Teton River (Idaho)
Encyclopedia
The Teton River is an 81.5 miles (131.2 km) tributary
of the Henrys Fork of the Snake River
in southeastern Idaho
in the United States
. It drains through the Teton Valley along the west side of the Teton Range
along the Idaho-Wyoming
border at the eastern end of the Snake River Plain
. Its location along the western flank of the Tetons provides the river with more rainfall than many other rivers of the region.
in Teton County, Idaho
, near the Wyoming state line, by the convergence of several small creeks that descend from surrounding mountains. Several of these creeks, including Teton Creek and Darby Creek, descend from the western flank of the Tetons. Trail Creek descends from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest
in Idaho, meeting the other creeks from the south. The river flows north in a slow meandering course through a broad flat valley called the Teton Basin (formerly known as "Pierre's Hole
"), flanked by the Teton Range to the east and the Big Hole Mountains to the west. Much of the river's upper course in the Teton Basin is surrounded by extensive wetlands.
After emerging from the north end of the Teton Basin, the Teton River enters the nearly inaccessible Teton Canyon, approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) long, along the Teton-Fremont
county line. There it is joined by Badger Creek and Bitch Creek from the east, then turns west, and is joined by Canyon Creek from the south. After passing through the failed Teton Dam
site, just north of Teton
, the Teton River bifurcates into two distributaries
, called the South Fork Teton River (also called the South Teton River) and the North Fork Teton River (also called the Teton River). The South Teton River travels generally south west until it joins Henrys Fork west of Rexburg
at the southwest end of a large inland delta
region on the Henrys Fork, essentially merging with the delta from the east as one of its channels. The Teton River itself (North Fork Teton) continues to travel west, where it joins the Henrys Fork at Warm Slough.
s to the region in the 1820s, the area was inhabited by the Shoshone
and various related tribes. The lushness of the Teton Basin provided prime area for the fur trade
, attracting many other tribes to region, including the Nez Perce, Flathead and the Gros Ventre. At the time, the basin was part of the disputed Oregon Country
. The resulting friction between the trading groups led to recurring skirmishes in the basin. In 1832, a trade rendezvous gone awry resulted in the Battle of Pierre's Hole between the Gros Ventre and a party of American trappers, led by William Sublette
and aided by their Nez Perce and Flathead allies. In the brief but bloody battle at least twenty-six Gros Ventres were killed, including women and children, and perhaps a dozen whites and Flatheads. Sublette receives severe injuries and returned east to the United States for medical care.
The most famous modern incident along the river occurred on June 5, 1976 when the earthen Teton Dam
in Teton Canyon collapsed, killing 11 people in the valley below. The force of water due to the dam failure destroyed the lower part of the Teton River, washing away riparian zone
s and reducing the canyon walls. This seriously damaged the stream ecology, and the native cutthroat trout
population has been endangered. The force of the water and excessive sediment also damaged stream habitat in the Snake River
and some tributaries.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Henrys Fork of the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
in southeastern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains through the Teton Valley along the west side of the Teton Range
Teton Range
The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is on the Wyoming side of the state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the range is in Grand Teton National Park....
along the Idaho-Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
border at the eastern end of the Snake River Plain
Snake River Plain
The Snake River Plain is a geologic feature located primarily within the state of Idaho in the United States of America. It stretches about westward from northwest of the state of Wyoming to the Idaho-Oregon border. The plain is a wide flat bow-shaped depression, and covers about a quarter of Idaho...
. Its location along the western flank of the Tetons provides the river with more rainfall than many other rivers of the region.
Course
The Teton River is formed near VictorVictor, Idaho
Victor is a city in Teton County, Idaho, United States. The population was 840 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson, WY-ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Victor is located at...
in Teton County, Idaho
Teton County, Idaho
Teton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1915, it was named after the Teton Mountains. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 5,999...
, near the Wyoming state line, by the convergence of several small creeks that descend from surrounding mountains. Several of these creeks, including Teton Creek and Darby Creek, descend from the western flank of the Tetons. Trail Creek descends from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Caribou-Targhee National Forest is located in the states of Idaho and Wyoming, with a small section in Utah in the United States. The forest is broken into several separate sections and extends over . To the east the forest borders Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and...
in Idaho, meeting the other creeks from the south. The river flows north in a slow meandering course through a broad flat valley called the Teton Basin (formerly known as "Pierre's Hole
Pierre's Hole
Pierre's Hole, a shallow valley west of the Teton Range that collects the headwaters of the Teton River in what is today the state of Idaho, was a strategic center of the fur trade of the northern Rocky Mountains...
"), flanked by the Teton Range to the east and the Big Hole Mountains to the west. Much of the river's upper course in the Teton Basin is surrounded by extensive wetlands.
After emerging from the north end of the Teton Basin, the Teton River enters the nearly inaccessible Teton Canyon, approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) long, along the Teton-Fremont
Fremont County, Idaho
Fremont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1893, and was named for the explorer John C. Frémont. As of the 2000 census the county had a population of 11,819 . The county seat and largest city is St. Anthony...
county line. There it is joined by Badger Creek and Bitch Creek from the east, then turns west, and is joined by Canyon Creek from the south. After passing through the failed Teton Dam
Teton Dam
The Teton Dam was a federally built earthen dam on the Teton River in southeastern Idaho, set between Fremont and Madison counties, USA, which when filling for the first time suffered a catastrophic failure on June 5, 1976. The collapse of the dam resulted in the deaths of 11 peopleand 13,000 head...
site, just north of Teton
Teton, Idaho
Teton is a city in Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The population was 569 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Rexburg, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Teton is located at ....
, the Teton River bifurcates into two distributaries
Distributary
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. They are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributary is a tributary...
, called the South Fork Teton River (also called the South Teton River) and the North Fork Teton River (also called the Teton River). The South Teton River travels generally south west until it joins Henrys Fork west of Rexburg
Rexburg, Idaho
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,257 people, 4,274 households, and 2,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,534.4 people per square mile . There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 928.4 per square mile...
at the southwest end of a large inland delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
region on the Henrys Fork, essentially merging with the delta from the east as one of its channels. The Teton River itself (North Fork Teton) continues to travel west, where it joins the Henrys Fork at Warm Slough.
History
At the time of the arrival of the EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s to the region in the 1820s, the area was inhabited by the Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
and various related tribes. The lushness of the Teton Basin provided prime area for the fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
, attracting many other tribes to region, including the Nez Perce, Flathead and the Gros Ventre. At the time, the basin was part of the disputed Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. The resulting friction between the trading groups led to recurring skirmishes in the basin. In 1832, a trade rendezvous gone awry resulted in the Battle of Pierre's Hole between the Gros Ventre and a party of American trappers, led by William Sublette
William Sublette
William Lewis Sublette Born near Stamford, Lincoln County, Kentucky on September 21, 1798. Died on July 23, 1845 in Pittsburg. W.L. Sublette was a fur trapper, pioneer and mountain man, who with his brothers after 1823 became an agent of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company exploiting the riches of the...
and aided by their Nez Perce and Flathead allies. In the brief but bloody battle at least twenty-six Gros Ventres were killed, including women and children, and perhaps a dozen whites and Flatheads. Sublette receives severe injuries and returned east to the United States for medical care.
The most famous modern incident along the river occurred on June 5, 1976 when the earthen Teton Dam
Teton Dam
The Teton Dam was a federally built earthen dam on the Teton River in southeastern Idaho, set between Fremont and Madison counties, USA, which when filling for the first time suffered a catastrophic failure on June 5, 1976. The collapse of the dam resulted in the deaths of 11 peopleand 13,000 head...
in Teton Canyon collapsed, killing 11 people in the valley below. The force of water due to the dam failure destroyed the lower part of the Teton River, washing away riparian zone
Riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
s and reducing the canyon walls. This seriously damaged the stream ecology, and the native 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...
population has been endangered. The force of the water and excessive sediment also damaged stream habitat in the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
and some tributaries.
External links
- Natianel Wyeth Route: Description of Pierre's Hole
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Teton River Geomorphology and Hydraulics Report
- Trout Unlimited: Teton River
- Teton River Subbasin Assessment, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality