Metolius River

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Diagram of the Metolius River and surrounding areas.

The Metolius River is a tributary to Lake Billy Chinook in central Oregon, near the town of Sisters. The river flows north from springs near Black Butte, then turns sharply east, descending through a series of gorges before flowing into the western end of the lake. The unincorporated community of Camp Sherman lies astride the southern end of the river.

The Metolius River.

The river itself emerges from two clusters of springs, about 200 feet apart, at the base of Black Butte. Water flows to these springs from the drainage basin around Black Butte Ranch, several miles to the south. The elevation of the drainage basin is 300 feet above that of the springs, forming a natural standpipe that tends stabilize the river's rate of flow.^[1]

As a consequence, the water level in the Metolius River is relatively constant. The rate of flow at the headwaters is approximately 190 m³/s (6,700 ft³/s or 50,000 gallons per second), although it grows by an additional 2,300 m³/s (80,000 ft³/s or 600,000 gallons per second) by the time the river reaches at Lake Billy Chinook. Similarly, the water temperature is also quite stable; at the river source, the water temperature is consistently 48ºF (8.9ºC).^[2]

There are popular sport fisheries for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon (also known as sockeye salmon) on the river, and a number of small resorts and other shops and services that cater to fisherman and other visitors, principally in the community of Camp Sherman. There is also a fish hatchery at Wizard Falls (with the same name), approximately 10 km (6 miles) north of the headwaters.