Editing Tippecanoe River

{{short description|River in Indiana, USA}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name              = Tippecanoe River
| image             = Tippecanoerivermap.png
| image_caption     = Map of the Wabash River watershed with the Tippecanoe River highlighted.
| source1_location  = [[Crooked Lake (Indiana)|Crooked Lake]] in [[Noble County, Indiana|Noble County]], Indiana
| mouth_location    = [[Wabash River]] near [[Battle Ground, Indiana|Battle Ground]], Indiana
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = US
| length            = {{convert|182|mi}}
| source1_elevation =
| mouth_elevation   =
| discharge1_avg    = {{convert|5110|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on|lk=on}}
| progression       = [[Wabash River|Wabash]] → [[Ohio River|Ohio]] → <br>[[Mississippi River|Mississippi]] → [[Gulf of Mexico]]
| basin_size        = {{convert|1875|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}
}}
The '''Tippecanoe River''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|t|ɪ|p|ə|k|ə|ˈ|n|uː}} {{respell|TIP|ə|kə|NOO}}) is a gentle, {{convert|182|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map], accessed May 19, 2011</ref> river in the [[List of ecoregions in Indiana|Central Corn Belt Plains]] ecoregion in northern [[Indiana]]. It flows from Crooked Lake in [[Noble County, Indiana|Noble County]] to the [[Wabash River]] near what is now [[Battle Ground, Indiana|Battle Ground]], about {{convert|12|mi}} northeast of [[Lafayette, Indiana|Lafayette]]. The name "Tippecanoe" was derived from a [[Miami-Illinois language|Miami-Illinois]] word for [[Ictiobus|buffalo fish]], reconstructed as ''*/kiteepihkwana/''<ref name="Bright2004">{{cite book|last=Bright|first=William|author-link=William Bright|title=Native American placenames of the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5XfxzCm1qa4C&pg=PA496|access-date=11 April 2011|year=2004|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|isbn=978-0-8061-3598-4|page=496}}</ref> or as '''kiteepihkwana siipiiwi'''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://myaamiadictionary.org/dictionary2015/search/search.php?search=river&stem=stem&inflected=inflected&sentences=sentences&command=command&language=both&website=t |title=myaamiaatawaakani {{!}} Myaamia Dictionary River names |access-date=2017-05-09 |archive-date=2017-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830003624/https://myaamiadictionary.org/dictionary2015/search/search.php?search=river&stem=stem&inflected=inflected&sentences=sentences&command=command&language=both&website=t |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Tippecanoe River is fed by 88 natural lakes and has a drainage area of {{convert|1250000|acres|km2}}, spanning 14 counties. It supports more numerous imperiled species and overall species diversity than most streams of the upper Midwest.<ref name="conservancy"/> The Nature Conservancy has identified it as one of the top ten rivers in the [[United States]] to preserve due to its ecological diversity and the high proportion of [[endangered species]] found in it.<ref name="conservancy">{{cite web | title=All about fishing on the Tippecanoe River. | url=http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/fishing-the-tippecanoe.xml | publisher=The Nature Conservancy | access-date=April 18, 2014 | archive-date=November 17, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117212046/http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/fishing-the-tippecanoe.xml | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Course==
The Tippecanoe River originates from multiple [[Kettle (landform)|kettle]] lakes formed by ancient glaciers in what is now [[Noble County, Indiana]]. Numerous dams were built along its length, to create lakes and ponds for water power. The river flows west into Wilmot Pond, which is formed by a small dam on its western side.  After Wilmot, it crosses into Kosciusko County and enters Backwaters Lake, the basin of Webster Lake.  After going over the dam at Webster Lake, the river travels a few miles and enters Tippecanoe Lake. From there the river flows south and west through the southeast corner of [[Marshall County, Indiana|Marshall County]], then bends northwest through the northern part of [[Fulton County, Indiana|Fulton County]] and through [[Pulaski County, Indiana|Pulaski County]], from the northeast corner to the south central portion, traversing [[Tippecanoe River State Park]] along the way. It enters [[White County, Indiana|White County]], where dams form Lake Freeman and Lake Shafer. The river exits Lake Freeman from the south and flows through the west part of [[Carroll County, Indiana|Carroll County]] into [[Tippecanoe County, Indiana|Tippecanoe County]], where it joins the Wabash River.

In addition to Tippecanoe County, five townships through which the river flows are named Tippecanoe:
*[[Tippecanoe Township, Carroll County, Indiana]]
*[[Tippecanoe Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana]]
*[[Tippecanoe Township, Marshall County, Indiana]]
*[[Tippecanoe Township, Pulaski County, Indiana]]
*[[Tippecanoe Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana]]

==History==
The [[Battle of Tippecanoe]], in which [[Governor of Indiana|Governor]] [[William Henry Harrison]] defeated the Indian confederacy of [[Tecumseh]], occurred near the south bank of the river. Modern Lafayette developed near this site.

==Aquatic Life==
The Upper Tippecanoe River continues to have habitat suitable for [[Unionidae|unionid]] (freshwater mussel) species. The [[Drainage basin|rivershed]] has retained much of its natural condition, continuing to provide a high quality habitat for freshwater mussels. Surveys done since 1903 show that the waterway continues to support 
57 species of mussels. Modern changes in the surrounding land use and dredging the river channel affect the silt levels and stream flow, which threaten the mussel populations. Of the existing species, several are state listed as endangered, including the [[northern riffleshell]] (Epioblasma Torulosa rangiana), the wavyrayed lampmussel ([[Lampsilis fasciola]]), the kidneyshell ([[Ptychobranchus fasciolaris]]), and the purple lilliput ([[Toxolasma|Toxolasma lividus]]). The clubshell ([[Pleurobema clava]]) is a federally endangered specie.<ref>Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed Management Plan; Tippecanoe Environmental Lake & Watershed Foundation; North Webster, Indiana; J8uly 31, 2006; pg 2.19-2.20</ref>

The river fishery is similar to the early 1900s, even with the changes in river use and the increase in urban and agricultural use. Surveys done in the early 21st century found representatives of 14 families and 54 species of fishes. Nearly 80% of collected fish are [[Game fish|game fish species]], including: [[Largemouth bass]] (Micropterus salmoides), [[Yellow perch]] (Perca flavescens), [[Walleye]] (Stizostedion vitreum), [[Muskellunge]] (Esox masquinongy), [[Bluegill]] (Lepomis macrochirus), [[Channel catfish]] (Ictalurus punctatus), [[Rainbow trout]] (Oncorhynchus mykiss), [[White crappie|White]] and [[Black crappie]] (Pomoxis annularis and P. nigromaculatus), [[Longear sunfish]] (Lepomis megalotis), [[Northern pike]] (Esox lucius), [[Rock bass]] (Ambloplites rupestris), [[White bass]] (Morone chrysops) and [[Warmouth]] (Lepomis gulosus). [[Bluegill]] were the dominant fish, being 50% of the river population.<ref>Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed Management Plan; Tippecanoe Environmental Lake & Watershed Foundation; North Webster, Indiana; J8uly 31, 2006; pg 2.21-2.22</ref>

==Dams==
In the 1920s, two dams were built along the Tippecanoe River to produce electricity.
*Oakdale Hydro Plant, built in 1925, created [[Lake Freeman]].  Lake Freeman reached {{convert|7|mi|km}} north through [[Monticello, Indiana|Monticello]].  It provides 9.2 MW of power through [[NiSource]].  Lake Freeman is held at {{convert|610|ft|m}} above sealevel.<ref name="NIPSCO-dams">{{cite web |title=NIPSCO Hydro|url=https://www.nipsco.com/about-us/hydro-power/current-lake-levels-flow |website=Current Lake and Discharge Levels |publisher=NIPSCO |access-date=10 February 2019}}</ref>
*Norway Hydro Plant, built in 1925, created [[Lake Shafer]].  Lake Shafer reached {{convert|6|mi|km}} north from [[Norway, Indiana|Norway]].  It provides 7.2 MW of power through [[NiSource]].  Lake Shafer is held at {{convert|645|ft|m}} above sealevel.<ref name="NIPSCO-dams"/>

==See also==
*[[List of Indiana rivers]]

{{Commons category|Tippecanoe River}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/indiana/work/art21435.html The Nature Conservancy Tippecanoe River Project]
*{{GNIS|452944|Tippecanoe River}}
*[http://watershedfoundation.org The Watershed Foundation]

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[[Category:Rivers of Indiana]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Wabash River]]
[[Category:Rivers of Noble County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of Kosciusko County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of Carroll County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of Marshall County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of Fulton County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of Pulaski County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of Tippecanoe County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Rivers of White County, Indiana]]