| Galien River | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Berrien County |
| Discharge1 Location: | mouth |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 213.53cuft/s (estimate)[1] |
| Source1: | Dayton Lake |
| Source1 Location: | East of Galien, Michigan, Berrien County, Michigan, United States |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 41.7964°N -86.4425°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 720feet |
| Mouth: | Lake Michigan |
| Mouth Location: | New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 41.8011°N -86.7492°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 581feet |
| Tributaries Left: | Dowling Creek, South Branch Galien River |
| Tributaries Right: | Blue Jay Creek, East Branch Galien River, Kirktown Creek |
The Galien River is a 30adj=midNaNadj=mid[2] stream in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at the outlet of Dayton Lake and flows in a predominantly westerly direction until it enters southeastern Lake Michigan at New Buffalo. The South Branch Galien River rises just north of the border with Indiana, at the confluence of Spring Creek and the Galena River, the latter rising in LaPorte County, Indiana.
The river was named after René Bréhant de Galinée, a French missionary, mapmaker and explorer.[3] The name was changed to Galien by legislative action in 1829.[4]
The Galien River passes through Warren Woods State Park which supports the last climax beech-maple forest in the state of Michigan. The Galien River watershed supports the state's largest breeding population of yellow-throated warblers (Setophaga dominica), and a substantial population of breeding cerulean warblers (Setophaga cerulea). Also supports a high diversity of bottomland forest obligate bird species.[5]
The Galien River passes through Warren Woods State Park which supports the last climax beech-maple forest in the state of Michigan. The Galien River watershed supports the state's largest breeding population of yellow-throated warblers (Setophaga dominica), and a substantial population of breeding cerulean warblers (Setophaga cerulea). Also supports a high diversity of bottomland forest obligate bird species.[6]
Designated coldwater streams in the watershed include: the main stem of the Galien River, east branch Galien River, Blue Jay Creek, south branch Galien River, and a portion of Spring Creek.[7]
The watershed encompasses approximately in portions of La Porte County, Indiana, and Berrien County, Michigan. The main branch of the Galien rises from the outflow of Dayton Lake in the northwest corner of Bertrand Township and flows west to the village of Galien, Michigan. It then flows northwest into Weesaw Township and north to near New Troy, where it is joined by the East Branch and begins to flow west and then southwest to New Buffalo.
Agriculture is the dominant land use in the watershed and the majority of the water bodies have been dredged or channelized to facilitate the rapid conveyance of water from the relatively flat landscape.
Tributaries (from the mouth):