Calumet River | |
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![]() The Calumet River, with the Chicago Skyway traversing it | |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Confluence of the Little Calumet and the Grand Calumet, Chicago |
• coordinates | 41°38′38″N 87°33′39″W / 41.6438889°N 87.5608333°W |
• elevation | 581 ft (177 m) |
Mouth | |
• location | Confluence with Lake Michigan, Chicago |
• coordinates | 41°43′58″N 87°31′46″W / 41.7327778°N 87.5294444°W |
• elevation | 574 ft (175 m) |
Basin features | |
Progression | Calumet River → Lake Michigan → Great Lakes → Saint Lawrence Seaway → Gulf of Saint Lawrence |
GNIS ID | 405379 |
The Calumet River is a system of heavily industrialized rivers and canals in the region between the south side of Chicago, Illinois, and the city of Gary, Indiana. Historically, the Little Calumet River and the Grand Calumet River were one, the former flowing west from Indiana into Illinois, then turning back east to its mouth at Lake Michigan at Marquette Park in Gary.[1] Now the system is part of the Chicago Area Waterway System and through the use of locks flows away from Lake Michigan to the Cal-Sag Channel.