Hoquiam River
Encyclopedia
The Hoquiam River is a stream in the U.S. state
of Washington. It has three main tributaries, the East Fork, West Fork, and Middle Fork Hoquiam Rivers. The main stem Hoquiam River is formed by the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the West Fork.
Most of the river's watershed
lies within the Weyerhaeuser
Twin Harbors Tree Farm. The City of Hoquiam
owns 7500 acres (30.4 km²) of the watershed, including reservoirs on Davis Creek and the West Fork Hoquiam River. This system is used to meet Hoquiam's municipal water needs.
Along with neighboring watersheds, the Hoquiam River flows through one of the most biomass-productive zones in the world and an important forestry region. Most of the original and second-growth forests have been cut. Douglas-fir
plantations have been established through the area.
. It flows generally south to Hoquiam
, where it empties into Grays Harbor, an estuary
of the Pacific Ocean
. The river has several significant tributaries, including the North, East, and Middle Forks, the Little Hoquiam River, and the North Fork Little Hoquiam River. These various tributaries unite near the coast, making the main stem Hoquiam River fairly short, relative to its tributaries.
The East, West, and Middle Forks all originate north of Grays Harbor and flow generally south. The East Fork Hoquiam River is the longest, at 22 mi (35.4 km) long. It joins the West Fork to form the main stem Hoquiam River near Hoquiam and Aberdeen
. The West Fork and Middle Fork are both 9 mi (14.5 km) long. The West Fork is paralleled by U.S. Route 101
. It joins the East Fork is form the main stem Hoquiam River. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the West Fork.
The mainstem Hoquiam River, formed by the confluence of the East and West Forks, flows south for 6 mi (9.7 km) before emptying into Grays Harbor.
Other tributaries include the Little Hoquiam River, which originates west of Hoquiam and flows east for 6 mi (9.7 km) before joining the West Fork Hoquiam River just upstream from the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Little Hoquiam River's main tributary is the North Fork Little Hoquiam River, which is approximately as long as the Little Hoquiam River itself.
, Chum salmon
, Coho salmon
, steelhead trout
, and sea-run Cutthroat trout
. Barriers such as culverts have been removed or replaced in recent years, allowing fish to migrate upstream farther and more easily.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. It has three main tributaries, the East Fork, West Fork, and Middle Fork Hoquiam Rivers. The main stem Hoquiam River is formed by the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the West Fork.
Most of the river's watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
lies within the Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
Twin Harbors Tree Farm. The City of Hoquiam
Hoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington state, United States. The town borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity...
owns 7500 acres (30.4 km²) of the watershed, including reservoirs on Davis Creek and the West Fork Hoquiam River. This system is used to meet Hoquiam's municipal water needs.
Along with neighboring watersheds, the Hoquiam River flows through one of the most biomass-productive zones in the world and an important forestry region. Most of the original and second-growth forests have been cut. Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
plantations have been established through the area.
Course
The Hoquiam River rises in Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County, Washington
Grays Harbor County is a county in the state of Washington, in the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 72,797. The county seat is at Montesano, and its largest city is Aberdeen. The county is named after a large estuarine bay near its southwestern corner...
. It flows generally south to Hoquiam
Hoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington state, United States. The town borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity...
, where it empties into Grays Harbor, an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The river has several significant tributaries, including the North, East, and Middle Forks, the Little Hoquiam River, and the North Fork Little Hoquiam River. These various tributaries unite near the coast, making the main stem Hoquiam River fairly short, relative to its tributaries.
The East, West, and Middle Forks all originate north of Grays Harbor and flow generally south. The East Fork Hoquiam River is the longest, at 22 mi (35.4 km) long. It joins the West Fork to form the main stem Hoquiam River near Hoquiam and Aberdeen
Aberdeen, Washington
Aberdeen is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States, founded by Samuel Benn in 1884. Aberdeen was incorporated on May 12, 1890. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis...
. The West Fork and Middle Fork are both 9 mi (14.5 km) long. The West Fork is paralleled by U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
. It joins the East Fork is form the main stem Hoquiam River. The Middle Fork is a tributary of the West Fork.
The mainstem Hoquiam River, formed by the confluence of the East and West Forks, flows south for 6 mi (9.7 km) before emptying into Grays Harbor.
Other tributaries include the Little Hoquiam River, which originates west of Hoquiam and flows east for 6 mi (9.7 km) before joining the West Fork Hoquiam River just upstream from the confluence of the West and East Forks. The Little Hoquiam River's main tributary is the North Fork Little Hoquiam River, which is approximately as long as the Little Hoquiam River itself.
Natural history
The Hoquiam River and its tributaries support runs of Chinook salmonChinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, Chum salmon
Chum salmon
The chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is a Pacific salmon, and may also be known as dog salmon or Keta salmon, and is often marketed under the name Silverbrite salmon...
, Coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, steelhead trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, and sea-run Cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
. Barriers such as culverts have been removed or replaced in recent years, allowing fish to migrate upstream farther and more easily.