Mulchatna River
Encyclopedia
The Mulchatna River is a river
in Alaska
.
The Mulchatna River is located in Southwest Alaska. Its headwaters are in Turquoise Lake, in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
. The 24 miles of the river within the park are designated as a National Wild and Scenic River
. Aside from scattered cabins, the Mulchatna River is wild and undeveloped. However, there is a proposal to build a large copper/gold mine, the Pebble Mine
, on one of its tributaries.
All five species of Pacific Salmon
spawn in the Mulchatna River. Major tributaries include the Koktuli and Stuyahok Rivers. The Mulchatna joins the Nushagak River
just south of the village of Koliganek
. The Nushagak then empties into Bristol Bay
.
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 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...
.
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southwestern Alaska. The park includes many streams and lakes vital to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery...
. The 24 miles of the river within the park are designated as 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...
. Aside from scattered cabins, the Mulchatna River is wild and undeveloped. However, there is a proposal to build a large copper/gold mine, the Pebble Mine
Pebble Mine
Pebble Mine is the common name of an advanced mineral exploration project investigating a very large porphyry copper, gold, and molybdenum mineral deposit in the Bristol Bay region of Southwest Alaska, near Lake Iliamna and Lake Clark. The proposal to mine the ore deposit, using large-scale...
, on one of its tributaries.
All five species of Pacific Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
spawn in the Mulchatna River. Major tributaries include the Koktuli and Stuyahok Rivers. The Mulchatna joins the Nushagak River
Nushagak River
The Nushagak River is a river in southwest Alaska, USA. It begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest to Nushagak Bay, an inlet of Bristol Bay, east of Dillingham, Alaska.The Mulchatna River is a major tributary...
just south of the village of Koliganek
Koliganek, Alaska
Koliganek is a census-designated place in Dillingham Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 182.-Geography:Koliganek is located at ....
. The Nushagak then empties into Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay is the eastern-most arm of the Bering Sea, at 57° to 59° North 157° to 162° West in Southwest Alaska. Bristol Bay is 400 km long and 290 km, wide at its mouth...
.