The Okanogan River (known as the Okanagan River in Canada) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi (185 km) long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington. It drains a scenic plateau region called the Okanagan Country east of the Cascade Range and north and west of the Columbia, and also the Okanagan region of British Columbia.[9] The Canadian portion of the river has been channelized since the mid-1950s.
Okanogan River
Okanagan River
Map of the Okanogan River, tributary of the Columbia River
The Okanagan River rises in southern British Columbia, issuing out of the southern end of Okanagan Lake, which is on the north side of the city of Penticton. It flows south past Penticton, through Skaha Lake, past Okanagan Falls, through Vaseux Lake, and past Oliver to Osoyoos and Osoyoos Lake, which spans the Canada–United States border and has its outlet into the Okanogan River at Oroville, on the southern shore of the lake, in Okanogan County. At the border the river's name (and the region and also the name of the Okanagan Highland) changes spelling from Okanagan to Okanogan. Average annual flow of the river at this point is 643 cfs (18.2 m³/s).[10]
From Oroville the Okanogan River flows south through the Okanogan County, past Okanogan and Omak. It forms the western boundary of the Colville Indian Reservation. The Okanogan River enters the Columbia River from the north, 5 miles (8 km) east of Brewster, between the Wells Dam (downstream) and the Chief Joseph Dam (upstream). The reservoir behind Wells Dam, into which the Okanogan empties, is called Lake Pateros.
The Okanogan River receives the Similkameen River from 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 Lake[11] near Wauconda and also from Aeneas Valley west of the Sanpoil. It occasionally receives water from Salmon Creek at the town of Okanogan but much of the year this water is diverted for irrigation.[12]
Historyedit
The river takes its name from the Okanagan (or Syilx) placename [ukwnaqín].[13] The name Okanagan was subsequently applied to the Syilx people themselves. Early maps of the fur trade era show the Okanagan River as the "Caledonia River", a name conferred as it was the connecting route between the Columbia District and the New Caledonia Fur District (which began north of Okanagan Lake).
Fort Okanogan, a fur-trading post opened by the Pacific Fur Company (PFC) late in 1811, was located at the river's confluence with the Columbia. The isolation and pressures caused by the War of 1812 forced the PFC to sell its property and assets to its Canadian rivals, the North West Company. The NWC was in turn merged into the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821, the latter company maintaining a presence at Fort Okanogan until the 1850s.
During the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858–1859, parties of armed miners, often at conflict with native peoples in the region, traveled the Okanagan Trail and its western branch, the Similkameen Trail, via the river. After hostilities subsided, the route continued to be important as the southern leg of the overland trail to the Cariboo Gold Rush known then by its fur trade era name as the Brigade Trail.
Okanogan River height and discharge flow near Tonasket
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Okanogan River.
January 01, 1970
okanogan, river, known, okanagan, river, canada, tributary, columbia, river, approximately, long, southern, british, columbia, north, central, washington, drains, scenic, plateau, region, called, okanagan, country, east, cascade, range, north, west, columbia, . The Okanogan River known as the Okanagan River in Canada is a tributary of the Columbia River approximately 115 mi 185 km long in southern British Columbia and north central Washington It drains a scenic plateau region called the Okanagan Country east of the Cascade Range and north and west of the Columbia and also the Okanagan region of British Columbia 9 The Canadian portion of the river has been channelized since the mid 1950s Okanogan RiverOkanagan RiverMap of the Okanogan River tributary of the Columbia RiverLocationCountriesUnited StatesCanadaStateWashingtonProvinceBritish ColumbiaCitiesPenticton BC Omak WAPhysical characteristicsSourceOkanagan Lake locationPenticton British Columbia Canada coordinates49 30 13 N 119 36 42 W 49 50361 N 119 61167 W 49 50361 119 61167 1 elevation1 122 ft 342 m 2 MouthColumbia River locationBrewster Washington United States coordinates48 5 54 N 119 44 3 W 48 09833 N 119 73417 W 48 09833 119 73417 3 elevation781 ft 238 m 4 Length115 mi 185 km 5 Basin size8 200 sq mi 21 000 km2 6 Discharge locationMalott WA 7 average3 039 cu ft s 86 1 m3 s 8 minimum288 cu ft s 8 2 m3 s maximum45 600 cu ft s 1 290 m3 s Basin featuresTributaries rightSimilkameen River Contents 1 Course 2 Tributaries 3 History 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksCourse editThe Okanagan River rises in southern British Columbia issuing out of the southern end of Okanagan Lake which is on the north side of the city of Penticton It flows south past Penticton through Skaha Lake past Okanagan Falls through Vaseux Lake and past Oliver to Osoyoos and Osoyoos Lake which spans the Canada United States border and has its outlet into the Okanogan River at Oroville on the southern shore of the lake in Okanogan County At the border the river s name and the region and also the name of the Okanagan Highland changes spelling from Okanagan to Okanogan Average annual flow of the river at this point is 643 cfs 18 2 m s 10 From Oroville the Okanogan River flows south through the Okanogan County past Okanogan and Omak It forms the western boundary of the Colville Indian Reservation The Okanogan River enters the Columbia River from the north 5 miles 8 km east of Brewster between the Wells Dam downstream and the Chief Joseph Dam upstream The reservoir behind Wells Dam into which the Okanogan empties is called Lake Pateros Tributaries edit nbsp The river at Omak Washington The Okanogan River receives the Similkameen River from 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 Lake 11 near Wauconda and also from Aeneas Valley west of the Sanpoil It occasionally receives water from Salmon Creek at the town of Okanogan but much of the year this water is diverted for irrigation 12 History editThe river takes its name from the Okanagan or Syilx placename ukwnaqin 13 The name Okanagan was subsequently applied to the Syilx people themselves Early maps of the fur trade era show the Okanagan River as the Caledonia River a name conferred as it was the connecting route between the Columbia District and the New Caledonia Fur District which began north of Okanagan Lake Fort Okanogan a fur trading post opened by the Pacific Fur Company PFC late in 1811 was located at the river s confluence with the Columbia The isolation and pressures caused by the War of 1812 forced the PFC to sell its property and assets to its Canadian rivals the North West Company The NWC was in turn merged into the Hudson s Bay Company in 1821 the latter company maintaining a presence at Fort Okanogan until the 1850s During the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858 1859 parties of armed miners often at conflict with native peoples in the region traveled the Okanagan Trail and its western branch the Similkameen Trail via the river After hostilities subsided the route continued to be important as the southern leg of the overland trail to the Cariboo Gold Rush known then by its fur trade era name as the Brigade Trail See also editList of rivers of British Columbia List of rivers of Washington Okanagan Basin Water BoardReferences edit Google Earth coordinates for river s exit from Okanagan Lake Retrieved April 27 2007 Kelowna topographic map elevation relief U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Okanagan River retrieved April 27 2007 Google Earth elevation for mouth of Okanagan River Retrieved April 27 2007 Okanagan River The Columbia Gazetteer of North America 2000 Short summary for Okanogan Subbasin Archived from the original on July 20 2004 Retrieved June 5 2004 Water Data Report WA 05 1 chapter Okanagan River Basin retrieved April 20 2007 Water Data Report WA 05 1 chapter Okanagan River Basin retrieved April 20 2007 Okanagan River BC Geographical Names Annual Report to the International Joint Commission from the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control 2004 PDF Archived from the original PDF on March 3 2016 Retrieved July 12 2008 Meany Edmond S 1923 Origin of Washington Geographic Names University of Washington Press p 25 ISBN 9780598974808 Okanogan Project Washington Archived from the original on December 30 2006 Retrieved April 6 2007 Bright William 2004 Native American Placenames of the United States University of Oklahoma Press p 346 ISBN 978 0 8061 3598 4 External links editAbout Us Okanagan Basin Water Board Okanagan River Basin Okanogan River height and discharge flow near Tonasket nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Okanogan River Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Okanogan River amp oldid 1179956818, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
