Williams River (West Virginia)
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| Williams River | |
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| Origin | ,[1], Pocahontas County, West Virginia |
| Mouth | ,[1] Gauley River in Webster County, West Virginia |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Length | 33 mi (53 km) |
| Source elevation | approx. 4,000 ft (1,220 m) [1] |
| Mouth elevation | 2,169 ft (661 m) [1] |
| Basin area | 132 mi² (342 km²) |
The Williams River is a tributary of the Gauley River, 33 miles (53 km) long,[2] in east-central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Gauley, Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 132 square miles (342 km²) in a sparsely populated region of the southern Allegheny Mountains and the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau.[2][3]
The Williams River rises in southern Pocahontas County, approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of Marlinton, and flows initially northwardly, then westwardly into southern Webster County, where it joins the Gauley River approximately 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Cowen.[3] It flows for much of its length in the Monongahela National Forest, including the Cranberry Wilderness, in an area that was heavily logged in the early 20th century and has since been reforested. Coal mining activity took place along the river's lower course into the 1970s.[2]
The Williams River is regarded as one of the five best trout fishing streams in West Virginia,[2] due to its cold water temperature, low turbidity, and frequent stockings of trout (amounting to 27,000 pounds annually) by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.[4]
The river has also been known historically as the South Fork of the Gauley River.[1] In Webster County, it collects a short tributary known as the Middle Fork Williams River,[5] which itself collects the North Branch Middle Fork Williams River.[6]
 The Williams River as viewed from West Virginia Route 150 in Pocahontas County during a period of high water in 2006 |
 Fog on the Williams River during a period of high water in 2006 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Geographic Names Information System entry for Williams River
- ^ a b c d McNeel, William P. "Williams River." The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Ken Sullivan, editor. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Humanities Council. 2006. ISBN 0-9778498-0-5.
- ^ a b DeLorme (1997). West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-246-3.
- ^ Monongahela National Forest: Williams River Retrieved on December 15, 2006.
- ^ Geographic Names Information System entry for Middle Fork Williams River
- ^ Geographic Names Information System entry for North Branch Middle Fork Williams River
