Geography
The St. Clair River is an integral part of the Great Lakes, draining water from Lake Huron down, eventually, to Lake Erie. The river is the international boundary between the United States and Canada. The river carries more freighter traffic than the Suez and Panama Canals combined. Over 1 billion US gallons (3,800,000 m3) of fresh water per day flow down the St. Clair River, and through its delta region, the St. Clair Flats. Harsens Island is the major U.S. island in the Flats. The Canadian side of the Flats has the largest islands in the delta including Walpole Island, home to the Walpole Island First Nation of Native Americans. The St. Clair Flats is home to wildlife such as the great blue heron, snapping turtles,watersnakes, muskrats, mink, whitetail deer, pintail, canvasback and mallard ducks, Canada geese and red-winged blackbirds. The area is a popular fishing spot with yellow perch, large and small mouth bass, rock bass, carp, sunfish, pumpkinseed fish, bluegills, and silver bass available. The State of Michigan owns about 75% of the area of the Island, and has waterfowl and wildlife sanctuaries throughout.
Harsens Island is the only U.S. island in the Flats that can be reached by automobile ferry, and the only one with roads, an unincorporated community, Sans Souci, a school (now closed, and has subsequently re-opened as the "Harsens Island Schoolhouse Grille"), and a small airport. All the other U.S. islands—there are scores of them—are accessible only by boat.
Read more about this topic: Harsens Island
Famous quotes containing the word geography:
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)