Ivishak River
Encyclopedia
The Ivishak River is a 95 miles (153 km) long river
in the North Slope Borough
of the U.S. state
of Alaska
. Fed by glaciers at the headwaters, the Ivishak flows north, through the Philip Smith Mountains and the northern foothills of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
, and joins the Sagavanirktok River
on the coastal plain south of Prudhoe Bay.
On December 2, 1980, 80 miles (129 km) of the Ivishak was designated a National Wild and Scenic River
. This designation protects the river from its source, including all headwaters and an unnamed tributary from Porcupine Lake, within the boundary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the North Slope Borough
North Slope Borough, Alaska
-National protected areas:* Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge ** Cape Lisburne** Cape Thompson* Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ** Mollie Beattie Wilderness * Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve...
of the U.S. state
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 Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. Fed by glaciers at the headwaters, the Ivishak flows north, through the Philip Smith Mountains and the northern foothills of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country, slightly larger than the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge...
, and joins the Sagavanirktok River
Sagavanirktok River
The Sagavanirktok River is a river in Alaska's North Slope. It is approximately 180 miles long, and originates on the north slope of the Brooks Range, flowing north to the Beaufort Sea near Prudhoe Bay. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and Dalton Highway roughly parallel it from Atigun Pass to...
on the coastal plain south of Prudhoe Bay.
On December 2, 1980, 80 miles (129 km) of the Ivishak was designated a National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
. This designation protects the river from its source, including all headwaters and an unnamed tributary from Porcupine Lake, within the boundary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
See also
- List of Alaska rivers
- List of National Wild and Scenic Rivers