Siuslaw River
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Siuslaw River [pronounced sigh YOU slaw] is a river, approximately 110 mi (177 km) long, along the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States. It drains an area of approximately 4560 sq mi (11900 km²) in the Coastal Range southwest of the Willamette Valley and north of the watershed of the Umpqua River.
It rises in the Coastal Range of southwestern Lane County, approximately 5 mi (8 km) west of Cottage Grove. It flows generally WNW through the mountains, past Swisshome, entering the Pacific at Florence.
The valley of the river has been historically one of the productive timber regions in Oregon. The lower course of the river passes through Siuslaw National Forest.
The Coos Bay branch of the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad crosses many bridges as it follows the narrow, winding valley of the Siuslaw River to the swing bridge at Cushman.
The river has historically been a spawning ground for both Chinook and Coho salmon. Although the present Chinook population is healthy, the Coho is a mere 5% of its historic numbers. The estuary of the river is surrounded by extensive wetlands that are a significant habitat for migratory birds along the coast.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Oregon Coastal Atlas: Siuslaw River estuary
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Siuslaw River and Bar
- McKenzie River Trust: Siuslaw river
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
