Long Tom River
Encyclopedia
The Long Tom River is a 25 miles (40.2 km) tributary of the Willamette River
in western Oregon
in the United States
. It drains an area at the south end of the Willamette Valley
between Eugene
and Corvallis
.
It rises in the Central Oregon Coast Range
in western Lane County
, approximately 10 mi (16 km) west of Veneta
. It flows east through the mountains to Veneta, through the Fern Ridge Reservoir
, and then north into the Willamette Valley, roughly parallel to and west of the Willamette River. It joins the Willamette from the southwest approximately 4 mi (6.5 km) west of Halsey
. The Fern Ridge Reservoir was created in 1942 when the United States Army Corps of Engineers
dammed the river to control flooding.
The watershed includes approximately 410 sq mi (1,061.9 km²) of land (262,000 acres, 1060 km2) zoned as 45 percent forest, 30 percent agricultural, 8 public, and 17 percent urban or rural residential. The Long Tom waters support more than 140,000 people in the area, including residents in the city of Veneta and the rural farming communities of Alvadore
, Cheshire
, Crow
, Franklin
, and Noti
, as well as industrial and commercial land on the western edge of Eugene. These lands were inhabited by the Chelamela group of the Kalapuya Indians prior to European settlement.
The Oregon Country Fair
is one of many groups and agencies that work with the Long Tom Watershed Council to protect and restore the river.
The river's name developed gradually during the 19th century in imitation of a native tribal group called Lung-tum-ler. The Native American name of this Kalapuyan
group is [lámpʰtumpif], literally meaning "spank-his-ass".
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...
in western 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...
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 an area at the south end of the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
between Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
.
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...
in western Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
, approximately 10 mi (16 km) west of Veneta
Veneta, Oregon
Veneta is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,561.-History:Veneta was established in 1912 by Edmund Eugene Hunter, who named the settlement after his five-year-old daughter. Veneta post office was established in 1914. Veneta Orilla Hunter...
. It flows east through the mountains to Veneta, through the Fern Ridge Reservoir
Fern Ridge Reservoir
Fern Ridge Reservoir is a reservoir on the Long Tom River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The reservoir is located approximately west of Eugene on Oregon Route 126. The reservoir is a U.S...
, and then north into the Willamette Valley, roughly parallel to and west of the Willamette River. It joins the Willamette from the southwest approximately 4 mi (6.5 km) west of Halsey
Halsey, Oregon
Halsey is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. The population was 724 at the 2000 census.-History:The city was founded in 1872, and legally incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 20, 1876. The city takes its name from William L...
. The Fern Ridge Reservoir was created in 1942 when the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
dammed the river to control flooding.
Alvadore, Oregon
Alvadore is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, located nine miles northwest of downtown Eugene and one mile northeast of Fern Ridge Reservoir.-History:...
, Cheshire
Cheshire, Oregon
Cheshire is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located near the Long Tom River and is southwest of Junction City on Oregon Route 36.-History:...
, Crow
Crow, Oregon
Crow is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States.-History:According to Oregon Geographic Names, a post office was established in 1874 and named after community founders James Andrew Jackson Crow and Helen Fisk Crow, pioneers who came to Oregon by wagon train...
, Franklin
Franklin, Oregon
Franklin is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located near Veneta, and is approximately northwest of Eugene.-References:...
, and Noti
Noti, Oregon
Noti is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, located in the foothills of the Central Oregon Coast Range between Eugene and Florence. Per the 2000 census, Noti had a total population of 699.-History:...
, as well as industrial and commercial land on the western edge of Eugene. These lands were inhabited by the Chelamela group of the Kalapuya Indians prior to European settlement.
The Oregon Country Fair
Oregon Country Fair
The Oregon Country Fair is an annual three-day fair held in Veneta, Oregon, United States. Located in the Willamette Valley, the site is about west of Eugene along the Long Tom River. Annual attendance is approximately 45,000, and the fair has around 350 booths each year...
is one of many groups and agencies that work with the Long Tom Watershed Council to protect and restore the river.
The river's name developed gradually during the 19th century in imitation of a native tribal group called Lung-tum-ler. The Native American name of this Kalapuyan
Kalapuyan languages
Kalapuyan is a small extinct language family that was spoken in the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon, United States. It consists of three languages.-Family division:Kalapuyan consists of...
group is [lámpʰtumpif], literally meaning "spank-his-ass".
See also
- List of rivers of Oregon
- List of longest streams of Oregon
- List of reservoirs and dams in the United States
External links
- Long Tom Watershed Council; includes "virtual tour" and aerial photos