Little Spokane River
Encyclopedia
The Little Spokane River is a major tributary
of the Spokane River
, approximately 35 mi (56 km) long, in eastern Washington in the United States
. It drains a rural area of forested foothills and a farming valley north of the city of Spokane
along the Idaho
-Washington border.
It rises in southern Pend Oreille County, south of Newport
near the Idaho state line. It flows SSW past Milan
and Colbert
. It joins the Spokane River from the east approximately 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Spokane. There is a Natural area towards the mouth with an Indian painted rock
and several trails to walk on. The state wildlife officials are strict of rules to protect
the area so follow state park rules.
The river has several popular hiking trails along it, and is a popular destination for canoe
ing and kayak
ing.
Flyfishing is popular among The Little Spokane River but standard angling
does work. The river is abundant with native and introduced fish but mostly native fish because of lacked plantations.
The Little Spokane River contains native Rainbow Trout
, introduced Brown Trout
, Suckerfish
migrated from Spokane River
, native pikeminnow, introduced Brook Trout
, and native Mountain whitefish
. Strict rules are placed for the winter whitefish season, so contact State wildlife officials for details. The speed and depth varies in the river but is generally slow moving and 2-5 feet deep. The river has an average width of 40-60 feet. The native protected species of fish in The Little Spokane River is Redband Trout and Westslope cutthroat trout.
In 1893, the ichthyologists Charles Gilbert and Barton Warren Evermann reported extensive damage to the Little Spokane as a result of human activities:
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 Spokane River
Spokane River
The Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
, approximately 35 mi (56 km) long, in eastern Washington 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 a rural area of forested foothills and a farming valley north of the city of Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
along the 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....
-Washington border.
It rises in southern Pend Oreille County, south of Newport
Newport, Washington
Newport is a city in, and the county seat of, Pend Oreille County, Washington. The population was 2,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Newport was given its name in 1890 because it was selected as a landing site for the first steamboat on the Pend Oreille River. Newport was officially incorporated on...
near the Idaho state line. It flows SSW past Milan
Milan, Washington
Milan is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Milan is a rural community located along the Burlington Northern Railroad, east of Deer Park. It is named after the Italian city of Milan....
and Colbert
Colbert, Washington
Colbert is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The town is on U.S. Route 2.The ZIP Code is 99005 and centered at .Colbert has one store....
. It joins the Spokane River from the east approximately 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Spokane. There is a Natural area towards the mouth with an Indian painted rock
and several trails to walk on. The state wildlife officials are strict of rules to protect
the area so follow state park rules.
The river has several popular hiking trails along it, and is a popular destination for canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing and kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
ing.
Flyfishing is popular among The Little Spokane River but standard angling
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
does work. The river is abundant with native and introduced fish but mostly native fish because of lacked plantations.
The Little Spokane River contains native Rainbow Trout
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....
, introduced Brown Trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, Suckerfish
Catostomidae
Catostomidae is the sucker family of the order Cypriniformes. There are 80 species in this family of freshwater fishes. Catostomidae are found in North America, east central China, and eastern Siberia...
migrated from Spokane River
Spokane River
The Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
, native pikeminnow, introduced Brook Trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, and native Mountain whitefish
Mountain whitefish
The mountain whitefish is one of the most widely distributed salmonid fish of western North America. It is found from the Mackenzie River drainage in Northwest Territory, Canada south through western Canada and the northwestern USA in the Pacific, Hudson Bay and upper Missouri River basins to the...
. Strict rules are placed for the winter whitefish season, so contact State wildlife officials for details. The speed and depth varies in the river but is generally slow moving and 2-5 feet deep. The river has an average width of 40-60 feet. The native protected species of fish in The Little Spokane River is Redband Trout and Westslope cutthroat trout.
In 1893, the ichthyologists Charles Gilbert and Barton Warren Evermann reported extensive damage to the Little Spokane as a result of human activities:
- "The character of this stream is being materially changed by the advent of civilization, a fact which is, or has been, true of most streams in this country. The cutting away of the timber and brush on the immediate bank and the cultivation of the land within the drainage area of the stream have greatly increased the surface erosion and, in consequence, the impurities of the stream."