Clearwater River (Idaho)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other rivers called Clearwater, see Clearwater River

The Clearwater River is a river in northern Idaho, the North Fork of which flows from the Idaho-Montana border westward to join the Snake River at Lewiston. The Lewis and Clark Expedition went down the North Fork just northwest of Lolo Pass. It is the largest tributary of the Snake River, with a flow of over 3000 ft³/sec.

The Clearwater breaks into several separate forks:

• Clearwater River (Orofino to Lewiston-Snake River)
  • North Fork Clearwater River (stream, Clearwater County - 46°29′59″N, 116°19′49″W; headwaters near Illinois Peak to Orofino)
    • Little North Fork Clearwater River (stream, Shoshone & Clearwater Counties; headwaters in south-central Shoshone County, join the North Fork in the Dworshak Reservoir)
  • Middle Fork Clearwater River (stream, Idaho County - 46°08′43″N, 115°58′56″W; formed by the formation of the Selway and Lochsa; Lowell, Idaho to near Kooskia, Idaho)
  • South Fork Clearwater River (stream, Idaho County - 46°08′44″N, 115°58′56″W; headwaters near Red River Hot Springs to Kooskia)
    • Little Clearwater River (stream, Idaho County - 45°45′11″N, 114°46′31″W; near Three Prong Mountain to near Spot Mountain)

The Dworshak Reservoir is the only major lake on the Clearwater system, created from the Dworshak Dam.