Satsop River

Last updated
Satsop River
WEST FORK OF THE SATSOP RIVER IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL TIMBERLAND, WASHINGTON. NEAR OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK - NARA - 555218.jpg
USA Washington relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of the mouth of the Satsop River in Washington
Location
Country United States
State Washington
County Grays Harbor
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of East and West Forks
 • coordinates 47°2′11″N123°31′38″W / 47.03639°N 123.52722°W / 47.03639; -123.52722 [1]
Mouth Chehalis River
 • coordinates
 46°58′44″N123°28′53″W / 46.97889°N 123.48139°W / 46.97889; -123.48139 [1]
 • elevation
23 ft (7.0 m) [1]
Length6.5 mi (10.5 km) [2]
Basin size291 sq mi (750 km2) [3]
Discharge 
 • location river mile 2.3 near Satsop, WA [4]
 • average2,039 cu ft/s (57.7 m3/s) [4]
 • minimum147 cu ft/s (4.2 m3/s)
 • maximum51,800 cu ft/s (1,470 m3/s)

The Satsop River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It has three main tributary forks, the East Fork, West Fork, and Middle Fork Satsop Rivers. The main stem Satsop River is formed by the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the East Fork. The three forks are much longer than the main stem Satsop itself, which flows south from the confluence only a few miles to join the Chehalis River near Satsop, Washington. Other significant tributaries include the Canyon River and Little River, both tributaries of the West Fork Satsop, and Decker Creek, a tributary of the East Fork Satsop River. The Satsop River's major tributaries originate in the Olympic Mountains and its southern foothills, the Satsop Hills, within Grays Harbor and Mason counties. Most of the Satsop River's watershed consists of heavily wooded hill lands. The upper tributaries extend into Olympic National Forest, approaching but not quite reaching Olympic National Park.

Contents

The Satsop River watershed is located east of the Wynoochee River and south of the Skokomish River watersheds.

Course

The main stem Satsop River originates at the confluence of the East and West Forks and flows generally south to Satsop, where it empties into Chehalis River at Chehalis river mile 20.2. U.S. Route 12 crosses the river near its mouth. The main stem river flows through a broad valley used for farming. [3] [5]

U.S. Route 12 bridges over the Satsop River Satsop River Bridges, looking east (2016).jpg
U.S. Route 12 bridges over the Satsop River

The river has several significant tributaries, including the West, East, and Middle Forks. These forks are significant rivers in their own right and unite only a few miles north of the Chehalis River. The forks are all much longer than the main stem Satsop River.

The West Fork Satsop River rises in the southern Olympic Mountains. It flows south through a narrow gorge. In its final miles the river valley broadens. At 44 miles (71 km) long, the West Fork is the longest tributary. The total river length from the West Fork's source to the mouth of the main stem Satsop River is approximately 50.5 miles (81.3 km). The length from the source of the Canyon River is nearly as long, at 48.5 miles (78.1 km). [6] Its watershed is 154 square miles (400 km2) large. Much of the watershed is privately owned timber lands. [3] [7] The West Fork has two major tributaries, the 20-mile (32 km) long Canyon River and the 6-mile (9.7 km) long Little River. [6] The Canyon River, West Fork, and Middle Fork all originate close to one another in the Olympic Mountains. The Canyon River's source is approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) east of the source of the West Fork and 1.4 miles (2.3 km) west of the source of the Middle Fork. [8] [9] These rivers originate in the southern Olympic Mountains in the general vicinity of Chapel Peak, Dusk Point, and Anderson Butte. [10] [11] [12]

The East Fork Satsop River originates at the confluence of Phillips Creek and Stillwater Creek. It flows generally southwest through a broad and flat valley. Bingham Creek is its main tributary, joining from the north. [3] Below Bingham Creek the East Fork flows through Carstairs Prairie before being joined by Decker Creek and the Middle Fork Satsop River, both from the north. [13] The East Fork is approximately 21 miles (34 km) long. Its headwater tributary, Stillwater Creek, is 3 miles (4.8 km) long. [6] [14]

The Middle Fork Satsop River rises in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains and flows south, passing through steep gorges and canyons. At 35 miles (56 km) long it is the second longest tributary. [6] Shortly below the Middle Fork's confluence with Baker Creek its valley widens as the river approaches its confluence with the East Fork Satsop River. [15] Most of the watershed of the Middle Fork is second-growth forest used for timber production. [3]

Decker Creek flows through broad prairie lands and gently sloping valleys. It joins the East Fork Satsop River upstream from the Middle Fork confluence. [3] [16] Decker Creek is approximately 16 miles (26 km) long. [6]

Land use

Land ownership within the Satsop River's watershed, approximately, is 62% corporate (182 sq mi (470 km2)), 18% National Forest (52 sq mi (130 km2)), 13% private (37 sq mi (96 km2)), 6% state (19 sq mi (49 km2)), and less than 1% municipal and county (0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2)). [3]

Commercial forests, including National Forest lands, make up about 95% of the land use in the Satsop watershed. Cropland and pasture account for about 3%. Built-up areas, rural non-farms, and barren lands account for slightly over 1%. [3]

History

The Satsop River's name comes from Upper Chehalis /sácapš/, literally "made stream", from /sáʔa–/, "make, do", plus /cápš/, "stream". [17] The Satsop Native Americans, who lived along the river, were neighbors of the Lower Chehalis, Humptulip, and the Hoquiam peoples, with whom they shared a similar political organization. The relation of the Satsops to other Native Americans remains unclear. Some ethnologists classify the Satsops as a subdivision of the Lower Chehalis people while others place them closer to the Upper Chehalis (Kwaiailk) people, in part because the Satsop Coast Salish dialect appears most closely related to the Upper Chehalis dialect. The Upper and Lower Chehalis dialects are distinct and the boundary between them was at the confluence of the Chehalis and Satsop Rivers. A trail ran through the Satsop lands over which trade passed south to Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. The Satsops were devastated by smallpox and other epidemics, after which a remnant population moved from their ancestral lands along the Satsop River to the Chehalis Reservation. The Satsop population was listed as 350 in 1870 and only 12 in 1885. There is no Satsop tribe today. [18]

John Rady became the first settler on the Satsop River in 1852. [19] French Canadians and Germans began to settle in the Satsop Valley in the 1860s and 1870s. The Schafer family was among the early settlers, having moved to the region from Wisconsin. Three of the Schafer brothers, sons of the pioneering family, founded one of the biggest and most successful logging companies of the area. From a start using an oxteam to haul logs the Schafer's company grew to own large tracts of timberland served by miles of logging railroads. [20]

Natural history

The Satsop River is one of the larger tributaries of the Chehalis River, especially in the summer. In August, approximately 30% of the Chehalis River's flow at Cosmopolis comes from the Satsop River. [3]

The Satsop and its tributaries support a variety of migratory fish, including chinook, chum, and coho salmon. The Middle Fork Satsop River in particular supports very large runs of all three species. The West Fork Satsop also supports sizable runs of all three species. Other tributaries important for salmon spawning include Decker Creek, Canyon River, and the Little River. [3]

A number of projects have been undertaken to improve salmon habitat in the Satsop watershed, including the construction of spawning channels and fish hatcheries. [3]

Forestry

Clearcutting in the Satsop River drainage system, 1973 CLEAR-CUT AREA ON THE SATSOP RIVER DRAINAGE SYSTEM, LOOKING TO THE SOUTHWEST IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL TIMBERLAND... - NARA - 555104.jpg
Clearcutting in the Satsop River drainage system, 1973

The Satsop River's watershed is prime timber land and much of it is privately owned and regularly harvested. Approximately 70% of the watershed's forests are less than 35 years old. The timber harvesting combined with the region's steep slopes presents erosion and mass wasting hazards. In addition there is a relatively high density of roads, mostly for logging, which increases the erosion and sedimentation risks. Rainfall in the region ranges from 70 to 175 inches per year, which further increases the danger of destructive erosion. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruneau River</span> River in Idaho and Nevada, United States

The Bruneau River is a 153-mile-long (246 km) tributary of the Snake River, in the U.S. states of Idaho and Nevada. It runs through a narrow canyon cut into ancient lava flows in southwestern Idaho. The Bruneau Canyon, which is up to 1,200 feet (370 m) deep and 40 miles (64 km) long, features rapids and hot springs, making it a popular whitewater trip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salmon River (Idaho)</span> River in Idaho, United States

The Salmon River, also known as "The River of No Return", is a river located in the U.S. state of Idaho in the western United States. It flows for 425 miles (685 km) through central Idaho, draining a rugged, thinly populated watershed of 14,000 square miles (36,000 km2). The river drops more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) from its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, to its confluence with the Snake River. Measured at White Bird, its average discharge is 11,060 cubic feet per second. The Salmon River is the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newaukum River</span> River in Washington, United States

The Newaukum River is a tributary of the Chehalis River in the U.S. state of Washington. It has three main branches, the North Fork, South Fork, and Middle Fork Newaukum Rivers. The length of the three forks and the mainstem river is 56.7 miles (91.2 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feather River</span> River in California, United States

The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about 73 miles (117 km) long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is just over 210 miles (340 km). The main stem Feather River begins in Lake Oroville, where its four long tributary forks join—the South Fork, Middle Fork, North Fork, and West Branch Feather Rivers. These and other tributaries drain part of the northern Sierra Nevada, and the extreme southern Cascades, as well as a small portion of the Sacramento Valley. The total drainage basin is about 6,200 square miles (16,000 km2), with approximately 3,604 square miles (9,330 km2) above Lake Oroville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skykomish River</span> River in northwest Washington, United States

The Skykomish River is a 29-mile (47 km) long river in the U.S. state of Washington which drains the west side of the Cascade Mountains in the southeast section of Snohomish County and the northeast corner of King County. The river starts with the confluence of the North Fork Skykomish River and South Fork Skykomish River approximately one mile west of Index, then flowing northwesterly towards Puget Sound. It is joined by the Sultan River and the Wallace River at Sultan. It then meets the Snoqualmie River to form the Snohomish River at Monroe. The Snohomish River continues along the river valley eventually dumping into Port Gardner Bay on Possession Sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosumnes River</span> River in northern California, United States

The Cosumnes River is a river in northern California in the United States. It rises on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and flows approximately 52.5 miles (84.5 km) into the Central Valley, emptying into the Mokelumne River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catoctin Creek (Virginia)</span> River in Virginia, United States

Catoctin Creek is a 14.1-mile-long (22.7 km) tributary of the Potomac River in Loudoun County, Virginia, with a watershed of 59,000 acres (240 km2). Agricultural lands make up 67 percent and forests 30 percent of Catoctin Creek's watershed. It is the main drainage system for the northern Loudoun Valley, including all of the Catoctin Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jacinto River (California)</span> River in California, United States

The San Jacinto River is a 42-mile-long (68 km) river in Riverside County, California. The river's headwaters are in Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. The lower portion of the 765-square-mile (1,980 km2) watershed is urban and agricultural land. As a partially endorheic watershed that is contiguous with other Great Basin watersheds, the western side of the San Jacinto Basin is a portion of the Great Basin Divide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherry Creek (Tuolumne River tributary)</span> River in California, United States

Cherry Creek is a large, swift-flowing stream in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and is the largest tributary of the Tuolumne River. The creek is 44.6 miles (71.8 km) long measured to its farthest headwaters; the main stem itself is 27.7 miles (44.6 km) long, draining a watershed of 234 square miles (610 km2) in the Stanislaus National Forest. Part of the drainage also extends into the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sol Duc River</span> River in Washington, United States

The Sol Duc River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. About 78 miles (126 km) long, it flows west through the northwest part of the Olympic Peninsula, from the Olympic Mountains of Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest, then through the broad Sol Duc Valley. Near the Pacific Ocean the Sol Duc River joins the Bogachiel River, forming the Quillayute River, which flows about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the Pacific Ocean at La Push. Although the Quillayute River is short, its large tributary rivers—the Sol Duc, Bogachiel, Calawah, and Dickey Rivers—drain the largest watershed of the northern Olympic Peninsula, 629 square miles (1,630 km2). The Sol Duc's watershed is the largest of the Quillayute's tributaries, at 219 square miles (570 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dairy Creek (Oregon)</span> River in Oregon, United States

Dairy Creek is a 10.55-mile (16.98 km) tributary of the Tualatin River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It begins at the confluence of its east and west forks near the unincorporated community of Schefflin and meanders southeast across the Tualatin Valley to the Tualatin River near Hillsboro, in Washington County. East Fork Dairy Creek begins at 45.788446°N 123.041498°W in Columbia County, slightly north of its border with Washington County, and flows generally south for 22 miles (35 km). West Fork Dairy Creek, also about 22 miles (35 km) long, forms at 45.7553899°N 123.178168°W, near the unincorporated community of Tophill, and flows generally southeast. Before railroads displaced river boats on the Tualatin, some steamships also worked the lower section of Dairy Creek, with plans to go as far up stream as Centerville.

The Palix River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. Its tributaries include three forks, North, Middle, and South Fork Palix River, as well as the Canon River. The river's length, including the Canon River, its longest tributary, is approximately 14 miles (23 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoquiam River</span> River in Washington, United States

The Hoquiam River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It has three main tributaries, the East Fork, West Fork, and Middle Fork Hoquiam Rivers. The main stem Hoquiam River is formed by the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the West Fork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dickey River</span> River in Washington, United States

The Dickey River is a stream on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It has three main forks, the East Fork, West Fork, and Middle Fork Dickey Rivers. The main stem is formed by the confluence of the East and West Forks. The river and its forks rise in the northwestern part of the Olympic Peninsula and flow generally south and west to join the Quillayute River near its mouth on the Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jemez River</span> River in New Mexico, United States

The Jemez River is a tributary of the Rio Grande in eastern Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Fork Coquille River</span> River in Oregon, United States

The South Fork Coquille River is the longest tributary of the Coquille River in coastal Oregon in the United States. From its headwaters in the Southern Oregon Coast Range, the river flows northwest to join the North Fork Coquille River at Myrtle Point, forming the main stem Coquille. The South Fork is about 63 miles (101 km) long, and its watershed drains roughly 288 square miles (750 km2) of rural Coos County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reedy Creek (West Virginia)</span> River in West Virginia, United States

Reedy Creek is a tributary of the Little Kanawha River in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Little Kanawha and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 133 square miles (340 km2) in a rural region on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau. It is 22.6 miles (36.4 km) long, or 38.5 miles (62.0 km) long including its Left Fork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Creek (West Virginia)</span> River in West Virginia, United States

Arnold Creek is a tributary of Middle Island Creek, 10.9 miles (17.5 km) long, in West Virginia in the United States. Via Middle Island Creek and the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 34.7 square miles (90 km2) in a rural region on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottonwood Creek (Sacramento River tributary)</span> River in Shasta County, United States

Cottonwood Creek is a major stream and tributary of the Sacramento River in Northern California. About 68 miles (109 km) long measured to its uppermost tributaries, the creek drains a large rural area bounded by the crest of the Coast Ranges, traversing the northwestern Sacramento Valley before emptying into the Sacramento River near the town of Cottonwood. It defines the boundary of Shasta and Tehama counties for its entire length. Because Cottonwood Creek is the largest undammed tributary of the Sacramento River, it is known for its Chinook salmon and steelhead runs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willow Creek (Grand and Uintah counties, Utah)</span> River in Utah, United States

Willow Creek is a major north-flowing stream in Utah, United States, and is a tributary of the Green River. The creek drains a large remote area of the East Tavaputs Plateau, flowing into the Green River south of Ouray.

References

  1. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Satsop River
  2. ↑ Calculated in Google Earth; length of main stem Satsop only; length including West Fork Satsop, the longest tributary, is 50.5 mi (81.3 km).
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Chehalis River Basin Nonpoint Action Plan - satsop River". Chehalis River Council. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  4. 1 2 "Water Resources Data-Washington Water Year 2005; Chehalis and Humptulips River Basins; 12035000 Satsop River near Satsop, WA" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  5. ↑ General course info from USGS topographic maps accessed via the "GNIS in Google Map" feature of the USGS Geographic Names Information System website.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Calculated in Google Earth
  7. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: West Fork Satsop River
  8. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Canyon River
  9. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little River
  10. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Chapel Peak
  11. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dusk Point
  12. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Anderson Butte
  13. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Fork Satsop River
  14. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stillwater Creek
  15. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Fork Satsop River
  16. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Decker Creek
  17. ↑ Bright, William (2004). Native American placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 422. ISBN   978-0-8061-3598-4 . Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  18. ↑ Ruby, Robert H.; John Arthur Brown (1992). A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 101, 105, 185. ISBN   978-0-8061-2479-7.
  19. ↑ Majors, Harry M. (1975). Exploring Washington. Van Winkle Publishing Co. p. 68. ISBN   978-0-918664-00-6.
  20. ↑ Kirk, Ruth; Carmela Alexander (1990). Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to History. University of Washington Press. p. 458. ISBN   0-295-97443-5.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.