POSTGLACIAL DEVELOPMENT OF CONNECTING KIVEES OF GKEAT LAKES. 497 



TRIBUTARIES OF DETROIT RIVER. 



The evidences for this manner of development on the tributaries of Detroit River are clear. 

 The United States Lake Survey charts show the depths in the lower courses of most of the 

 tributaries on the American side. A few in which the soundings are not shown are well known 

 to be overdeepened in their lower courses, the same as the others. 



Ecorse River.— No soundings are given for Ecorse River, but its drowned condition is 

 very evident on inspection and it is said by the inhabitants to be 12 or 15 feet deep for a mile 

 or two above its mouth. The Ecorse is a small stream, its extreme sources lying at the western 

 edge of Romulus Township about 14 miles west of its mouth. Within half a mile of its mouth 

 it branches twice, and all three branches are drowned for half a mile to a mile above the point 

 of junction. 



Rouge River and minor creels. — Rouge River, which is much the largest tributary of 

 Detroit River, shows the effects of drowning nearly up to Dearborn, 9 miles above its mouth. 

 Concerning the Rouge and the smaller drowned creeks where Detroit now stands, the 

 following description was given by the writer 1 hi 1897: 



One of the most interesting features in the vicinity of Detroit is found in the drowned condition of the lower courses 

 of all the tributaries of the Detroit River. Even the smallest streams whose whole length is not over 2 miles have 

 deep estuaries— much deeper than could have originated by their own erosion under present conditions. Many of 

 these were navigable naturally and form excellent harbors for the smaller lake craft. There were several drowned 

 streams originally where the city of Detroit now stands; among them were Parent, Savoyard, May, Knagg, and other 

 creeks, while a little to the west of the city is the River Rouge, a larger stream, which shows the effect of drowning 

 for some 8 or 9 miles above its mouth. About 3 miles above its mouth the Rouge receives a tributary from the north 

 called Baby Creek. It is a very small stream, but it has a depth of 8 or 9 feet for nearly a mile from the Rouge, and 

 it was here that Commodore Perry, after his great victory on Lake Erie in 1813, brought his fleet for repairs. Baby 

 Creek itself has a small short tributary from the east which is navigable and a tract of land bordering upon it was set 

 apart at an early day for a shipyard. Another very small tributary of the Rouge, about half a mile farther up, called 

 Campbell Creek, shows drowning in a very marked way. The average midstream depth of the Rouge for at least 4 

 miles above its mouth is 18 to 20 feet. This is perhaps three or four times the depth that would be expected from 

 erosion of the stream itself. The Savoyard was where the busiest part of the city is now located, there was a bridge 

 across it at Congress Street where the depth of water was about 10 feet. This creek was the harbor of early Detroit 

 but with the growth of the city it became an open sewer a*nd grew so obnoxious that it was finally covered over. Most 

 of the other estuaries mentioned within the limits of the city have been filled up. 



The Lake Survey chart shows depths mostly of 16 feet, with a few of 17 and 18 feet, up to 

 the Michigan Central Railroad bridge 2 miles or more above the mouth of Rouge River. In 1897 

 the writer sounded from the bridge at Dix Avenue (now removed), 3 \ miles above the mouth, 

 and found a depth of 22 feet. At that time no dredging had been done on Rouge River above 

 the River Street bridge, which is less than 2 miles above the mouth. Baby Creek was originallv 

 Baubee Creek, and some maps show Campbell Creek entering it from the west about a mile 

 above the Rouge. Other maps, however, show Campbell Creek entering the Rouge just above 

 the former Dix Avenue bridge. Some maps call this small stream Roulo Creek. At present 

 Woodmere Cemetery occupies the western part of the old shipyard tract and the little tributary 

 that received Perry's, fleet is a stagnant bayou running through the middle of the cemetery. 

 Above the city Conners and Fox creeks originally showed slight evidence of drowning, but 

 they are both small and have now been straightened artificially. 



Riviere aux Canards. — On the Canadian side the Riviere aux Canards is the only creek of 

 importance. It enters about 3 miles above Amherstburg. No measures of its depth have 

 been obtained, but it has the same drowned appearance as the other tributaries. 



TRIBUTARIES OF LAKE ST. CLAIR. 



Clinton River. — The only important tributary on the American side is Clinton River, 

 which shows the effects of drowning up to Mount Clemens, about 6 miles above its mouth. 

 Its average depth is 9 or 10 feet, with a few depths of 12 to 15 feet. Several small creeks 

 that enter Anchor Bay from the north all show drowning. 



1 Some features of the recent geology around Detroit: Proc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1897, pp. 201-202. 

 34407°— 15 32 



