Saint Marys River

▪ river, North America

      outlet for Lake Superior, forming part of the boundary between Michigan, U.S., and Ontario, Can. Flowing east, then south, for 70 miles (110 km) into Lake Huron, it is an important link in the St. Lawrence Seaway. At Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., the river drops more than 20 feet (6 m) in 1 mile (1.6 km) through the Sault Ste. Marie Rapids. Since navigation there is impossible, the Sault Ste. Marie Canals (or Soo Canals), containing five locks, provide a bypass for the heavy shipping. Four of the five locks are on the U.S. side and are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Large islands divide the river into a series of lakes (Nicolet, George, and Munuscong) and channels (St. Joseph). The river is the narrowest part of the Great Lakes system and a natural crossing and rendezvous site, which was used by the Indians and the early French explorers and missionaries. Bands of Ojibwa (Chippewa) and Huron Indians often traded and camped at the Sault Ste. Marie Rapids. The spring run of whitefish was an especially important event to the people of the region, as it provided large quantities of food after the long, cold winter.

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