Little Luckiamute River
Encyclopedia
The Little Luckiamute River is a stream in Polk County
in the U.S. state of Oregon
. It rises in the Central Oregon Coast Range
near Fanno Peak and joins the Luckiamute River
about 4 miles (6 km) upstream of the Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site
southwest of Monmouth
.
Flowing generally east from its source near Fanno Peak, the river parallels Fanno Ridge, which is to the right. Lost Creek enters from the left at a rapids, and Camp Creek enters from the left 20.6 miles (33.2 km) from the mouth. About 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) further on, the river passes over a waterfall. Approaching the unincorporated community of Black Rock, Little Luckiamute River receives Black Rock Creek from the left at river mile
(RM) 17 or river kilometer (RK) 27. For several miles starting at Black Rock, the George T. Gerlinger
Experimental Forest is on the river's left. Sam's Creek enters from the left about 1 miles (1.6 km) downstream of Black Rock.
Gerlinger County Park is on the right at RM 15 (RK 24). Dutch Creek enters from the left and Berry Creek from the right before the river reaches Falls City Falls and Falls City
about 13 miles (20.9 km) from the mouth. At the falls, the river plunges 25 to 35 ft (7.6 to 10.7 m) into a gorge within a city park.
Turning southeast, the river receives Waymire Creek from the left, then Teal Creek from the right, then passes under Oregon Route 223 at about RM 8 (RK 13). Fern Creek enters from the left just beyond Route 223, and Cooper Creek enters from the left about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the mouth. The Little Luckiamute River meets the Luckiamute River about 18 miles (29 km) from the larger river's confluence with the Willamette River
.
The upper river supports catch-and-release fishing for wild cutthroat trout
ranging in size from 6 to 13 in (15.2 to 33 cm).
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
in the U.S. state 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...
. It rises in the Central Oregon Coast Range
Central Oregon Coast Range
The Central Oregon Coast Range is the middle section of the Oregon Coast Range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, and located in the west-central portion of the state of Oregon, United States roughly between the Salmon River and the Umpqua River and the Willamette Valley and the...
near Fanno Peak and joins the Luckiamute River
Luckiamute River
The Luckiamute River is a tributary of the Willamette River, about long, in western Oregon in the United States. It drains an area of Central Oregon Coast Range and the western Willamette Valley northwest of Corvallis....
about 4 miles (6 km) upstream of the Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site
Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site
Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site is a state park located south of Monmouth, in Polk County, Oregon, United States. It is located on the floodplain of the Luckiamute River and is forested by Bigleaf Maple, Douglas-fir, and Black Cottonwood trees, among other varieties...
southwest of Monmouth
Monmouth, Oregon
- History :Monmouth was settled in 1853 by a group of pioneers who made a point of allocating to build both a city and a "college under the auspices of the Christian Church" and proceeds from the sale of these lands were used to found Monmouth University. By the early 1880s the college fell on...
.
Flowing generally east from its source near Fanno Peak, the river parallels Fanno Ridge, which is to the right. Lost Creek enters from the left at a rapids, and Camp Creek enters from the left 20.6 miles (33.2 km) from the mouth. About 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) further on, the river passes over a waterfall. Approaching the unincorporated community of Black Rock, Little Luckiamute River receives Black Rock Creek from the left at 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) 17 or river kilometer (RK) 27. For several miles starting at Black Rock, the George T. Gerlinger
George T. Gerlinger
George T. Gerlinger was influential in the railroad and lumber products business in the U.S. state of Oregon in the early 20th century. The oldest son of Louis Gerlinger, Sr., in 1902 he organized a group of investors in Dallas, Oregon to build railroad lines in the area.In 1906, they purchased a...
Experimental Forest is on the river's left. Sam's Creek enters from the left about 1 miles (1.6 km) downstream of Black Rock.
Gerlinger County Park is on the right at RM 15 (RK 24). Dutch Creek enters from the left and Berry Creek from the right before the river reaches Falls City Falls and Falls City
Falls City, Oregon
Falls City is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
about 13 miles (20.9 km) from the mouth. At the falls, the river plunges 25 to 35 ft (7.6 to 10.7 m) into a gorge within a city park.
Turning southeast, the river receives Waymire Creek from the left, then Teal Creek from the right, then passes under Oregon Route 223 at about RM 8 (RK 13). Fern Creek enters from the left just beyond Route 223, and Cooper Creek enters from the left about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the mouth. The Little Luckiamute River meets the Luckiamute River about 18 miles (29 km) from the larger river's confluence with the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
.
The upper river supports catch-and-release fishing for wild 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...
ranging in size from 6 to 13 in (15.2 to 33 cm).