DETROIT RIVER

river forming part of the boundary between Michigan, U.S. (west), and Ontario, Can. (east), and connecting Lake St. Clair (north) with the west end of Lake Erie (south). The river flows southwest and south for 32 miles (51 km) past Detroit and Windsor, Ont. It is crossed completely by a bridge and a tunnel and is 1 to 1.5 miles (1.5 to 2.5 km) wide. The largest islands in the river are Belle Isle (a city park of Detroit) and Grosse Ile (a residential area with an airport), both in Michigan, and Fighting Island in Ontario. The river is heavily used by both pleasure craft and Great Lakes shipping.