Michigan residents Al and Margaret Smith, to organize the river communities to clean and restore the river. In 2002 FotSJR developed the St. Joseph River Watershed Management Plan, with grant support from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The river delivers significant pollutants to Lake Michigan - including sewage overflows from riverside communities, sediments and toxic substances such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). When the plan was developed, the river carried the greatest portion of atrazine into Lake Michigan. It is an agricultural herbicide associated with cancer even at low levels and is a very common contaminant of drinking water. Recreation The St. Joseph River is an exciting trout and salmon sport fishery, encompassing of river in Michigan and in Indiana. The economic benefits to local Michigan and Indiana communities are estimated at several million dollars annually. Canoeists can travel the entire length of the main stem, if they are prepared to portage. Many of the larger tributaries offer excellent opportunities for paddling, hiking, hunting, and fishing. Cities and towns along the St. Joseph River Indiana Bristol Elkhart Mishawaka Osceola South Bend Michigan Benton Harbor Berrien Springs Buchanan Burlington Constantine Fair Plain Hillsdale Jonesville Litchfield Mendon Niles St. Joseph Tekonsha Three Rivers Union City White Pigeon Dams A list of major dams on the St. Joseph River. Crossings There are over 48 highway and local street crossings over the length of the St. Joseph River watercourse. Many of the crossings are concentrated in the urbanized areas located along the cities of South Bend, Mishawaka, and Elkhart, Indiana. See also List of Indiana rivers List of Michigan rivers References Further reading Webster, Mildred E. and Krause, Fred (1986). French St. Joseph: Le Poste De La Rivière St. Joseph. n.p. Mildred E. Webster. External links Friends of the St. Joe River Association, Inc. (FotSJR) Saint Joseph River Watershed Website St. Joseph River Interstate Anadromous Fish Project Michigan DNR Fisheries Special Report No. 24--Executive Summary on the Saint Joseph River USGS Paw Paw River Flow Data at Riverside, Michigan (The Paw Paw is the last major tributary of the Saint Joseph before it flows into Lake Michigan) USGS St. Joseph River Flow Data at Niles, Michigan USGS St. Joseph River Flow Data at Mottville, Michigan USGS St. Joseph River Flow Data at Three Rivers, Michigan USGS St. Joseph River Flow Data at Burlington, Michigan East Race Waterway - South Bend Parks and