Okanogan River

Okanogan River Okanagan River
Map of the Okanogan River, tributary of the Columbia River
Location
Countries	United States Canada
State	Washington
Province	British Columbia
Cities	Penticton, BC,Omak, WA
Physical characteristics
Source	Okanagan Lake
• location	Penticton,British Columbia,Canada
• coordinates	49°30′13″N119°36′42″W
• elevation	1,122 ft (342 m)
Mouth	Columbia River
• location	Brewster,Washington,United States
• coordinates	48°5′54″N119°44′3″W
• elevation	781 ft (238 m)
Length	115 mi (185 km)
Basin size	8,200 sq mi (21,000 km2)
Discharge
• location	Malott, WA
• average	3,039 cu ft/s (86.1 m3/s)
• minimum	288 cu ft/s (8.2 m3/s)
• maximum	45,600 cu ft/s (1,290 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	Similkameen River

TheOkanogan River(known as theOkanagan RiverinCanada) is a tributary of theColumbia River,approximately 115 mi (185 km) long, in southernBritish Columbiaand north centralWashington.It drains a scenicplateauregion called theOkanagan Countryeast of theCascade Rangeand north and west of the Columbia, and also theOkanaganregion of British Columbia.The Canadian portion of the river has beenchannelizedsince the mid-1950s.

Course

The Okanagan River rises in southern British Columbia, issuing out of the southern end ofOkanagan Lake,which is on the north side of the city ofPenticton.It flows south past Penticton, throughSkaha Lake,pastOkanagan Falls,throughVaseux Lake,and pastOlivertoOsoyoosandOsoyoos Lake,which spans theCanada–United States borderand has its outlet into the Okanogan River atOroville,on the southern shore of the lake, inOkanogan County.At the border the river's name (and the region and also the name of theOkanagan Highland) changes spelling from Okanagan to Okanogan. Average annual flow of the river at this point is 643cfs(18.2 m³/s).

From Oroville the Okanogan River flows south through the Okanogan County, pastOkanoganandOmak.It forms the western boundary of theColville Indian Reservation.The Okanogan River enters the Columbia River from the north, 5 miles (8 km) east ofBrewster,between theWells Dam(downstream) and theChief Joseph Dam(upstream). The reservoir behind Wells Dam, into which the Okanogan empties, is calledLake Pateros.

Tributaries

The river atOmak, Washington

The Okanogan River receives theSimilkameen Riverfrom the west near Oroville. It receives Omak Creek from the east near Omak, Tonasket Creek from the east near Oroville and Bonaparte Creek at Tonasket which flows from Bonaparte Lakenear Wauconda and also fromAeneas Valleywest of theSanpoil.It occasionally receives water from Salmon Creek at the town of Okanogan but much of the year this water is diverted forirrigation.

History

The river takes its name from theOkanagan(orSyilx) placename [uk^wnaqín].The name Okanagan was subsequently applied to the Syilx people themselves. Early maps of thefur tradeera show the Okanagan River as the "Caledonia River", a name conferred as it was the connecting route between theColumbia Districtand theNew Caledonia Fur District(which began north of Okanagan Lake).

Fort Okanogan,a fur-trading post opened by thePacific Fur Company(PFC) late in 1811, was located at the river'sconfluencewith the Columbia. The isolation and pressures caused by theWar of 1812forced the PFC to sell its property and assets to its Canadian rivals, theNorth West Company.The NWC was in turn merged into theHudson's Bay Companyin 1821, the latter company maintaining a presence at Fort Okanogan until the 1850s.

During theFraser Canyon Gold Rushof 1858–1859, parties of armed miners, often at conflict with native peoples in the region, traveled theOkanagan Trailand its western branch, theSimilkameen Trail,via the river. After hostilities subsided, the route continued to be important as the southern leg of the overland trail to theCariboo Gold Rushknown then by its fur trade era name as theBrigade Trail.

See also

• List of rivers of British Columbia
• List of rivers of Washington (state)
• Okanagan Basin Water Board

External links

• About Us,Okanagan Basin Water Board
• Okanagan River Basin
• Okanogan River height and discharge flow near Tonasket