The River Rouge, also known as the Rouge River, is a river in the Metro Detroit area of southeastern Michigan. It flows into the Detroit River at the boundary between the cities of River Rouge and Detroit. Jump to: navigation, search Metro Detroit is the American metropolitan area consisting of nine counties including the cities of Detroit, Flint (although it is often disputed whether Flint is included due to its distance from the city of Detroit), Ann Arbor, Pontiac, and other outlying cities, villages, and townships in... Jump to: navigation, search State nickname: The Wolverine State, The Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) Senators Carl Levin (D) Debbie Stabenow (D) Official languages English de-facto Area 250,941 km² (11th)  - Land 147,255 km²  - Water 103,687... Detroit River seen from Grosse Ile Township, Michigan The Detroit River is about 51 km (32 miles) long and 1 to 4 km (0. ... Industrial area along the riverfront of River Rouge River Rouge is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815...

The river's roughly 467 square-mile watershed includes all or parts of 48 municipalities with a population of over 1,500,000 and drains a large portion of central and northwest Wayne County, as well as a much of southern Oakland County and a small area in eastern Washtenaw County. Nearly the entire drainage basin is in urban and suburban areas, with areas of intensive residential and industrial development. Yet, more than 50 miles of the River Rouge flow through public lands, making it one of the most accessible rivers in the state. Location in the state of Michigan Formed 1796 Seat Detroit Area  - Total  - Water 1,741 km² (672 mi²) 150 km² (58 mi²) 8. ... Oakland County is a county located in the state of Michigan. ... Washtenaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

The river is notable for being the site of the Ford Motor Company River Rouge Plant, built between 1915 and 1927, when it was the first manufacturing facility for automobiles that included within the plant virtually everything needed to produce the cars: blast furnaces, an open hearth mill, a steel rolling mill, a glass plant, a huge power plant and, of course, an assembly line. The lower reaches of the river were channelized and widened to allow freighter access to Ford's Rouge plant inland factory facilities. Jump to: navigation, search The Ford Motor Company (often referred to simply as Ford; sometimes nicknamed FoMoCo, NYSE: F is an automobile maker founded by Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, and incorporated on June 16, 1903. ... Aerial view of the Rouge complex in 1942 Interior of the Rouge Tool & Die works, 1944 The River Rouge Plant (commonly known as the Rouge Complex or just The Rouge) is a Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan at the confluence of the Rouge and Detroit...

Henry Ford built an estate river in Dearborn, upriver from the manufacturing plant, on what is now the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Since 1992, the Rouge River Bird Observatory has operated on the campus. Jump to: navigation, search Time Magazine, January 14, 1935 Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company. ... Dearborn is a city of nearly 98,000 people located in the Metro Detroit metropolitan area and Wayne County, Michigan in the United States. ... University of Michigan, Dearborn The University of Michigan-Dearborn, located in Dearborn, Michigan, is part of the University of Michigan system. ...

Greenfield Village, part of The Henry Ford museum complex, is just downriver from the estate. The Henry Ford, billed as "America's Greatest History Attraction" is a major tourist destination in the area. A Ford Model T, used for giving tourist rides, is shown above at Greenfield Village. ... A Ford Model T, used for giving tourist rides, is shown above at Greenfield Village. ...

The River Rouge totals 126 miles in length and is divided into four branches, the main, upper, middle, and lower branches. The upper branch flows into the main branch in northwest Detroit, just east of Redford Township. The middle branch enters the main branch in Dearborn Heights just north of boundary with Dearborn. The lower branch joins less than two miles downstream in Dearborn. Redford is a charter township located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Dearborn Heights is a city located in Wayne County in the U.S. state in Michigan. ...

Main branch

The headwaters of the main branch rise in the southwest corner of Rochester Hills and the northeast corner of Bloomfield Township. It flows mostly south through the western part of Troy, and then flows southwest through Birmingham, a noncontiguous portion of Bloomfield Township, Beverly Hills, the southeast corner of Bingham Farms, Southfield. It then flows mostly south through western Detroit and Dearborn Heights, then turns southeast in Dearborn and continues along the northern edges of Allen Park, Melvindale, River Rouge and the southern edge of Detroit. Other municipalities that are part of the main branch watershed are Auburn Hills Bloomfield Hills, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Franklin, Lathrup Village, Oak Park, Orchard Lake, Pontiac, Southfield Township, and West Bloomfield Township. Rochester Hills is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Bloomfield Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan: Bloomfield Township, Huron County, Michigan Bloomfield Township, Missaukee County, Michigan Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Troy is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Birmingham is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. ... Bloomfield Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan: Bloomfield Township, Huron County, Michigan Bloomfield Township, Missaukee County, Michigan Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Beverly Hills is a village located in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. ... Bingham Farms is a village in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Southfield is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815... Dearborn Heights is a city located in Wayne County in the U.S. state in Michigan. ... Dearborn is a city of nearly 98,000 people located in the Metro Detroit metropolitan area and Wayne County, Michigan in the United States. ... Allen Park is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Melvindale is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Industrial area along the riverfront of River Rouge River Rouge is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Auburn Hills is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Bloomfield Hills is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Farmington is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Farmington Hills is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... There are also three Franklin Townships in Michigan. ... Lathrup Village is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Oak Park is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Orchard Lake Village is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Pontiac is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Southfield Township is a township located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... West Bloomfield Township is a charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

Major tributaries of the main branch include:

• Franklin River (also known as the Franklin branch of the River Rouge)
• Pebble Creek
• Evans Ditch
• Upper Branch (see below)
• Ashcroft-Sherwood Drain
• Middle Branch (see below)
• Lower Branch (see below)
• Ruby Creek

Upper branch

The headwaters of the upper branch rise in the southwest West Bloomfield Township, the southeast corner of Commerce Township, and the northeast corner of Novi. It forms in Farmington Hills with the confluence of Minnow Pond Drain and Seeley Drain, where it flows mostly southeast through Farmington, Livonia, Redford Township and enters the main branch in western Detroit. West Bloomfield Township is a charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Commerce Township is a charter township located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Novi is a home rule city located in Oakland County, Michigan, in the Detroit metropolitan area, approximately 25 miles northwest from the center of Detroit. ... Farmington Hills is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Farmington is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Livonia is a city located in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Redford is a charter township located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

Tributaries of the upper branch include (from downriver to upriver)

• Bell Branch
  • Show Drain
  • Blue Drain
  • Bell Drain
  • Tarabusi Creek
• Minnow Pond Drain
• Seeley Drain

Middle branch

The middle branch forms in Northville in northwest Wayne County with the confluence of the "Walled Lake branch" and Johnson Drain. The Walled Lake branch rises in Novi in a marshy drainage area south of Walled Lake, in southwest Oakland County. Johnson Drain rises in Salem Township in northeast Washtenaw County. From Northville, the middle branch flows south through Northville Township and Plymouth Township before turning to the southeast in the city of Plymouth. From Plymouth, it continues through the southwest corner of Livonia into Westland, then along the northern edge of Garden City and into Dearborn Heights where it merges with the upper branch near the southern boundary with Dearborn. Other municipalities that are part of the middle branch watershed are Canton Township, Commerce Township, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Lyon Township, Redford Township, and Wixom. Northville is a city located in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Novi is a home rule city located in Oakland County, Michigan, in the Detroit metropolitan area, approximately 25 miles northwest from the center of Detroit. ... Walled Lake is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,713. ... Salem Township is a township located in the northeast corner of Washtenaw County, Michigan, just northeast of Ann Arbor. ... Northville Charter Township is a charter township located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Plymouth Township is a township located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Plymouth is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Livonia is a city located in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Westland is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Garden City is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Dearborn Heights is a city located in Wayne County in the U.S. state in Michigan. ... The Charter Township of Canton, usually called just Canton, is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Commerce Township is a charter township located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Farmington is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Farmington Hills is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Lyon Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan: Lyon Township, Oakland County, Michigan Lyon Township, Roscommon County, Michigan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Redford is a charter township located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Wixom is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ...

Tributaries of the middle branch include (from downriver to upriver)

• Bill's Drain
• Red Run Drain
• Wilson Drain
• Tonquish Creek
  • Willow Creek
• Johnson Drain
• Walled Lake branch
  • Thornton Creek
  • Ingersol Creek
    • Bishop Creek

Lower branch

The lower branch rises in sections 11 and 12 in Superior Township in Washtenaw County and flows mostly eastward into Wayne County through Canton Township, Wayne, Westland, Inkster, Dearborn Heights and Dearborn. Other communities in the lower branch watershed include Van Buren Township, Plymouth Township, Salem Township, Ypsilanti Township. Sectioning a township In U.S. land surveying, a section is an area nominally one mile square, containing 640 acres (2. ... Superior Charter Township is a charter township located in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... The Charter Township of Canton, usually called just Canton, is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Wayne is a city located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Westland is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Inkster is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Dearborn Heights is a city located in Wayne County in the U.S. state in Michigan. ... Van Buren Charter Township is a charter township located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Plymouth Township is a township located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Salem Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan: Salem Township, Allegan County, Michigan Salem Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Ypsilanti Charter Township is a charter township located in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

Tributaries include (from downriver to upriver):

• Hunter Drain
• Hannan Drain
• Fellows Creek
• McKinstry Drain
• Sinds Drain
• Fowler Creek
• Parks Drain

External links

• River Rouge Watershed, on the EPA site
• The Rouge River Project
• The Henry Ford Estate
• The Henry Ford, includes sections on Greenfield Village and Ford's River Rouge Plant