History of the area
For tens of thousands of years this area of Michigan was covered with an ice sheet that reached over one mile thick. Then around ten to twelve thousand years ago, the ice sheet was melting away, revealing the land it had covered. As the ice sheet melted hills and valleys were formed from the glacial till that the ice sheet was carrying. It is in these valleys or lower lying area that various rivers formed.
A river confluence
A confluence is a point where two or more rivers meet. Usually this is where a tributary (the Hersey River) joins a major river (the Muskegon River).
The Muskegon River
The Muskegon River Watershed is located in north-central Michigan and is approximately 219 miles long from its start at Higgins Lakes to its mouth at Muskegon Lake and, eventually, Lake Michigan. The Muskegon River Watershed is one of the largest in Michigan, second only to the Grand River Watershed. It is oriented in a southwesterly direction and covers approximately 2,725 square miles. The watershed spans twelve counties: Kalkaska, Crawford, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Lake, Osceola, Clare, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, and Muskegon. Of those counties previously listed, the watershed covers significant portions of nine of them.
An estimated ninety four tributaries flow into the main trunk of the Muskegon River. Primary tributaries include the West Branch of the Muskegon River, Butterfield Creek, Clam River, Middle Branch River, Hersey River, Little Muskegon River, Bigelow Creek, Brooks Creek, and the Cedar Creek. The Muskegon River is fed by wetlands, groundwater springs, lakes, agricultural drains, and warm, cool, and cold water tributaries. The cool and cold water tributaries help to sustain trout and other cold water aquatic species in the Muskegon River.
The Hersey River
The Hersey River is one of the tributaries that make up the Muskegon River Watershed. A dam that was built in the mid 1800's across the Hersey River was finally removed by October 13, 2006.
Parking can be found near the sign for the Hersey Village canoe landing and nature trail. A short walk will get you to the posted waypoint. Here you you find confluence.
Logging requirements for this Earthcache are:
1.) Post a photogragh of your face and your GPS with the confluence in the background. Upload this photogragh with you online log.
2.) Estimate the width of the Muskegon River.
3.) Looking upstream from the confluence describe the water condition of the Muskegon River. Such as clear or silty.
4.) Estimate the width of the Hersey River.
5.) Looking upstream from the confluence describe the water condition of the Hersey River. Such as clear or silty.
6.) Email me your answers to questions 2 thru 5.