Spring River (North Umpqua River tributary)

Last updated
Spring River
Country United States
State Oregon
County Douglas
Source Cascade Range
 - locationa spring complex on Pumice Flat, Umpqua National Forest
 - elevation4,255 ft (1,297 m) [1]
 - coordinates 43°17′58″N122°08′07″W / 43.29944°N 122.13528°W / 43.29944; -122.13528   [2]
Mouth North Umpqua River
 - locationupstream of Lemolo Lake
 - elevation4,157 ft (1,267 m) [2]
 - coordinates 43°18′28″N122°08′07″W / 43.30778°N 122.13528°W / 43.30778; -122.13528 Coordinates: 43°18′28″N122°08′07″W / 43.30778°N 122.13528°W / 43.30778; -122.13528   [2]
Length1.1 mi (2 km) [3]
Basin25.5 sq mi (66 km2) [3] [4]
USA Oregon location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of the mouth of the Spring River in Oregon

The Spring River is a short but significant tributary of the North Umpqua River in Douglas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It begins at a spring complex in the Cascade Range on Pumice Flat in the Umpqua National Forest and flows 1.1 miles (1.8 km) north into the North Umpqua in Kelsay Valley, upstream of Lemolo Lake. [3] [5] Evidence suggests that nearby Thirsty Creek has an underground connection to the Spring River and that underground connections from other sources exist. [3]

North Umpqua River tributary of the Umpqua River in the USA

The North Umpqua River is a tributary of the Umpqua River, about 106 miles (171 km) long, in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains a scenic and rugged area of the Cascade Range southeast of Eugene, flowing through steep canyons and surrounded by large Douglas-fir forests. Renowned for its emerald green waters, it is considered one of the best fly fishing streams in the Pacific Northwest for anadromous fish.

Douglas County, Oregon county in Oregon, USA

Douglas County is a county in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 census, the population was 107,667. The county seat is Roseburg. It is named after Stephen A. Douglas, an American politician who supported Oregon statehood.

U.S. state constituent political entity sharing sovereignty as the United States of America

In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are currently 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory and shares its sovereignty with the federal government. Due to this shared sovereignty, Americans are citizens both of the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons restricted by certain types of court orders. Four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names.

Contents

Hydrology

The underground water feeding the springs emerges along the contact between glacial deposits and ash-flow deposits that form the bedrock. Although Spring River and other nearby spring-fed streams are short, their total water contribution to the North Umpqua is significant, especially during dry months. [3]

A geological contact is a boundary which separates one rock body from another. There are three different types of contacts, which are divided into primary contacts and secondary contacts. Primary contacts include depositional, unconformable, and intrusive contacts. Secondary contacts include those induced by tectonic activity such as fault contacts and shear zones.

Pyroclastic flow Fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter that moves away from a volcano

A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter that moves away from a volcano about 100 km/h (62 mph) on average but is capable of reaching speeds up to 700 km/h (430 mph). The gases can reach temperatures of about 1,000 °C (1,830 °F).

Thirsty Creek is a perennial stream that flows on the surface upstream of Spring River but sinks underground about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) before reaching it. Even so, it appears likely to researchers that it is part of the same watershed and contributes to the Spring River flow. Evidence also suggests that below-surface connections from elsewhere feed into Spring River. The low-flow discharge at the mouth of the river was measured at 210 cubic feet per second (5.9 m3/s) on August 10, 1997, more than Thirsty Creek alone could account for and more than half of the North Umpqua flow above Lemolo Lake. [3]

Fish

Spring River is a spawning ground for kokanee from Lemolo Lake and brown trout from the lake and the river. The river has good spawning gravels, a stable flow, and desirable temperatures for fish. The water from the springs emerges at 41 °F (5 °C) and warms to between 10 and 11 °C (50 and 52 °F) between source and mouth. [3]

Spawn (biology) process of aquatic animals releasing sperm and eggs into water

Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, to spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquatic mammals and reptiles, reproduce through the process of spawning.

Brown trout species of brown trout

The brown trout is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes both purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, Salmo trutta morpha fario, and a lacustrine ecotype, S. trutta morpha lacustris, also called the lake trout, as well as anadromous forms known as the sea trout, S. trutta morpha trutta. The latter migrates to the oceans for much of its life and returns to fresh water only to spawn. Sea trout in the Ireland and Britain have many regional names: sewin in Wales, finnock in Scotland, peal in the West Country, mort in North West England, and white trout in Ireland.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Big Butte Creek river in Oregon, United States of America

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West Fork Smith River river in the United States of America

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Lake Creek (Siuslaw River)

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Cavitt Creek river in the United States of America

Cavitt Creek is a tributary of the Little River in Douglas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. From its source near Red Butte, the creek flows generally west then north through the Umpqua National Forest of the Cascade Range before entering the river about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream of the rural community of Peel and 7 miles (11 km) above the Little River's mouth on the North Umpqua River.

References

  1. ↑ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  2. 1 2 3 "Spring River". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lemolo and Diamond Lakes Watershed Analysis" (PDF). United States Forest Service. pp. 20, 69–70, 98. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ This includes the watershed of Thirsty Creek but does not include possible contributions from other watersheds.
  5. ↑ "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 29, 2015– via Acme Mapper.
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