[5] The township was named from the fact that the Pere Marquette River forms its northern border.

It is bordered to the south by Oceana County and to the north by the Pere Marquette River.

[1] As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,335 people, 442 households, and 353 families residing in the township.

There were 550 housing units at an average density of 15.6 per square mile (6.0/km2).

15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.