Moyie River
Encyclopedia
The Moyie River is a tributary
of the Kootenai River
(spelled Kootenay River in Canada) in the U.S. state
of Idaho
and the Canadian province
of British Columbia
. The Moyie River is part of the Columbia River
basin, being a tributary of the Kootenay River, which is tributary to the Columbia River.
. The river exits Moyie Lake to the south, flowing south and west by the village of Yahk, British Columbia
and Yahk Provincial Park
before entering Idaho at Kingsgate, British Columbia
and Eastport, Idaho
.
In Idaho, the Moyie River flows nearly due south, emptying into the Kootenai River near Moyie Springs, Idaho
, several miles east of Bonners Ferry, Idaho
. Near its mouth, the Moyie River tumbles over Moyie Falls
. Near the falls is Moyie Dam, constructed in 1949.
The river has several oddly named pairs of tributaries. South of Moyie Lake
the river collects the tributaries of Sunrise Creek and then Sundown Creek. Farther south, it collects Irishman Creek and then Englishman Creek. At Yahk, Hawkins Creek joins the Moyie River. Hawkins Creek has two tributaries that begin in the United States and flow north into Canada: Canuck Creek and America Creek. Another odd name occurring along the river is the town of Good Grief, Idaho
.
The river is paralleled by Highway 95 and the Crowsnest Highway
in British Columbia, and, briefly, U.S. Route 95
in Idaho. The river is also paralleled by railroads: the Union Pacific
in Idaho and the Canadian Pacific
in British Columbia.
In Idaho, the Moyie River and its tributaries lie almost entirely within Kaniksu National Forest
.
in the upper Moyie River and in Moyie Lake. These are introduced during the 1940s and since naturalized.
in 1808. Thompson called the river "McDonald's River". Governor Simpson
called it "Grand Quête River". Captain Palliser
called it "Choe-coos River". The name "Moyie" was originally pronounced "moo-YAY", indicating its French origin, but today is commonly pronounced "moy-EE". In 1923 the Eileen dam (previously known as the Moyie dam) was constructed where Skin Creek enters the river about five miles upstream of Moyie Falls. It was anchored to a weak rock structure which washed away in 1925 due to flooding. The arch still remains intact.
According to the USGS, variant names for the Moyie River include: Methow, Mojie, Mooyie, and Moyea.
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 Kootenai River
Kootenay River
The Kootenay is a major river in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and the northern part of the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
(spelled Kootenay River in Canada) 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 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....
and the Canadian province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The Moyie River is part of the Columbia River
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...
basin, being a tributary of the Kootenay River, which is tributary to the Columbia River.
Course
The Moyie River originates in southeast British Columbia. It flows northeast and east, collecting many headwater streams, before turning south and entering Moyie LakeMoyie Lake
Moyie Lake is a small, narrow lake in southern British Columbia, located along the Moyie River. While building the Crowsnest Pass Railroad, this was the hardest part to build the tracks. The walls of the land around it is very steep and short. It is a lot like Swan Lake to the south in Montana. ...
. The river exits Moyie Lake to the south, flowing south and west by the village of Yahk, British Columbia
Yahk, British Columbia
Yahk is an unincorporated hamlet in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Yahk Provincial Park borders the village to the south. Yahk is located on the Moyie River.CBC Television talk show The Hour taped a live episode in Yahk on February 9, 2006...
and Yahk Provincial Park
Yahk Provincial Park
Yahk Provincial Park is a provincial park located just south of Yahk, British Columbia, 70 kilometres south of Cranbrook, and 14.5 kilometres north of the U.S. and Canadian borders at Kingsgate in British Columbia, Canada.-History:...
before entering Idaho at Kingsgate, British Columbia
Kingsgate, British Columbia
Kingsgate is a port of entry in southeastern British Columbia, just north of the Canada-U.S. border at Eastport, Idaho.Kingsgate is on the Columbia Highway, BC 95, the north-south highway in the southeastern corner of the province, opened in 1957. The highway connects with U.S. Route 95, from...
and Eastport, Idaho
Eastport, Idaho
Eastport is an unincorporated community in Boundary County, Idaho, United States. Eastport is located at the Canadian border along U.S. Route 95, across from Kingsgate, British Columbia and north of Moyie Springs. Eastport has a post office with ZIP code 83826....
.
In Idaho, the Moyie River flows nearly due south, emptying into the Kootenai River near Moyie Springs, Idaho
Moyie Springs, Idaho
Moyie Springs is a city in Boundary County, Idaho, United States. The population was 718 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Moyie Springs is located at ....
, several miles east of Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Bonners Ferry is a city in and the county seat of Boundary County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. Near its mouth, the Moyie River tumbles over Moyie Falls
Moyie Falls
With awe-inspiring scenery and easy vehicle accessibility, Moyie Falls is undoubtedly one of Idaho's great natural attractions. Crashing through a rocky canyon, the Moyie River descends in tiered form. While the upper portion plummets 60 to 100 feet under an obsolete bridge connecting the gorge,...
. Near the falls is Moyie Dam, constructed in 1949.
The river has several oddly named pairs of tributaries. South of Moyie Lake
Moyie Lake
Moyie Lake is a small, narrow lake in southern British Columbia, located along the Moyie River. While building the Crowsnest Pass Railroad, this was the hardest part to build the tracks. The walls of the land around it is very steep and short. It is a lot like Swan Lake to the south in Montana. ...
the river collects the tributaries of Sunrise Creek and then Sundown Creek. Farther south, it collects Irishman Creek and then Englishman Creek. At Yahk, Hawkins Creek joins the Moyie River. Hawkins Creek has two tributaries that begin in the United States and flow north into Canada: Canuck Creek and America Creek. Another odd name occurring along the river is the town of Good Grief, Idaho
Good Grief, Idaho
Good Grief is an unincorporated community in Boundary, County, Idaho.-References:...
.
The river is paralleled by Highway 95 and the Crowsnest Highway
Crowsnest Highway
The Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or, in British Columbia, the Southern Trans-Provincial, is an east-west highway, in length, through the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and...
in British Columbia, and, briefly, U.S. Route 95
U.S. Route 95
U.S. Route 95 is a north–south U.S. highway in the western United States. Unlike many other US highways, it has not seen deletion or replacement on most of its length by an encroaching Interstate highway corridor, due to its mostly rural course...
in Idaho. The river is also paralleled by railroads: the Union Pacific
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....
in Idaho and the Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
in British Columbia.
In Idaho, the Moyie River and its tributaries lie almost entirely within Kaniksu National Forest
Kaniksu National Forest
The Kaniksu National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in northeastern Washington, the Idaho panhandle, and northwestern Montana. The Idaho portion is one of three forests that are aggregated into the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, along with the Coeur d'Alene National Forest and St. Joe...
.
Natural history
Moyie Falls, near the mouth of the river, effectively blocks the migration of fish. In addition, various dams on the Kootenay River block fish migration. There are resident Kokanee salmonSockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
in the upper Moyie River and in Moyie Lake. These are introduced during the 1940s and since naturalized.
History
According to British Columbia's Geographical Names Information System, the word "Moyie" is a corruption of the French "mouiller" or "mouillé", a name given by fur trappers referring to the wet conditions, also described by David ThompsonDavid Thompson (explorer)
David Thompson was an English-Canadian fur trader, surveyor, and map-maker, known to some native peoples as "Koo-Koo-Sint" or "the Stargazer"...
in 1808. Thompson called the river "McDonald's River". Governor Simpson
George Simpson (administrator)
Sir George Simpson was a Scots-Quebecer and employee of the Hudson's Bay Company . His title was Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land and administrator over the Northwest Territories and Columbia Department in British North America from 1821 to 1860.-Early years:George Simpson was born in Dingwall,...
called it "Grand Quête River". Captain Palliser
John Palliser
John Palliser was an Irish-born geographer and explorer. Born in Dublin, Ireland, he was the son of Colonel Wray Palliser and a brother of Major Sir William Palliser , all descendants of Dr William Palliser, Archbishop of Cashel .From 1839 to 1863, Palliser served in the Waterford Militia,...
called it "Choe-coos River". The name "Moyie" was originally pronounced "moo-YAY", indicating its French origin, but today is commonly pronounced "moy-EE". In 1923 the Eileen dam (previously known as the Moyie dam) was constructed where Skin Creek enters the river about five miles upstream of Moyie Falls. It was anchored to a weak rock structure which washed away in 1925 due to flooding. The arch still remains intact.
According to the USGS, variant names for the Moyie River include: Methow, Mojie, Mooyie, and Moyea.
Recreation
The Moyie River has multiple recreation opportunities including camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking and white water rafting. At this time, recreational boaters do not need a permit to float the Moyie River. The first commercial outfitter to run trips on the Moyie was ROW Adventures http://www.rowadventures.com/adventures/Moyie-River-Idaho-s-Hidden-Whitewater-Rafting-Jewel.html which still offers trips during May and June every year under permit from the US Forest Service. Information about current water flows is available through the United States Geological Survey.See also
- List of rivers in Idaho
- List of British Columbia rivers
- Moyie FallsMoyie FallsWith awe-inspiring scenery and easy vehicle accessibility, Moyie Falls is undoubtedly one of Idaho's great natural attractions. Crashing through a rocky canyon, the Moyie River descends in tiered form. While the upper portion plummets 60 to 100 feet under an obsolete bridge connecting the gorge,...
- Moyie River Canyon BridgeMoyie River Canyon BridgeThe Moyie River Canyon Bridge is a structural steel truss cantilever bridge at mile marker 70 on U.S. Route 2 spanning the Moyie River near Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs. It was constructed in 1965 and it is long and high...
- Tributaries of the Columbia RiverTributaries of the Columbia RiverTributaries and sub-tributaries are hierarchically listed in order from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream. Major dams and reservoir lakes are also noted.-Minor tributaries:* Skipanon River * Lewis and Clark River * Youngs River...