Montreal River (Wisconsin–Michigan)

The Montreal River is a river flowing to Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States. It is 47.8 miles (76.9 km) long[3] and drains approximately 270 square miles (700 km²) in a forested region. For most of its length, the river's course defines a portion of the Wisconsin–Michigan border. The Ojibwe name for the river is Gaa-waasijiwaang, meaning "where there is whitewater".[5][6]

View on the Montreal River, 1870s

Montreal River
The Montreal River in Ironwood-Hurley in 2006. Wisconsin is at left; Michigan is at right.
Location
Country	United States
State	Michigan, Wisconsin
Physical characteristics
Source	Pine Lake
• location	Oma, Wisconsin
• coordinates	46°16′11″N 90°08′51″W[1]
• elevation	1,611 ft (491 m)[2]
Mouth	Lake Superior
• location	Oronto Bay
• coordinates	46°33′56″N 90°25′00″W[1]
• elevation	610 ft (190 m)[1]
Length	47.8 mi (76.9 km)[3]
Basin size	270 sq mi (700 km2)approx.[4]
Discharge
• location	Saxon, Wisconsin(2006)[4]
• average	295.2 cu ft/s (8.36 m3/s)(2006)[4]
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	West Fork Montreal River

The Montreal River issues from Pine Lake in the town of Oma in eastern Iron County in northern Wisconsin. It flows initially northwardly to the boundary between Iron County and Gogebic County, Michigan, then northwestwardly along the state line, past the 'twin cities' of Hurley, Wisconsin and Ironwood, Michigan. Downstream of Ironwood and Hurley the Montreal River passes over four named waterfalls. Starting below U.S. Route 2 and going downstream (north), they are Peterson, Interstate, Saxon, and Superior Falls;[7] the last two located just upstream of the river's mouth at Lake Superior. The river enters Oronto Bay on the southwestern shore of Lake Superior approximately 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Ironwood, at Michigan's westernmost point.[8][9]

The West Fork Montreal River[10] issues from Island Lake in central Iron County and flows 24.7 miles (39.8 km)[3] generally northwardly, roughly in parallel to the Montreal River, past the city of Montreal, Wisconsin. It flows into the Montreal River downstream of Hurley.[8] There are four named waterfalls on the West Fork Montreal River: Kimball Falls,[11] Rock Cut Falls,[12] Gile Falls,[13] and Spring Camp Falls.[14]

Both forks of the Montreal River flow through the Gogebic Range, a range of hills near Hurley and Ironwood. The rivers are located in the Laurentian Mixed Forest Province (north woods) region of the upper midwest.