Clearwater River (Idaho)

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For other rivers called Clearwater, see Clearwater River

Clearwater River near Greer Ferry

The Clearwater River is a river in North Central Idaho, which flows from the Idaho-Montana border westward, joining the Snake River at Lewiston, Idaho. in October 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition descended the Clearwater River in dugout canoes, putting in at "Canoe Camp," five miles downstream from Orofino, Idaho.

The Clearwater breaks into several separate forks:

Clearwater River (west of 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 just west of Orofino)
  - Little North Fork Clearwater River (stream, Shoshone & Clearwater Counties; headwaters in south-central Shoshone County, joins 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 confluence of the Selway and Lochsa at Lowell)
- South Fork Clearwater River (stream, Idaho County - 46°08′44″N, 115°58′56″W; headwaters near Red River Hot Springs to Kooskia, confluence with the Middle Fork)
  - Little Clearwater River (stream, Idaho County - 45°45′11″N, 114°46′31″W; near Three Prong Mountain to near Spot Mountain)

Clearwater River near Orofino, ID

The Dworshak Reservoir is the only major lake on the Clearwater system, created from the Dworshak Dam, completed in the early 1970s. Dworshak Dam is on the North Fork of the Clearwater River, and is just northwest of Orofino. There is no fish ladder; the dam blocks salmon and steelhead passage.

The border between Washington and Idaho is defined as the meridian running north from the confluence of the Clearwater River and the Snake River. Although this border is often referred to as the 117^th west longitude meridian, the actual border line is slightly west (less than 2 miles) of the 117th meridian.^[1]