge (Q)/median (5% Q) discharge. Exceedence curves represent the probability of a discharge exceeding a given value. Data from United States Geological Survey gauges for period of record (Table 2). 178
Streamflow in cubic feet per second 8 6 4 2 Precipitation in inches 1.33.37.2 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 September 2 Figure 14. Flint River daily flow at the Flint gauging station before and after a rain event. Data from United States Geological Survey. 179
5 Horseshoe Lake Elevation in feet above sea level 95 85 75 65 Plum Creek Holloway Dam Foster Mott Dam Swartz Creek Pine Creek 55 2 4 6 8 12 14 16 18 River mile Figure 15. Flint River stream elevation. 12 Gradient (feet per mile) 8 6 4 2 Swartz Creek Foster Holloway Dam Plum Creek Mott Dam Pine Creek Horseshoe Lake 2 4 6 8 12 14 16 River mile Figure 16. Flint River gradient. 18
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters 23 New Lothrop 22 Montrose Clio 15 19 Flint 2 18 14 Grand Blanc Columbiaville Otisville Davison 13 9 12 7 4 8 Lapeer 3 2 1 Thornville 5 6 21 17 16 11 1. Winns Pond Dam 2. Metamora Dam 3. Minnawana Dam 4. White Sands Dam 5. Long Lake Dam 6. Bottom Creek Dam 7. Hemmingway Lake Dam 8. Tau Beta Dam 9. Earl Holloway Dam. C. S. Mott Dam 11. Lake Louise Dam 12. Goodrich Dam 13. Atlas Dam 14. Kearsley Dam 15. Utah Dam 16. Heron Lake Dam 17. Perrysville Dam 18. Thread Lake Dam 19. Hamilton Dam 2. Fiber Dam 21. Crystal Lake Dam 22. Mistequay Creek 2A Dam 23. Mistequay Creek 3A Dam Figure 17. Approximate location of principal dams in the Flint River watershed. 181
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose Clio Otisville Columbiaville New Lothrop Flint Davison Lapeer Grand Blanc Thornville Cold water designated Cool water designated Warm water designated Figure 18. Flint River basin thermal habitat classi cation. 182
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose Clio Otisville Columbiaville New Lothrop Flint Davison Lapeer Grand Blanc Thornville Top quality warmwater Second quality warmwater Second quality coldwater Figure 19. Michigan stream classi cation, 1967. Data from Michigan Department of Natural resources, Fisheries Division. 183
Water Site Location County T R Sec. 1. South Branch Oakwood Road Oakland 5N E 2. South Branch Wilder Road Lapeer 6N E 1,2 3. South Branch Greenwood Road Lapeer 7N E 14,23 4. Pine Creek Hunters Creek Road Lapeer 7N 11E 31 5. Pine Creek Five Lakes Road Lapeer 7N 11E 3 6. Pine Creek Newark Road Lapeer 7N E 25 7. Pine Creek Peppermill Road Lapeer 7N E 13 8. Hunters Creek Newark Road Lapeer 7N E 28 9. Hunters Creek Terrill Road Lapeer 7N E 17. Mill Creek Pratt Road Lapeer 6N 9E 11. Farmers Creek Baldwin Road Lapeer 6N E 18 12. Farmers Creek Merwin Road Lapeer 7N 9E 26 13. Plum Creek Fish Lake Road Lapeer 8N E 25 14. Plum Creek Valentine Road Lapeer 8N E 19 15. South Branch Norway Lake Road Lapeer 8N 9E 1 16. Castle Road Lapeer N E 34 17. Barnes Road Lapeer 9N E 13 18. Cedar Creek Willis Road Lapeer 9N 12E 31 19. Cedar Creek Cedar Creek Road Lapeer 9N 11E 23 2. Bottom Creek Jefferson Road Lapeer 9N 11E 33 21. Bottom Creek Gravel Creek Road Lapeer 9N 11E 2 22. Crystal Creek Barnes Lake Road Lapeer 9N E 2 23. Flint River M-15 Genesee 8N 8E 24. Henry Drain Mt. Morris Road Lapeer 8N 9E 4 25. Henry Drain Stanley Road Lapeer 8N 9E 9 26. Hasler Creek Lippincott Road Lapeer 7N 9E 2 27. Powers-Cullen Drain Carpenter Road Genesee 8N 8E 3 28. Butternut Creek Irish Road Genesee 9N 8E 19,2 29. Kearsley Creek Kipp Road Genesee 6N 8E 26,35 3. Kearsley Creek Atherton Road Genesee 7N 8E 22,27 31. Gilkey Creek East Court Street Genesee 7N 7E 7 32. Thread Creek Baldwin Road Genesee 6N 8E 29,32 33. Thread Creek Bristol Road Genesee 7N 7E 28,33 34. Swartz Creek Miller Road Genesee 7N 6E 27 35. Flint River Hamilton Impoundment Genesee 6N 6E many 36. Flint River Grand Traverse to Genesee 7N 5,6E many 37. Flint River M-57 Genesee 9N 5E 15,22 38. Mud Creek Potter Road Genesee 7N 5E 1,36 39. Cole Creek Potter Road Genesee 7N 5E 2,35 4. Brent Creek Stanley Road Genesee 8N 5E 8,17 41. Brent Run Creek Wilson Road Genesee 9N 6E 29 42. Flint River Morseville Road Saginaw N 5E 22 43. Pine Run Creek Webster Road Genesee 9N 6E 8 44. Misteguay Creek Byron Road Shiawassee 9N 4E 36 Figure 2. Flint River basin 1997 sh sampling locations. Data from Leonardi (1997). 184
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters 42 16 New Lothrop 43 Montrose 41 37 4 44 39 36 38 Flint 34 Clio 35 33 31 Grand Blanc 28 Columbiaville Otisville 23 27 Davison 3 26 17 22 15 25 24 14 Lapeer 13 9 7 6 12 3 8 5 11 2 4 Thornville 21 2 19 18 32 29 1 Figure 2. 185
8 7 Number of walleye 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 Age Figure 21. Age distribution of Flint River spawning walleye, March 1998. Data from Leonardi (unpublished). 7 6 Number of walleye 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 Age Figure 22. Age distribution of Flint River spawning walleye, March 1999. Data from Leonardi (unpublished). 186
Figure 23.-Angler tag recoveries from Flint River tagged walleye, March 15, 1998 to January, 26, 2. Data from Robert Haas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division. 187
Water Site Location County T R Sec. 1 South Branch Oakwood Road Oakland 5N E 2 South Branch Wilder Road Lapeer 6N E 1 3 South Branch Greenwood Road Lapeer 7N E 23 4 South Branch May eld Road Lapeer 8N E 29 5 Pine Creek Hunters Creek Road Lapeer 7N 11E 31 6 Pine Creek Peppermill Road Lapeer 7N E 13 7 Hunters Creek Newark Road Lapeer 7N E 28 8 Hunters Creek Turrill Road Lapeer 7N E 17 9 Mill Creek Pratt Road Lapeer 6N 9E Farmers Creek Baldwin Road Lapeer 6N E 18 11 Farmers Creek Mitchell Road Lapeer 7N 9E 35 12 Farmers Creek Merwin Road Lapeer 7N 9E 26 13 Farmers Creek Lippincott Road Lapeer 7N 9E 24 14 Plum Creek Fish Lake Road Lapeer 8N E 25 15 Plum Creek Valentine Road Lapeer 8N E 2 16 South Branch Norway Lake Road Lapeer 8N 9E 1 17 M-9 Lapeer 9N 11E 6 18 Castle Road Lapeer N E 34 19 Elm Creek Patrick Road Lapeer 9N 11E 1 2 Cedar Creek Willis Road Lapeer 9N 12E 31 21 Cedar Creek Cedar Creek Road Lapeer 9N 11E 23 22 Bottom Creek Jefferson Road Lapeer 9N 11E 33 23 Bottom Creek Gravel Creek Road Lapeer 9N 11E 2 24 Crystal Creek Barnes Lake Road Lapeer 9N E 2 25 Flint River M-15 Genesee 8N 8E 26 Flint River Gale Road Genesee 8N 8E 16 27 Henry Drain Mt. Morris Road Lapeer 8N 9E 9 28 Hasler Creek Lippincott Road Lapeer 7N 9E 19 29 Powers-Cullen Drain Carpenter Road Genesee 8N 8E 3 3 Butternut Creek Irish Road Genesee 9N 8E 2 31 Butternut Creek Vassar Road Genesee 9N 7E 36 32 Kearsley Creek Kipp Road Genesee 6N 8E 35 33 Kearsley Creek Atherton Road Genesee 7N 8E 27 34 Gilkey Creek East Court Street Genesee 7N 7E 8 35 Thread Creek Baldwin Road Genesee 6N 8E 32 36 Thread Creek Bristol Road Genesee 7N 7E 33 37 Swartz Creek Grand Blanc Road Genesee 6N 6E 23 38 Swartz Creek Miller Road & US 23 Genesee 7N 6E 27 39 Flint River Mill Road Genesee 7N 6E 4 4 Flint River Linden/ Roads Genesee 7N 6E 5 41 Flint River Riverview Park, Genesee 8N 5E 27 42 Flint River Mt. Morris Road Genesee 8N 5E 3 43 Flint River Vienna Road Genesee 9N 5E 21 44 Flint River Ragnone WWTP Outfall Genesee 9N 5E 15 45 Mud Creek Potter Road Genesee 7N 5E 1 46 Cole Creek McKinley Road Genesee 8N 5E 35 47 Brent Run Creek Stanley Road Genesee 8N 6E 14 48 Brent Run Creek Webster Road Genesee 9N 6E 29 49 Flint River E. Burt Road Saginaw N 5E 27 5 Flint River Morseville Road Saginaw N 5E 21 51 Flint River Sheridan Road Saginaw N 4E 1 52 Pine Run Creek Webster Road Genesee 9N 6E 8 53 Silver Creek Moorish Road Saginaw N 5E 13 54 Misteguay Creek Johnstone Road Shiawassee 9N 4E 36 Figure 24. Flint River basin aquatic invertebrate sample locations. Data from Alexander (1997) and M. Walterhouse (MDEQ, SWQD, unpublished data). 188
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N 51 Fosters MILES New Lothrop 54 5 49 52 44 Montrose 47 43 42 41 46 45 53 48 4 39 Flint 37 38 Clio 36 34 Grand Blanc 3 31 Columbiaville Otisville 25 26 33 29 Davison 28 9 27 Lapeer 13 11 12 16 24 15 4 8 7 18 14 3 2 Thornville 6 5 17 23 22 21 19 2 35 32 1 Figure 24. 189
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River 23 Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose 7 New Lothrop 21 22 Flint 16 Clio 13 14 15 Columbiaville Otisville 9 8 Davison 12 6 Lapeer 3 2 5 19 Grand Blanc 4 Thornville 2 11 1 18 17 1. Seven Ponds Nature Center 2. Annrook Park 3. Rotary Park 4. Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area 5. Lapeer State Game Area, Parcel 1 6. Lapeer State Game Area, Parcel 2 7. Lapeer State Game Area, Parcel 3 8. Holloway Reservoir Regional Park 9. Genesee Recreation Area. Ortonville Recreation Area 11. Narrin Park 12. For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum 13. Riverside Park 14. Whaley Park 15. Vietnam Veterans Park 16. Riverbank Park 17. Holly Recreation Area, Parcel 1 18. Holly Recreation Area, Parcel 2 19. McKinley Park 2. Seven Lakes State Park 21. Riverview Park 22. County Park 23. Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge Figure 25. Areas of recreational access and use in the Flint River basin. 19
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose Clio Otisville Columbiaville 8 5 9 4 3 7 6 New Lothrop Flint 14 Davison Lapeer 2 Grand Blanc 1 Thornville 19 18 17 16 15 13 12 11 Name Launch Code Barrier Free Ownership 1. Lake Minnewana 3 No State 2. Lake Nepessing 2 Yes State 3. Long Lake 3 No State 4. Fish Lake 4 No State 5. Watts Lake 3 No State 6. Cedar Lake 3 No State 7. Twin Lake 3 No State 8. Columbiaville Park 3 No Township 9. Holloway Reservoir Walleye Pike Boat Launch 1 Yes County. Mott Lake Bluegill Boat Launch 1 Yes County 11. Davidson Lake 3 No State 12. Big Fish Lake 1 Yes State 13. Algoe Lake 3 No State 14. Vietnam Veteran s Park, Cussans Landing 1 Yes City of Flint 15. Wildwood Lake 3 No State 16. Heron Lake 2 Yes State 17. Crotched Lake 3 No State 18. Big Seven Lake 1 Yes State 19. Dickinson Lake 1 Yes State Figure 26. Public boat launches in the Flint River watershed. Launch code: 1 = hard surface ramp, good for most trailerable boats, 2 = hard surface ramp, limited water depth for large boats, 3 = gravel surface ramp, good for small boats, 4 = carry down access for small boats. 191
Tittabawassee River Saginaw River 2 Cass River N MILES Fosters Montrose 4 New Lothrop 19 18 Flint 16 17 Clio 15 12 13 14 5 Columbiaville Otisville 7 11 9 Davison 8 6 3 Lapeer 2 1 Grand Blanc Thornville 1. South Branch at East Annrook Park 2. South Branch at Rotary Park 3. South Branch at Norway Lake Road 4. at Barnes Lake Road 5. Mt. Morris Road Fishing Site 6. Stanley Road Fishing Site 7. Columbiaville Park 8. Holloway Reservoir Walleye Pike Boat Launch 9. Holloway Dam Canoe Launch Site. Flint River at M-15 11. Flint River at Irish Road 12. Mott Lake at Genesee Road 13. Mott Lake Bluegill Boat Launch 14. Stepping Stone Falls 15. Flint River at Bray Road 16. Vietnam Veteran s Park 17. Riverbank Park 18. Riverview Park 19. County Park 2. Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge Figure 27. Canoe access sites on the Flint River. 192