Siuslaw River
The Siuslaw River (⫽saɪˈjuːslɔː⫽ sy-YEW-slaw) is a river, about 110 miles (180 km) long, that flows to the Pacific Ocean coast of Oregon in the United States.[1] It drains an area of about 773 square miles (2,000 km2) in the Central Oregon Coast Range southwest of the Willamette Valley and north of the watershed of the Umpqua River.[2]
It rises in the mountains of southwestern Lane County, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Cottage Grove.[3] It flows generally west-northwest through the mountains, past Swisshome, entering the Pacific at Florence.[3] The head of tide is 26 miles (42 km) upstream.[4]
The valley of the river has been historically one of the productive timber regions in Oregon. The lower course of the river passes through Siuslaw National Forest.
The Coos Bay branch of the Coos Bay Rail Link crosses many bridges as it follows the narrow, winding valley of the Siuslaw River to the swing bridge at Cushman.
The river has historically been a spawning ground for Chinook and coho salmon. Although the Chinook population is substantial, coho numbers have declined from an annual average of 209,000 fish between 1889 and 1896 to just over 3,000 fish between 1990 and 1995.[5] The estuary of the river is surrounded by extensive wetlands that are a significant habitat for migratory birds along the coast.[6] It is one of the very few Western Oregon rivers where all major forks are undammed.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
topoquest Siuslawwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Oregon Explorerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer. Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping. 1991. pp. 32, 40–41, 46. ISBN 0-89933-235-8.
- ^ "Maintenance Dredging for the Siuslaw River Coastal Navigation Project (Draft Environmental Assessment)" (PDF). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. April 2010. p. 9. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b "A Watershed Assessment for the Siuslaw Basin". Ecotrust. 2002. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ "Bringing Back the Tides to Estuary Wetlands". Currents (Winter/Spring). McKenzie River Trust: 1. 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
External links
Media related to Siuslaw River at Wikimedia Commons- Oregon Coastal Atlas: Siuslaw River estuary
