North Powder River

The North Powder River is a 25-mile (40 km) tributary of the Powder River in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon.[3] Fed by water from three small, high-elevation lakes, it begins in the Elkhorn Mountains, a sub-range of the Blue Mountains of the Pacific Northwest.[4] From there it flows generally east to meet the larger river near the city of North Powder.[5]

North Powder River
Location of the mouth of the North Powder River in Oregon
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyUnion and Baker
Physical characteristics
SourceBlue Mountains
 • locationWallowa–Whitman National Forest
 • coordinates44°52′15″N 118°12′14″W[1]
 • elevation7,627 ft (2,325 m)[2]
MouthPowder River
 • location
North Powder, Oregon
 • coordinates
45°02′19″N 117°53′44″W[1]
 • elevation
3,205 ft (977 m)[1]
Length25 mi (40 km)[3]
Basin size118 sq mi (310 km2)[3]
Discharge 
 • average90 cu ft/s (2.5 m3/s)[3]
TypeScenic
DesignatedOctober 28, 1988

In 1988, the upper 6.4 miles (10.3 km) of the river, from the headwaters to the eastern boundary of the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest was named part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.[4] About 30 miles (48 km) from Baker City, the scenic upper river flows through rugged territory. Access by vehicle is limited to high-clearance types that use mainly the North Powder River Trail via Forest Road 7301.[6] Although the upper river flows through old-growth forests and supports a population of wild rainbow trout, the lower river "mostly disappears in hayfield diversions."[3]

The lower river forms the border between Union County on the north and Baker County on the south. Slightly upstream of North Powder, the river passes under Interstate 84.[5]

Tributaries

Named tributaries of the North Powder River from source to mouth are Horse Creek, North Fork North Powder River, Twin Mountain Creek, and Jimmy Creek. Then come Lawrence, Dutch Flat, Antone, and Little Antone creeks followed by Gorham Gulch. Entering the lower reaches are Anthony and Pilcher creeks.[7]

See also

References
  1. "North Powder River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  2. Source elevation derived from Google Earth using GNIS coordinates.
  3. Palmer, Tim (2014). Field Guide to Oregon Rivers. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. p. 277. ISBN 978-0-87071-627-0.
  4. "North Powder River". National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  5. Oregon Road and Recreation Atlas (5th ed.). Santa Barbara, California: Benchmark Maps. 2012. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-929591-62-9.
  6. "Wild and Scenic North Powder River". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  7. "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 28, 2016 – via Acme Mapper.
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