Nisqually River
Encyclopedia
The Nisqually River is a river in west central Washington in the United States
, approximately 81 miles (130.4 km) long. It drains part of the Cascade Range
southwest of Tacoma
, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier
, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound
.
The Nisqually River forms the Pierce
-Lewis
county line, as well as the boundary between Pierce and Thurston counties.
, fed by the Nisqually Glacier
on the southern side of Mt. Rainier. It flows west through Ashford
and Elbe
along Route 706
. It is then impounded for hydroelectricity
by the Alder Dam
, completed in 1944, and the La Grande Dam, completed in 1912 and rebuilt in 1945. They hold back Alder Reservoir
and La Grande Reservoir. Before the construction of the dams, a natural fish barrier prevented anadromous fish from ascending the Nisqually above what is now La Grande Reservoir.
Below Elbe, the river flows northwest through the foothills, passes near McKenna, Washington
, and through Fort Lewis
and the Nisqually Indian Reservation. The river crosses beneath Interstate 5
and into the Nisqually River Delta, which is the location of the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
. The Nisqually enters the Nisqually Reach portion of Puget Sound
approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Olympia
.
that shares its name and also lived throughout southern Puget Sound
. The Treaty of Medicine Creek
, one of the major Northwest treaties between Washington territory and the native population of Puget Sound, was signed near a creek at the site of what is now a wildlife refuge near the delta of the river. The Nisqually were moved from the river and much of the surrounding region after the signing of the treaty, settling on a reservation on Puget Sound east of Olympia
. After a period of resistance by the Nisqually tribe, including such leaders as Chief Leschi
, a new reservation three times the size of the original was established on the river.
In 1917, the US Army occupied the Nisqually reservation, ordered people from their homes, and later condemned most of the reservation to build Fort Lewis
.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Nisqually pursued their fishing rights along the river, which were stated in the Treaty of Medicine Creek but had been ignored. Nisqually tribal members, acting in concert with the nearby Puyallup tribe
, endured harassment and arrest to fish in traditional waters. This led to the 1974 Boldt Decision
that granted all native tribes in Washington state
the right to 50% of the fish within their traditional territories.
, grew on the bank of the Nisqually River. Its genome sequence was published in 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, approximately 81 miles (130.4 km) long. It drains part of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
southwest of Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
.
The Nisqually River forms the Pierce
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
-Lewis
Lewis County, Washington
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia....
county line, as well as the boundary between Pierce and Thurston counties.
Course
The river rises in southern Mount Rainier National ParkMount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...
, fed by the Nisqually Glacier
Nisqually Glacier
The Nisqually Glacier is one of the larger glaciers on the southern face of Mount Rainier in the U.S. state of Washington. The glacier is one of the most easily viewed on the mountain, and is accessible from the Paradise visitor facilities in Mount Rainier National Park. The glacier is currently...
on the southern side of Mt. Rainier. It flows west through Ashford
Ashford, Washington
Ashford is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 217 as of the 2010 census. Located just a few miles west of the main entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, it features numerous shops and accommodations for visitors...
and Elbe
Elbe, Washington
Elbe is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, Washington, United States. The population was 29 at the 2010 census.The Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church, a tiny white church built by the German immigrants who established the community, was listed on the National Register of...
along Route 706
Washington State Route 706
State Route 706 is a state highway in Pierce County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends from SR 7 in the census-designated place of Elbe east to the Longmire gate of Mount Rainier National Park.The highway formerly was part of the Tacoma – Mount Rainier branch of Primary...
. It is then impounded for hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
by the Alder Dam
Alder Dam
Alder Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Nisqually River in the U.S. state of Washington. When construction was completed in 1945, Alder Dam was among the tallest dams in the United States, although this title has already been surpassed...
, completed in 1944, and the La Grande Dam, completed in 1912 and rebuilt in 1945. They hold back Alder Reservoir
Alder Lake
Alder Lake is a long reservoir on the Nisqually River in the U.S. state of Washington, which was created following the construction of Alder Dam in 1945. At the very eastern end of the lake is the town of Elbe, Washington....
and La Grande Reservoir. Before the construction of the dams, a natural fish barrier prevented anadromous fish from ascending the Nisqually above what is now La Grande Reservoir.
Below Elbe, the river flows northwest through the foothills, passes near McKenna, Washington
McKenna, Washington
McKenna is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, Washington, United States, located on State Route 507 and the Nisqually River, east of Yelm.Founded around 1908, McKenna is a former timber company town....
, and through Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
and the Nisqually Indian Reservation. The river crosses beneath Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in Washington
Interstate 5 in Washington is a highway in the U.S. state of Washington that extends from its border with Oregon to its border with Canada...
and into the Nisqually River Delta, which is the location of the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the Nisqually River Delta near Puget Sound in northeastern Thurston County, Washington and northwestern Pierce County, Washington...
. The Nisqually enters the Nisqually Reach portion of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
.
History
The Nisqually River is the traditional territorial center of the Nisqually tribeNisqually (tribe)
Nisqually is a Lushootseed Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. The tribe lives on a reservation in the Nisqually River valley near the river delta. The Nisqually Indian Reservation, at , comprises 20.602 km² of land area on both sides of the river, in...
that shares its name and also lived throughout southern Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
. The Treaty of Medicine Creek
Treaty of Medicine Creek
The Treaty of Medicine Creek was an 1854 treaty between the United States, and the Nisqually, Puyallup and Squaxin Island tribes, along with six other smaller Native American tribes.-Site:...
, one of the major Northwest treaties between Washington territory and the native population of Puget Sound, was signed near a creek at the site of what is now a wildlife refuge near the delta of the river. The Nisqually were moved from the river and much of the surrounding region after the signing of the treaty, settling on a reservation on Puget Sound east of Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. After a period of resistance by the Nisqually tribe, including such leaders as Chief Leschi
Chief Leschi
Chief Leschi was chief of the Nisqually Native American tribe. He was hanged for murder in 1858, but exonerated in 2004.-Life:...
, a new reservation three times the size of the original was established on the river.
In 1917, the US Army occupied the Nisqually reservation, ordered people from their homes, and later condemned most of the reservation to build Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Nisqually pursued their fishing rights along the river, which were stated in the Treaty of Medicine Creek but had been ignored. Nisqually tribal members, acting in concert with the nearby Puyallup tribe
Puyallup (tribe)
The Puyallup are a Coast Salish Native American tribe from western Washington state, U.S.A. They were forcibly relocated onto reservation lands in what is today Tacoma, Washington, in late 1854, after signing the Treaty of Medicine Creek. The Puyallup Indian Reservation today is one of the most...
, endured harassment and arrest to fish in traditional waters. This led to the 1974 Boldt Decision
Boldt Decision
United States v. Washington, 384 F. Supp. 312 , was a 1974 court case which affirmed the right of most of the tribes in Washington to continue to harvest salmon...
that granted all native tribes in Washington state
Washington State
Washington State may refer to:* Washington , often referred to as "Washington state" to differentiate it from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States* Washington State University, a land-grant college in that state- See also :...
the right to 50% of the fish within their traditional territories.
Ecology
"Nisqually-1", a specimen of Populus trichocarpaPopulus trichocarpa
Populus trichocarpa is a deciduous broadleaf tree species native to western North America. It is used for timber, and is notable as a model organism in plant biology. Its full genome sequence was published in 2006...
, grew on the bank of the Nisqually River. Its genome sequence was published in 2006.
Tributaries
- Van Trump CreekVan Trump CreekVan Trump Creek, also called Van Trump Falls Creek or the Van Trump Fork of the Nisqually River, is a creek in Pierce County, Washington. It is a tributary of the Nisqually River, joining the river just above the mouth of the Paradise River...
- Paradise RiverParadise RiverThe Paradise River is a small, short but swift river in Pierce County, Washington. It is the first major tributary of the Nisqually River. Located entirely within the bounds of Mount Rainier National Park, it is notable for its waterfalls, a total of eight....
- Muck Creek
- Yelm Creek
- Tanwax Creek
- Ohop Creek
- Mashel RiverMashel RiverThe Mashel River is a river in Pierce County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Nisqually River, which it enters about northwest of Eatonville, at Nisqually river mile 39.6.- Course :...
- Little Nisqually River
- East Creek
- Mineral Creek
- Big Creek
- Kautz CreekKautz CreekKautz Creek is a tributary of the Nisqually River, flowing from the Kautz Glacier, with its watershed in the Mount Rainier National Park of Washington. It drains southwest from Mount Rainier for about before it joins the Nisqually River near Mount Rainier Highway. It is notable for being a severe...
Cities and towns on the Nisqually
- YelmYelm, WashingtonYelm is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,848 at the 2010 census. Yelm ranked 10th of 279 eligible incorporated communities in the state of Washington for population growth between 2000 and 2010.-History:...
- McKennaMcKenna, WashingtonMcKenna is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, Washington, United States, located on State Route 507 and the Nisqually River, east of Yelm.Founded around 1908, McKenna is a former timber company town....
- ElbeElbe, WashingtonElbe is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, Washington, United States. The population was 29 at the 2010 census.The Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church, a tiny white church built by the German immigrants who established the community, was listed on the National Register of...
- AshfordAshford, WashingtonAshford is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 217 as of the 2010 census. Located just a few miles west of the main entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, it features numerous shops and accommodations for visitors...
External links
- Nisqually River Council
- Nisqually Land Trust
- Nisqually River flooding information, Thurston County Emergency Management