The river's headwaters are located at the confluence of the Chisana and Nabesna rivers just north of Northway in eastern Alaska.[8] The Tanana flows in a northwest direction from near the border with the Yukon Territory, and laterally along the northern slope of the Alaska Range, roughly paralleled by the Alaska Highway.[8] In central Alaska, it emerges into a lowland marsh region known as the Tanana Valley and passes south of the city of Fairbanks.[8]
In the marsh regions it is joined by several large tributaries, including the Nenana (near the city of Nenana) and the Kantishna. It passes the village of Manley Hot Springs and empties into the Yukon near the town of Tanana.[8]
Ice on the river accumulates each winter to an average maximum thickness of 43 inches (110 cm) at Nenana.[9] The Nenana Ice Classic, begun in 1917, is an annual guessing game about the date of the ice break-up.[9] In October or November, after the freeze has begun, a tripod is planted in ice in the middle of the river. The tripod is connected to an on-shore clock that stops when the tripod begins to move during the spring thaw. Over the years, the break-up date has varied from April 20 to May 20.[9] Betting on the exact time of the break-up takes the form of a lottery, called the Nenana Ice Classic.
Human habitation of the Yukon basin, including the Tanana watershed, began more than 12,000 years ago.[10] Several sites in the watershed have produced evidence of occupation by Paleo-Arctic people. Later residents include people of the Tanana tribe, which has had a presence in the region for 1,200 years.[10]
In the summer of 1885, Lieutenant Henry Tureman Allen of the U.S. Army undertook the first recorded exploration of the Tanana River. In 1883, Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka and his party had entered the Yukon watershed by way of Canada and floated to the mouth of the Yukon. Allen's goal was to find an all-Alaska route to the Yukon River. He and his men ascended the Copper River, crossed into Tanana River drainage, and descended the Tanana to the Yukon and down it to the mouth. During the five-month trip, the Allen party mapped the courses of the Copper, Tanana, and Koyukuk rivers.[11]
In the early 21st century, the basin is largely wilderness unchanged by human activity. Fairbanks, a metropolitan area with about 100,000 residents in 2019, is a center of placer gold mining, which has continued in the basin since the mid-19th century. Limited farming also occurs in the valley near Fairbanks.[10]
During World War II, it was proposed to send Finnish refugees around the Tanana River (Operation Alaska).[12]
Nenana Ice Classic
Since the early 1900s, Alaskans have been gambling on when the river would melt. Each year, thousands pay $2.50 to guess the exact date and minute the Tanana River ice will go out in Nenana. The Nenana Ice Classic is a fundraiser for local charities and has awarded some large prizes. In 2010, after the ice went out on April 29, three lottery winners split a jackpot of $279,030.[13] In 2012, the record prize was $350,000.[14]
Major tributaries (in descending order of elevation)
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline crosses beneath several rivers, but has a pipeline bridge where it crosses the Tanana just north of Delta Junction.
Tanana River in winter, 10 miles (16 km) west of Fairbanks
^The main-stem length is calculated by subtracting the length of the Nabesna River from the length, 659 mi (1,061 km), listed by J.C. Kammerer in "Largest Rivers in the United States".[4] The Nabesna River is roughly 75 mi (121 km) long, calculated by adding the 60 mi (97 km) from the Nabesna mouth to Camp Creek[5] to the distance, 15 mi (24 km), from Camp Creek to Nabesna Glacier,[6] Kammerer's most remote source for the Tanana.
References
^ abc"Tanana River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. January 1, 2000. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
^Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
^Kammerer, J.C. (September 1, 2005). "Largest Rivers in the United States". United States Geological Survey. from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
^Irwin, Thomas (October 3, 2005). (PDF). U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
^Alaska Atlas and Gazetteer (Map) (7th ed.). DeLorme. 2010. p. 98. ISBN0-89933-289-7.
^Bright, William (2004). Native American placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 478. ISBN978-0-8061-3598-4. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
^ abcdAlaska Atlas and Gazetteer (Map) (7th ed.). DeLorme. 2010. pp. 107–09, 112–17, 122. ISBN0-89933-289-7.
^ abc"Nenana Ice Classic: Tanana River Ice Annual Breakup Dates". National Snow and Ice Data Center. from the original on March 14, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
^. Alaska Humanities Forum. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
^"Researcher: US Planned "New Finland" for Refugees in Alaska". Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
^"Push begins for online Ice Classic ticket sales". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Juneau Empire. April 3, 2011. from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
^"Kenai couple claims $318,500 Nenana Ice Classic jackpot | Alaska Dispatch". from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
Works cited
Benke, Arthur C., ed., and Cushing, Colbert E., ed. (2005). Rivers of North America. Burlington, Massachusetts: Elsevier Academic Press. ISBN0-12-088253-1.
January 24, 2023
tanana, river, ɑː, lower, tanana, eetoo, upper, tanana, iitu, niign, mile, tributary, yukon, river, state, alaska, according, linguist, anthropologist, william, bright, name, from, koyukon, athabaskan, tene, tenene, literally, trail, river, near, fairbanks, al. The Tanana River ˈ t ae n e n ɑː Lower Tanana Tth eetoo Upper Tanana Tth iitu Niign is a 584 mile 940 km tributary of the Yukon River in the U S state of Alaska n 1 According to linguist and anthropologist William Bright the name is from the Koyukon Athabaskan tene no tenene literally trail river 7 Tanana RiverTanana River near Fairbanks AlaskaCourse of the Tanana River formed by the shorter Nabesna River left and Chisana River right then flowing northwest to meet the Yukon RiverEtymologyfrom the Koyukon Athabaskan tene no tenene meaning trail river Native nameTth iitu Niign Upper Tanana Tth eetoo Lower Tanana LocationCountryUnited StatesStateAlaskaDistrictSoutheast Fairbanks Census Area Fairbanks North Star Borough Yukon Koyukuk Census AreaPhysical characteristicsSourceconfluence of the Nabesna and Chisana rivers locationNorthway Junction Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge coordinates63 02 57 N 141 51 52 W 63 04917 N 141 86444 W 63 04917 141 86444 1 elevation1 672 ft 510 m 2 MouthYukon River locationnear Tanana coordinates65 09 38 N 151 57 37 W 65 16056 N 151 96028 W 65 16056 151 96028 Coordinates 65 09 38 N 151 57 37 W 65 16056 N 151 96028 W 65 16056 151 96028 1 elevation200 ft 61 m 1 Length584 mi 940 km Basin size44 000 sq mi 110 000 km2 3 Discharge locationmouth 3 average41 800 cu ft s 1 180 m3 s 3 The river s headwaters are located at the confluence of the Chisana and Nabesna rivers just north of Northway in eastern Alaska 8 The Tanana flows in a northwest direction from near the border with the Yukon Territory and laterally along the northern slope of the Alaska Range roughly paralleled by the Alaska Highway 8 In central Alaska it emerges into a lowland marsh region known as the Tanana Valley and passes south of the city of Fairbanks 8 In the marsh regions it is joined by several large tributaries including the Nenana near the city of Nenana and the Kantishna It passes the village of Manley Hot Springs and empties into the Yukon near the town of Tanana 8 Ice on the river accumulates each winter to an average maximum thickness of 43 inches 110 cm at Nenana 9 The Nenana Ice Classic begun in 1917 is an annual guessing game about the date of the ice break up 9 In October or November after the freeze has begun a tripod is planted in ice in the middle of the river The tripod is connected to an on shore clock that stops when the tripod begins to move during the spring thaw Over the years the break up date has varied from April 20 to May 20 9 Betting on the exact time of the break up takes the form of a lottery called the Nenana Ice Classic Contents 1 History 2 Nenana Ice Classic 3 Major tributaries in descending order of elevation 4 See also 5 Notes and references 6 Works citedHistory EditHuman habitation of the Yukon basin including the Tanana watershed began more than 12 000 years ago 10 Several sites in the watershed have produced evidence of occupation by Paleo Arctic people Later residents include people of the Tanana tribe which has had a presence in the region for 1 200 years 10 In the summer of 1885 Lieutenant Henry Tureman Allen of the U S Army undertook the first recorded exploration of the Tanana River In 1883 Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka and his party had entered the Yukon watershed by way of Canada and floated to the mouth of the Yukon Allen s goal was to find an all Alaska route to the Yukon River He and his men ascended the Copper River crossed into Tanana River drainage and descended the Tanana to the Yukon and down it to the mouth During the five month trip the Allen party mapped the courses of the Copper Tanana and Koyukuk rivers 11 In the early 21st century the basin is largely wilderness unchanged by human activity Fairbanks a metropolitan area with about 100 000 residents in 2019 is a center of placer gold mining which has continued in the basin since the mid 19th century Limited farming also occurs in the valley near Fairbanks 10 During World War II it was proposed to send Finnish refugees around the Tanana River Operation Alaska 12 Nenana Ice Classic EditSince the early 1900s Alaskans have been gambling on when the river would melt Each year thousands pay 2 50 to guess the exact date and minute the Tanana River ice will go out in Nenana The Nenana Ice Classic is a fundraiser for local charities and has awarded some large prizes In 2010 after the ice went out on April 29 three lottery winners split a jackpot of 279 030 13 In 2012 the record prize was 350 000 14 Major tributaries in descending order of elevation Edit The Trans Alaska Pipeline crosses beneath several rivers but has a pipeline bridge where it crosses the Tanana just north of Delta Junction Tanana River in winter 10 miles 16 km west of Fairbanks Bridge over the Tanana River in Nenana Chisana River Nabesna River Kalutna River Tok River Robertson River Johnson River Little Gerstle River Healy River Volkmar River Gerstle River Clearwater Creek Goodpaster River Delta River Delta Creek Little Delta River Salcha River Little Salcha River Chena River North Fork South Fork Wood River Tatlanika River Nenana River Teklanika River Seventeen Mile Slough Tolovana River Kantishna River Zitziana River Cosna River Chitanana RiverSee also EditList of rivers of Alaska List of longest rivers of the United States by main stem Notes and references EditNotes The main stem length is calculated by subtracting the length of the Nabesna River from the length 659 mi 1 061 km listed by J C Kammerer in Largest Rivers in the United States 4 The Nabesna River is roughly 75 mi 121 km long calculated by adding the 60 mi 97 km from the Nabesna mouth to Camp Creek 5 to the distance 15 mi 24 km from Camp Creek to Nabesna Glacier 6 Kammerer s most remote source for the Tanana References a b c Tanana River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey January 1 2000 Retrieved April 28 2011 Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates a b c Benke and Cushing p 797 Kammerer J C September 1 2005 Largest Rivers in the United States United States Geological Survey Archived from the original on January 29 2017 Retrieved April 28 2011 Irwin Thomas October 3 2005 Recordable Disclaimer of Interest Application for the Nabesna River PDF U S Bureau of Land Management Archived from the original PDF on October 19 2012 Retrieved February 19 2011 Alaska Atlas and Gazetteer Map 7th ed DeLorme 2010 p 98 ISBN 0 89933 289 7 Bright William 2004 Native American placenames of the United States University of Oklahoma Press p 478 ISBN 978 0 8061 3598 4 Retrieved 11 April 2011 a b c d Alaska Atlas and Gazetteer Map 7th ed DeLorme 2010 pp 107 09 112 17 122 ISBN 0 89933 289 7 a b c Nenana Ice Classic Tanana River Ice Annual Breakup Dates National Snow and Ice Data Center Archived from the original on March 14 2011 Retrieved April 28 2011 a b c Benke and Cushing p 787 America s Territory Exploration and Mapping of Alaska s Land Alaska Humanities Forum Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved April 28 2011 Researcher US Planned New Finland for Refugees in Alaska Yle Uutiset Retrieved 2021 05 26 Push begins for online Ice Classic ticket sales Fairbanks Daily News Miner Juneau Empire April 3 2011 Archived from the original on December 3 2011 Retrieved April 28 2011 Kenai couple claims 318 500 Nenana Ice Classic jackpot Alaska Dispatch Archived from the original on 2013 12 02 Retrieved 2013 11 26 Works cited EditBenke Arthur C ed and Cushing Colbert E ed 2005 Rivers of North America Burlington Massachusetts Elsevier Academic Press ISBN 0 12 088253 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tanana River amp oldid 1105546821, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
