TRIBUTARIES OF LAKE ERIE. 219 



elevation of about 975 feet above tide, or 238 feet above the level of its 

 mouth. The length of the stream being about 100 miles, the average fall is 

 scarcely 2J feet per mile. The portion within the State of Indiana has a 

 fall of but 18 feet in a distance of 36 or 40 miles, or about 6 inches per 

 mile, and is, therefore, very sluggish. The course of the river, in both Ohio 

 and Indiana, is largely determined by a moraine which lies on its north 

 border. The descent of the river corresponds closely to that of the plain 

 in which it flows, and the stream has formed but a shallow channel, seldom 

 more than 25 feet in depth. 



The St. Joseph-of-the-Maumee has its source in southern Michigan 

 and flows southwestward across the northwestern corner of Ohio, entering 

 Indiana about 35 miles above its mouth. Its length, like that of the St. 

 Marys River, is about 100 miles. It has a more rapid fall, since its source 

 is in a more elevated district, standing about 1,050 feet above tide. The 

 portion in Indiana has a fall of nearly 2 feet per mile. Throughout much 

 of its course the river flows in a narrow plain lying between two morainic 

 ridges, and its descent is determined by that of the plain. Its valley cuts 

 only 25 to 50 feet into the plain and has a very narrow bottom. 



The principal southern tributary of the Maumee River in Ohio is 

 Auglaize River, which enters it at Defiance. The relation of the course of 

 this stream and of its principal tributaries to the morainic ridges may be 

 seen by reference to PI. XL It will be observed that the main stream and 

 also two of its eastern tributaries. Hog Creek and Blanchard River, have 

 their westerly courses along the outer border of morainic ridges, while their 

 northerly courses and the courses of the smaller tributaries are directly 

 awa)" from the St. Marys moraine. 



It should be noted also that Tiffin River, a northern tributary entering 

 the Maumee at Defiance, follows the outer border of the Blanchard or 

 Defiance moraine, while, its tributaries, like those of the Auglaizts, lead 

 away from the St. Marys moraine. 



The drainage of the district lying between the Defiance moraine and 

 Lake Erie, in northwestern Ohio, is in lines flowing directly away from the 

 moraine. A large part of the drainage is into the Maumee, but Portage 

 Creek carries the drainage of a narrow belt directly to Lake Erie. 



