Elwha River

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Elwha River
none Elwha River
Elwha River
Country United States
State Washington
Counties Clallam, Jefferson
Major city Port Angeles
Length 45 mi (72 km)
Watershed 318 sq mi (824 km²) [1]
Discharge at McDonald Bridge, River mile 8.6
 - average 1,507 cu ft/s (43 m³/s) [1]
 - maximum 41,600 cu ft/s (1,178 m³/s)
 - minimum 10 cu ft/s (0 m³/s)
Source Olympic Range
 - coordinates 47°46′8″N 123°34′43″W / 47.76889, -123.57861 [2]
 - elevation 3,655 ft (1,114 m) [3]
Mouth Strait of Juan de Fuca
 - coordinates 48°9′2″N 123°33′35″W / 48.15056, -123.55972 [2]
 - elevation 0 ft (0 m) [3]
Major tributaries
 - left Goldie River
 - right Hayes River, Lost River, Lillian River, Little River
Map of the Elwha River
Map of the Elwha River

The Elwha River is a 45-mile-long river located on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. From its source in the Olympic Range of Olympic National Park it flows generally north to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Most of the river is contained within Olympic National Park. There are two dams on the river's lower course, both of which are scheduled to be removed.

Contents

[edit] Course

The Elwha River rises near Mount Barnes and Mount Queets in the Olympic Range within Olympic National Park, in Jefferson County, Washington. The river flows southeast, then curves northward for the rest of its course. Major peaks near the Elwha's source include Mount Christie, Mount Meany, Mount Seattle.

After receiving the tributaries Delabarre Creek and Godkin Creek the Elwha River flows northward. The Hayes River joins in Press Valley, where the Hayes River Ranger Station is located. Lost River joins near the northern end of Press Valley, after which the Elwha crosses into Clallam County, Washington.

Just after the countyline, the Elwha River passes the Elkhorn Ranger Station and enters Grand Canyon. After receiving Lillian River and several other tributary streams, the Elwha enter Lake Mills, the reservoir behind Glines Canyon Dam. Below the dam the Elwha is paralleled by Olympic Hot Springs Road. After flowing by a couple campgrounds and the Elwha Ranger Station the river exits Olympic National Park and enters Lake Aldwell, the reservoir behind Elwha Dam.

Below Elwha River, the Elwha River flows several miles north, through the Lower Elwha Indian Reservation, to enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Angeles Point, just west of the city of Port Angeles, Washington.[4]

[edit] Dams

The river is the site for the biggest dam removal project in history. The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992 authorized the Secretary of the Interior to acquire and remove two dams on the river and restore the ecosystem and native anadromous fisheries. The 108-foot-tall Elwha Dam and the 210-foot-tall Glines Canyon Dam will be dismantled in stages starting in late 2009 or early 2010.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Hoko, Elwha, and Dungeness River Basins, Water Resource Data, Washington, 2005, USGS.
  2. ^ a b USGS GNIS: Elwha River
  3. ^ a b Google Earth elevation for GNIS coordinates.
  4. ^ Course info mainly from: (2000) Washington Road & Recreation Atlas. Benchmark Maps. 

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links