Umatilla River
Encyclopedia
The Umatilla River is an 89 miles (143.2 km) tributary of the Columbia River
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. Draining
a basin of 2450 square miles (6,345.5 km²), it enters the Columbia near the city of Umatilla
in the northeastern part of the state. In downstream order, beginning at the headwaters, major tributaries of the Umatilla River are: North and South Forks of the Umatilla River, Meacham, McKay, Birch, and Butter
creeks.
The name Umatilla is derived from the Native American
name for the river, which was first recorded as Youmalolam in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
and spelled in many other ways in early books about Oregon.
at the confluence of its north and south forks in the Umatilla National Forest
of northeastern Oregon. Flowing generally west, the river receives Lick Creek and Bear Creek, both from the right before reaching the unincorporated community of Bingham Springs
. Further downstream it receives Rock Creek from the right, then Bobsled, Augur, and Ryan creeks from the left before entering the Umatilla Indian Reservation
and reaching the unincorporated
community of Gibbon
. From Gibbon to the river mouth, tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad
run parallel to the stream. Between Gibbon and Cayuse
, three creeks—Squaw, Buckaroo, and Coonskin—enter the river from the left. Downstream of Cayuse, Moonshine, Cottonwood, and Mission creeks also enter from the left.
The river flows by Mission
at about river mile
(RM) 61 or river kilometer (RK) 98, leaves the Indian reservation, and reaches the city of Pendleton
at about RM 56 (RK 90), passing under Oregon Route 11. Wildhorse Creek enters from the right, then Patawa Creek from the left. The river passes under Interstate 84
(I-84) and receives McKay Creek from the left. Shortly thereafter, Birch Creek
enters from the left about 50 miles (80.5 km) from the mouth
. Coombs Creek enters from the left about 3 miles (4.8 km) below that, and then the river, turning north, flows by Echo
and under I-84 again. The Umatilla reaches Stanfield
about 23 miles (37 km) from the mouth, then passes under Oregon Route 207
and receives Butter Creek
from the left. Reaching Hermiston
at about RM 9 (RK 14), the river flows by a United States Geological Survey
(USGS) stream gauge
about 2 miles (3 km) from the mouth, then passes under Interstate 82
and Oregon Route 730 before entering the Columbia River at Umatilla
.
The Umatilla River joins the Columbia at what is called Lake Umatilla
, a reservoir formed by the John Day Dam
on the Columbia. The confluence is 289 miles (465.1 km) from the Columbia's mouth on the Pacific Ocean
at Astoria
. McNary Dam
, another dam on the Columbia, is slightly upstream at about RM 292 (RK 470).
, fall Chinook, and Coho
salmon as well as small trout
in its upper reaches. Public access to salmon and steelhead
fishing is fairly good downstream of the Oregon Route 11 bridge. Upstream of the bridge, the river runs through the Umatilla Indian Reservation, where fishing is limited to those with a tribal permit.
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in 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 Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Draining
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...
a basin of 2450 square miles (6,345.5 km²), it enters the Columbia near the city of Umatilla
Umatilla, Oregon
Umatilla is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. It is named for the Umatilla River, which enters the Columbia River on the side of the city. The river is named after the Umatilla Tribe. The city is located on the south side of the Columbia River, and is located on U.S...
in the northeastern part of the state. In downstream order, beginning at the headwaters, major tributaries of the Umatilla River are: North and South Forks of the Umatilla River, Meacham, McKay, Birch, and Butter
Butter Creek (Oregon)
Butter Creek is a long creek in the U.S. state of Oregon. The source of the creek is at an elevation of in Umatilla National Forest, while the mouth is at an elevation of upstream of Hermiston, Oregon. Butter Creek has a watershed, and is a tributary of the Umatilla River....
creeks.
The name Umatilla is derived from the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
name for the river, which was first recorded as Youmalolam in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
and spelled in many other ways in early books about Oregon.
Course
The Umatilla River's headwaters lie in the Blue MountainsBlue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
at the confluence of its north and south forks in the Umatilla National Forest
Umatilla National Forest
The Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, covers an area of 1.4 million acres . In descending order of land area the forest is located in parts of Umatilla, Grant, Columbia, Morrow, Wallowa, Union, Garfield, Asotin, Wheeler, and Walla Walla...
of northeastern Oregon. Flowing generally west, the river receives Lick Creek and Bear Creek, both from the right before reaching the unincorporated community of Bingham Springs
Bingham Springs, Oregon
Bingham Springs is an unincorporated community in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. It is located about eight miles east of Gibbon in the Blue Mountains near the Umatilla River....
. Further downstream it receives Rock Creek from the right, then Bobsled, Augur, and Ryan creeks from the left before entering the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Umatilla Indian Reservation
The Umatilla Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in eastern Oregon in the United States, mostly located in Umatilla County, with a very small part extending south into Union County...
and reaching the unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community of Gibbon
Gibbon, Oregon
Gibbon is an unincorporated community in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. It is about 20 miles east of Pendleton on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, near the Umatilla River....
. From Gibbon to the river mouth, tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
run parallel to the stream. Between Gibbon and Cayuse
Cayuse, Oregon
Cayuse is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States, located 11 miles east of Pendleton on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The population was 59 at the 2000 census...
, three creeks—Squaw, Buckaroo, and Coonskin—enter the river from the left. Downstream of Cayuse, Moonshine, Cottonwood, and Mission creeks also enter from the left.
The river flows by Mission
Mission, Oregon
Mission is an unincorporated community in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Mission as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the...
at about river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
(RM) 61 or river kilometer (RK) 98, leaves the Indian reservation, and reaches the city of Pendleton
Pendleton, Oregon
Pendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for Vice-President in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census...
at about RM 56 (RK 90), passing under Oregon Route 11. Wildhorse Creek enters from the right, then Patawa Creek from the left. The river passes under Interstate 84
Interstate 84
Interstate 84 may refer to:*Interstate 84 , a freeway extending from Scranton, Pennsylvania to Sturbridge, Massachusetts at the Massachusetts Turnpike *Interstate 84 , a freeway extending from Portland, Oregon to Echo, Utah...
(I-84) and receives McKay Creek from the left. Shortly thereafter, Birch Creek
Birch Creek (Umatilla River)
Birch Creek is a tributary of the Umatilla River in eastern Oregon in the United States. It rises at the junction of East and West Birch Creeks south of Pilot Rock, Oregon, at the base of the Blue Mountains and flows north, through the city of Pendleton towards the Umatilla River.The Birch Creek is...
enters from the left about 50 miles (80.5 km) from the mouth
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...
. Coombs Creek enters from the left about 3 miles (4.8 km) below that, and then the river, turning north, flows by Echo
Echo, Oregon
Echo is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population was 650 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and under I-84 again. The Umatilla reaches Stanfield
Stanfield, Oregon
Stanfield is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,979 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
about 23 miles (37 km) from the mouth, then passes under Oregon Route 207
Oregon Route 207
Oregon Route 207 is an Oregon state highway running from U.S. Route 26 in Mitchell to U.S. Route 730 near Cold Springs Junction. OR 207 is long and runs north–south.Part of OR 207 is included in the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway.- Route description :...
and receives Butter Creek
Butter Creek (Oregon)
Butter Creek is a long creek in the U.S. state of Oregon. The source of the creek is at an elevation of in Umatilla National Forest, while the mouth is at an elevation of upstream of Hermiston, Oregon. Butter Creek has a watershed, and is a tributary of the Umatilla River....
from the left. Reaching Hermiston
Hermiston, Oregon
As of the census of 2010, there were 16,745 people, 4,964 households, and 3,360 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,035.4 people per square mile . There were 5,383 housing units at an average density of 832.9 per square mile...
at about RM 9 (RK 14), the river flows by a United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
(USGS) stream gauge
Stream gauge
A stream gauge, stream gage or gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water surface elevation and/or volumetric discharge are generally taken and observations of biota may also be...
about 2 miles (3 km) from the mouth, then passes under Interstate 82
Interstate 82
Interstate 82 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington to I-84 near Umatilla, Oregon in the United States. In the state of Washington, it serves the cities of Ellensburg, Yakima, and the Tri Cities , and in Oregon, it serves Umatilla and Hermiston...
and Oregon Route 730 before entering the Columbia River at Umatilla
Umatilla, Oregon
Umatilla is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. It is named for the Umatilla River, which enters the Columbia River on the side of the city. The river is named after the Umatilla Tribe. The city is located on the south side of the Columbia River, and is located on U.S...
.
The Umatilla River joins the Columbia at what is called Lake Umatilla
Lake Umatilla
Lake Umatilla is a long reservoir on the Columbia River in the United States, between the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. It was created in 1971 with the construction of John Day Dam, and stretches upstream to the McNary Dam. It lies in parts of Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, and Umatilla...
, a reservoir formed by the John Day Dam
John Day Dam
The John Day Dam is a concrete gravity run-of-the-river dam spanning the Columbia River in the northwestern United States. The dam features a navigation lock plus fish ladders on both sides. The John Day Lock has the highest lift of any U.S. lock...
on the Columbia. The confluence is 289 miles (465.1 km) from the Columbia's mouth on 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...
at Astoria
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. McNary Dam
McNary Dam
McNary Dam is a 1.4-mile long concrete gravity run-of-the-river dam which spans the Columbia River. It joins Umatilla County, Oregon with Benton County, Washington, 292 miles upriver from the mouth of the Columbia at Astoria, Oregon. It is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' McNary...
, another dam on the Columbia, is slightly upstream at about RM 292 (RK 470).
Fish
The Umatilla River supports populations of spring ChinookChinook 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...
, fall Chinook, and Coho
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:...
salmon as well as small trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
in its upper reaches. Public access to salmon and steelhead
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....
fishing is fairly good downstream of the Oregon Route 11 bridge. Upstream of the bridge, the river runs through the Umatilla Indian Reservation, where fishing is limited to those with a tribal permit.
Works cited
- McArthur, Lewis A., and McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names, 7th ed. Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
- Shewey, John (2007). Complete Angler's Guide to Oregon. Belgrade, Montana: Wilderness Adventures Press. ISBN 9-781932-09831-0.
External links
- Umatilla Watershed, "EPA Surf Your Watershed"
- Historic photos from the U.S. Forest Service