Umatilla River

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The Umatilla River is a tributary of the Columbia River, joining the Columbia at the city of Umatilla, just below McNary Dam in northeastern Oregon in the United States.

The name Umatilla is derived from the Native American name for the river, which was first recorded as Youmalolam in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

1 Course
2 Fish
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Course

The Umatilla River's headwaters lie in the Blue Mountains. The North Fork Umatilla River rises in the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, part of the Umatilla National Forest. The South Fork Umatilla River rises nearby and the two join in the heart of the Blue Mountains.

From the Umatilla forks confluence, the river flows west out of the Umatilla National Forest and into the Umatilla Indian Reservation, passing by the towns of Cayuse and Mission. After exiting the reservation, the river flows through Pendleton, the main city of Umatilla County.

After Pendleton, the Umatilla River continues to flow west, then northwest, by the towns of Echo and Stanfield. Near the city of Hermiston the river turns due north for its last several miles. It joins the Columbia River just below McNary Dam, in the section of the Columbia impounded behind John Day Dam known as Lake Umatilla.

In its last few miles, the Umatilla River passed by the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

[edit] Fish

The Umatilla River supports populations of spring Chinook and fall Chinook salmon, steelhead among other species. Coho salmon were extirpated, but have been reintroduced by collaborative efforts of the Umatilla Tribe and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The river supports a tribal and sport fishery for spring Chinook and steelhead.