Snohomish River

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Snohomish River
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Snohomish River in Snohomish, Washington
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Map of the Snohomish River and tributaries
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Mouth of the Snohomish River in Washington
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Snohomish River (the United States)
Location
Country United States
State Washington
County Snohomish
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of the Skykomish River and the Snoqualmie River
  location Monroe
  coordinates 47°49′48″N122°2′47″W / 47.83000°N 122.04639°W / 47.83000; -122.04639 [1]
Mouth Puget Sound
  location
Port Gardner
  coordinates
48°1′16″N122°12′30″W / 48.02111°N 122.20833°W / 48.02111; -122.20833 Coordinates: 48°1′16″N122°12′30″W / 48.02111°N 122.20833°W / 48.02111; -122.20833 [1]
  elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length20 mi (32 km) [2]
Basin size1,856 sq mi (4,810 km2) [3]
Discharge 
  locationNear Monroe [4]
  average9,511 cu ft/s (269.3 m3/s) [4]
  minimum763 cu ft/s (21.6 m3/s)
  maximum150,000 cu ft/s (4,200 m3/s)

The Snohomish River is a river in Snohomish County, Washington, formed by the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers near Monroe. It flows northwest entering Port Gardner Bay, part of Puget Sound, between Everett and Marysville. The Pilchuck River is its main tributary and joins the river at Snohomish. The river system drains the west side of the Cascade Mountains from Snoqualmie Pass to north of Stevens Pass.

Contents

Measured at Monroe, the Snohomish River has an average annual flow of 9,500 cubic feet per second (270 m3/s). [2] In comparison, the Columbia River, Washington's largest river, has an average flow of about 265,000 cubic feet per second (7,500 m3/s). [5]

Course

State Route 9 bridge in front of Downtown Snohomish Snohomish River Highway 9 Bridge.jpg
State Route 9 bridge in front of Downtown Snohomish
Debris swept under Airport Way Bridge in Snohomish in November 2006 Snohomish River 26715.JPG
Debris swept under Airport Way Bridge in Snohomish in November 2006

The Snohomish River forms at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish Rivers just west of Monroe. Both of these rivers originate in the Cascades and drain the west slopes of the mountains in southeastern Snohomish County and northeastern King County. The Snohomish River flows generally northwestward from the confluence, passing under state route 522 and flowing alongside Lord Hill Regional Park before reaching downtown Snohomish. Here, it is joined by the Pilchuck River, its main tributary, and flows under state route 9. From Snohomish, the river continues northwestward through a broad floodplain, forming the eastern boundary of the city of Everett. The final few miles of the river in Everett form the Snohomish River estuary, a river delta that features wetlands and tideflats spread out across various islands and arms of the river. [6] Several bridges carry U.S. 2, Interstate 5, and state route 529 across the delta. The river then empties into Possession Sound, which is part of Puget Sound, between Everett and Marysville.

Shohomish River pano at Shohomish.jpg
Panoramic view of the Snohomish River from downtown Snohomish

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Snohomish County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. With a population of 827,957 as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous county in Washington, after nearby King and Pierce counties, and the 75th-most populous in the United States. The county seat and largest city is Everett. The county forms part of the Seattle metropolitan area, which also includes King and Pierce counties to the south.

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

Monroe is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Skykomish, Snohomish, and Snoqualmie rivers near the Cascade foothills, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Seattle. Monroe's population was 19,699 as of the 2020 census and was estimated to be 20,209 in 2021.

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

Sultan is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located approximately 23 miles (37 km) east of Everett at the confluence of the Skykomish River and the Sultan River, a minor tributary. The city had a population of 4,651 at the 2010 census.

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

The Snoqualmie River is a 45-mile (72 km) long river in King County and Snohomish County in the U.S. state of Washington. The river's three main tributaries are the North, Middle, and South Forks, which drain the west side of the Cascade Mountains near the town of North Bend and join near the town of Snoqualmie just above the Snoqualmie Falls. After the falls the river flows north through rich farmland and the towns of Fall City, Carnation, and Duvall before meeting the Skykomish River to form the Snohomish River near Monroe. The Snohomish River empties into Puget Sound at Everett. Other tributaries of the Snoqualmie River include the Taylor River and the Pratt River, both of which enter the Middle Fork, the Tolt River, which joins at Carnation, and the Raging River at Fall City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skagit River</span> River in Canada and the United States

The Skagit River is a river in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and northwestern Washington in the United States, approximately 150 mi (240 km) long. The river and its tributaries drain an area of 1.7 million acres (690,000 hectares) of the Cascade Range along the northern end of Puget Sound and flows into the sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sauk River (Washington)</span> River in Washington

The Sauk River is a tributary of the Skagit River, approximately 45 miles (72 km) long, in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high Cascade Range in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle. The river is a popular destination for fly fishing. It is a National Wild and Scenic River.

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

The Stillaguamish River is a river in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Washington. It is mainly composed of two forks, the longer North Fork Stillaguamish and the South Fork Stillaguamish. The two forks join near Arlington. From there the Stillaguamish River proper flows for 22 miles (35 km) to Puget Sound. The river's watershed drains part of the Cascade Range north of Seattle.

<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">Snohomish people</span>

The Snohomish are a Lushootseed Native American tribe who reside around the Puget Sound area of Washington, north of Seattle. They speak the Lushootseed language. The tribal spelling of their name is Sdoh-doh-hohbsh, which means "lowland people" according to the last chief of the Snohomish tribe, Chief William Shelton. Some commentators believe a more accurate spelling in the Latin alphabet would be Sdohobich, as their language has no nasal consonants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Pilchuck</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

Mount Pilchuck is a mountain located in Snohomish County, Washington. It is 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Seattle. It is part of the Cascade Range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raging River</span> River in the United States of America

The Raging River is a tributary of the Snoqualmie River in western Washington state in the United States. It is located in the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains in east central King County, Washington. It gets its name from the large amount of water it sometimes carries. The record discharge at the gaging station is over 4,000 cubic feet (110 m3) per second. The Raging is a salmon-bearing river and supports one-fifth of the Snoqualmie River's chinook runs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilchuck River</span> Tributary of the Snohomish River, northwest Washington, United States

The Pilchuck River is a river in Snohomish County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Snohomish River. The name is derived from Chinook Jargon pilpil and chuck ("water"), or "red water".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultan River</span> Tributary of the Skykomish River, northwest Washington, United States

The Sultan River is a river in Snohomish County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Skykomish River, which it joins at the town of Sultan, Washington. The river is dammed in its upper third by Culmback Dam to form Spada Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culmback Dam</span> Dam in Snohomish County, Washington

The Culmback Dam is a large rockfill hydroelectric and water supply dam on the Sultan River, a tributary of the Skykomish River, in Washington. Built in 1965, the dam is 640 feet (200 m) long at the crest and 262 feet (80 m) high. Its reservoir, Spada Lake, provides water for 70 to 75 percent of Snohomish County and feeds the Jackson Hydro Project, providing 112 megawatts of clean energy to Snohomish county. Some critics charge that the dam has strongly impacted the runs of salmon and other migratory fish in the Sultan River by depleting gravel and sediment needed to line the riverbed. The dam's operator counters that Culmback Dam dramatically reduces flooding events, benefiting fish populations and the surrounding communities. The dam was named in honor of George Culmback, a former mayor of Everett.

The Scenic Subdivision or Scenic Sub is a railroad line running about 155 miles (249 km) from Seattle, Washington to Wenatchee, Washington. It is operated by BNSF Railway as part of their Northern Transcon. This route includes the Cascade Tunnel, as well as the 1893 site of the "last spike" near Scenic, Washington, which marked the completion for the Great Northern Railway transcontinental railway line built by James J. Hill.

The Tye River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains and flows west, joining the Foss River to form the South Fork Skykomish River. Its waters eventually empty into Puget Sound near Everett via the Skykomish River and Snohomish River. U.S. Route 2 follows the river's entire length. A BNSF Railway line follows most of the river except near the pass where the tracks use the Cascade Tunnel. Powerlines run by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) follow the Tye River west of Tunnel Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beckler River</span> River in the United States of America

The Beckler River is a tributary of the South Fork Skykomish River in the U.S. state of Washington in the United States.

The Foss River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It has two main forks, the East Fork Foss River and the West Fork Foss River. The main stem is formed by the confluence of the two forks. The river and its forks rise near in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area of Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the Cascade Mountains and flows generally north, joining the Tye River to form the South Fork Skykomish River. The Foss River's waters eventually empty into Puget Sound near Everett via the Skykomish River and Snohomish River.

Bald Hill is a 737-foot (225 m) hill in Snohomish County, Washington. The Skykomish River once flowed north of the hill but at some point in recent geologic history was diverted to its present course on the south side of the hill, moving the confluence with the Snoqualmie River several miles upstream. In 1952, most of Bald Hill and adjacent Devils Butte were Washington State Forest land. As of 2016, Devils Butte is part of Lord Hill Regional Park, and the Bald Hill area was still listed by Washington State Department of Natural Resources as State Forest Trust, formerly Forest Board Trust land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skykomish Peak</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

Skykomish Peak is a 6,368-foot (1,941-metre) mountain summit located in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in the North Cascades of Washington state. The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, on the shared border of Snohomish County with Chelan County, and also straddling the boundary between Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Skykomish Peak is located 15 mi (24 km) to the north of Stevens Pass, and the Pacific Crest Trail traverses the east slope of this peak. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains west into the Skykomish River, or east into Cady Creek which is a tributary of Little Wenatchee River. This mountain's name derives from its position at the head of the North Fork Skykomish River, and "Skykomish" comes from the Northern Lushootseed word /sq'íxʷəbš/, meaning "upriver people".

References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Snohomish River
  2. 1 2 Snohomish River Watershed Draft Initial Assessment Archived 2006-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Surface Water Management Division: Snohomish River Salmon Recovery
  4. 1 2 USGS Snohomish River gauge near Monroe
  5. Kammerer, J.C. (May 1990). "Largest Rivers in the United States". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  6. Brennick, Charles. "Snohomish River Estuary Recreation Guide". Snohomish County Estuary. Snohomish County government . Retrieved 11 July 2019.