Skagit River
Encyclopedia
The Skagit River is a river
in southwestern British Columbia
in Canada
and northwestern Washington in the United States
, approximately 150 mi (240 km) long. The river and its tributaries drain an area of 1.7 million acres (6900 km²) of the Cascade Range
along the northern end of Puget Sound
.
The Skagit watershed is characterized by a temperate, mid-latitude, maritime climate. Temperatures range widely throughout the watershed. Recorded temperatures at Newhalem
range from a low of -6 °F (-21 °C) to a high of 109 °F (43 °C), with greater extremes likely in the mountains. The highest temperatures are commonly recorded in July; the lowest are in January.
in the Canadian Cascades of British Columbia
. From there it flows northwest along the Crowsnest Highway
, which follows the river into Manning Provincial Park
. It turns abruptly south where it receives Snass Creek from the right, then receives the Klesilkwa River from the left, and turns southeast to flow past the Canada-United States border
and into Ross Lake
in Washington state.
Ross Lake is formed by Ross Dam
and is approximately 24 miles (38.6 km) long, winding south through Ross Lake National Recreation Area
. Here the river receives Beaver Creek from the right and Ruby Creek from the left. Spilling out of the dam the river enters Diablo Lake, formed by Diablo Dam
, and receives Thunder Creek and Colonial Creek from the left, then enters the third and final reservoir, Gorge Lake, formed by Gorge Dam. All three dams are part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
.
Past Gorge Dam, the river is often dry as its waters have been diverted to generate hydroelectricity
. However, this water is returned to the river as it passes Newhalem
, a company town for Seattle City Light
. Copper Creek and Bacon Creek
, both flowing from North Cascades National Park
, merge into the Skagit from the right as it meanders slowly through an agricultural valley, past Marblemount
, where the Cascade River
joins from the left, and Rockport
, where it receives its major tributary, the Sauk River
, from the left.
After receiving the Sauk River, the Skagit turns west, flowing past Concrete
and receiving the Baker River
, its second largest tributary, from the right. The river flows west, past Sedro-Woolley
and Mount Vernon
, and at the former site of Skagit City
it diverges into two forks, a north and south fork, forming Fir Island. These two forks both empty into Skagit Bay
, a branch of Puget Sound
.
The Skagit provides spawning habitat for salmon
. It is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species and two species of trout
. Runs include Chinook
, Coho
, Chum
, Pink
, Sockeye
, and Steelhead
and Cutthroat trout
.
The river supports the largest wintering Bald Eagle
population in the continental United States. The eagles feed on Chum and Coho salmon that have returned to the Skagit and its tributaries to spawn. The eagles arrive in late October or early November and stay into February. The highest number of eagles is usually seen in January. These eagles come from inland Canada and come from as far away as Alaska
and Montana
. When the salmon run is plentiful, there can be as many as 600 to 800 eagles on the river.
.
Thousands of snow geese
winter in the Skagit River estuary
. These geese feed on intertidal marsh plants such as bulrush
and they are drawn to nearby farmlands where they find leftover potato
es in the fields. Trumpeter Swan
s are drawn to the estuary habitat as well. There can be several hundred Swans in the Skagit valley from October to February.
Historically, the Skagit tidal estuary had beaver dams in the myrtle zone. These were overtopped at high tide, but at low tide provided ponds which nurtured juvenile salmon.
The Skagit River basin provides habitat for a diverse set of animals. For more information about these animals, see List of Wildlife of the Skagit River Basin.
. Ice and gravel moraines repeatedly blocked the Skagit, causing it to pool into lakes and forcing it to drain south into the future North Fork Stillaguamish River
. After the ice retreated the Skagit breached the moraine dam near Concrete, Washington
, finding its present course. The Sauk River
and Suiattle River
continued to drain into the future North Fork Stillaguamish River until eruptions of Glacier Peak
choked the rivers with debris, causing the formation of an alluvial fan
near present-day Darrington, Washington
. The debris forced the two rivers north to join the Skagit.
Above Newhalem, Washington
, the Skagit flows through a deep gorge, contrastingly strongly with the glacial valley below Newhalem. There are several theories about this anomaly, one of which is that the upper Skagit once drained northward into Canada and the growth and retreat of successive Cordilleran ice flows brought about the reversal. Each advance blocked the river, forcing it to find new routes to the south, in the process carving deep gorges. Eventually the Skagit gorge was so deep that even after the Cordilleran ice retreated for good the river continued flowing south instead of north into Canada.
The Skagit watershed is made up of high peaks and low valleys. The highest points in the basin are two volcanoes: Mount Baker
(10781 ft (3,286 m)) and Glacier Peak
(10541 ft (3,212.9 m)). Most of the basin lies above 2000 feet (609.6 m). The river completes its course at sea level where it meets the Puget Sound.
tribe, the name used for two distinct Native American
peoples, the Upper Skagit and Lower Skagit. Native people have lived along the Skagit for many centuries
. Archaeological
evidence indicates that the Upper Skagit tribe lived in the area now called Ross Lake National Recreation Area at least 8,000 years ago, and were quarrying chert
from Hozomeen Mountain for blades used across a wide area. The Upper Skagit tribe occupied the land along the Skagit from what is now Newhalem to the mouth of the river. The Lower Skagit tribe lived on northern Whidbey Island and are also known as the Whidbey Island Skagit. Archaeological evidence reveals that these people lived from the land through fishing, hunting, and gathering.
The first written description we have of the upper Skagit was written by Henry Custer, the topographer
for the US Boundary Commission in 1859. With two other government men and ten locals from the Nooksack
and Chilliwack bands, he canoed and portaged from the Canada – United States border down to Ruby Creek. They found no native people inhabiting the Upper Skagit at the time, but an elder Samona Chief named Chinsoloc drew, from memory, a detailed map which Custer found to be accurate. (The "Report of Henry Custer, Assistant of Reconnaissances, Made in 1859 over the routes in the Cascades Mountains in the vicinity of the 49th parallel" belongs to the National Park Service.)
Settlement along the river by European Americans in the late 1800s was inhibited by two ancient logjams that blocked navigation, forcing them to live nearly on the tip of the delta at a settlement called Skagit City
. The first was located about 10 miles (16 km) upstream from the mouth of the river. Attempts to remove it began in 1874 by a team of loggers who salvaged the logs. After three years of work a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) section of the jam broke free and scattered downriver. Soon thereafter the river was navigable. Mount Vernon was founded at the approximate site of the logjam.
In November 1897 the Skagit River experienced a major flood, resulting in two new logjams forming, again blocking navigation. The largest was near the mouth and filled the river from bank to bank for about 800 yards (731.5 m). A recently built logjam removal boat named Skagit was able to clear this jam in about a month.
established the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System. The system includes 158.5 miles (255.1 km) of the Skagit and its tributaries — the Sauk
, Suiattle
, and Cascade
rivers. This Wild and Scenic
designation is meant to protect and enhance the values that caused it to be listed:
The Skagit Wild and Scenic River System flows through both public and private lands. Fifty percent of the system is in private ownership, 44 percent is National Forest System land, and 6 percent is owned by the State and other agencies. The Skagit Wild and Scenic River is co-managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
is a group of three major dams, constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, which are a primary source of hydroelectric power
for Seattle
and other area communities. The Skagit Valley Railroad was constructed by the city of Seattle to transport workers on the dams. The river today is a popular destination for whitewater rafting and fly fishing
.
Tributaries in the US
External links
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in southwestern 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...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and northwestern Washington in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, approximately 150 mi (240 km) long. The river and its tributaries drain an area of 1.7 million acres (6900 km²) of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
along the northern end of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
.
The Skagit watershed is characterized by a temperate, mid-latitude, maritime climate. Temperatures range widely throughout the watershed. Recorded temperatures at Newhalem
Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County....
range from a low of -6 °F (-21 °C) to a high of 109 °F (43 °C), with greater extremes likely in the mountains. The highest temperatures are commonly recorded in July; the lowest are in January.
Course
The Skagit River rises at Allison PassAllison Pass
Allison Pass is a highway summit along the Crowsnest Highway in British Columbia, Canada. It is the highest point on the highway between the cities of Hope and Princeton. It is located in the middle of Manning Park, at the divide between the Skagit & Similkameen River drainages, approximately ...
in the Canadian Cascades 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...
. From there it flows northwest along 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...
, which follows the river into Manning Provincial Park
E. C. Manning Provincial Park
E.C. Manning Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is usually referred to as Manning Park, although that nomenclature is also used to refer to the recreational facility and ski area at the park's core as well as the adjacent community...
. It turns abruptly south where it receives Snass Creek from the right, then receives the Klesilkwa River from the left, and turns southeast to flow past the Canada-United States border
Canada-United States border
The Canada–United States border, officially known as the International Boundary, is the longest border in the world. The terrestrial boundary is 8,891 kilometers long, including 2,475 kilometres shared with Alaska...
and into Ross Lake
Ross Lake
Ross Lake is a large reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA, and southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The lake runs approximately north-south, is 23 miles long, up to 1.5 miles wide, and the full reservoir elevation is 1,604 feet above sea level .The U.S...
in Washington state.
Ross Lake is formed by Ross Dam
Ross Dam
Ross Dam is a -high, -long concrete thin-arch dam across the Skagit River, forming Ross Lake. The dam is in Washington State, while Ross Lake extends north into British Columbia, Canada...
and is approximately 24 miles (38.6 km) long, winding south through Ross Lake National Recreation Area
Ross Lake National Recreation Area
Ross Lake National Recreation Area is a US National Recreation Area located in north central Washington just south of the Canadian border. It is the most accessible part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex which also includes North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan National...
. Here the river receives Beaver Creek from the right and Ruby Creek from the left. Spilling out of the dam the river enters Diablo Lake, formed by Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam
Diablo Dam is one of three dams along the upper Skagit River in Whatcom County, Washington and part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project that supplies Seattle with a large proportion of its power needs. Work was begun in 1917 on a six-mile tunnel through Diablo Canyon and subsequent...
, and receives Thunder Creek and Colonial Creek from the left, then enters the third and final reservoir, Gorge Lake, formed by Gorge Dam. All three dams are part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities...
.
Past Gorge Dam, the river is often dry as its waters have been diverted to generate hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
. However, this water is returned to the river as it passes Newhalem
Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County....
, a company town for Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light is the public utility providing electrical power to Seattle, Washington and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and parts of unincorporated King County, Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Renton, and Tukwila...
. Copper Creek and Bacon Creek
Bacon Creek
Bacon Creek is a glacial stream in Whatcom County, Washington. It originates in a glacier on the southwest face of Bacon Peak, flows into a small tarn, then flows over the Berdeen Falls...
, both flowing from North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...
, merge into the Skagit from the right as it meanders slowly through an agricultural valley, past Marblemount
Marblemount, Washington
Marblemount is a census-designated place in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 203 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, where the Cascade River
Cascade River (Washington)
The Cascade River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Skagit River which it joins at the city of Marblemount. It is a National Wild and Scenic River.- South Fork :...
joins from the left, and Rockport
Rockport, Washington
Rockport is a census-designated place in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 109 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, where it receives its major tributary, the Sauk River
Sauk River
Sauk River can refer to the following rivers in the United States:*Sauk River *Sauk River , a tributary of the Mississippi River*Sauk River , a tributary of the Skagit River...
, from the left.
After receiving the Sauk River, the Skagit turns west, flowing past Concrete
Concrete, Washington
Concrete is a town in north-central Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 705 at the 2010 census. The town of Concrete is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early history:...
and receiving the Baker River
Baker River (Washington)
The Baker River is an approximately , southward-flowing tributary of the Skagit River in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high North Cascades in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle, and east of Mount Baker...
, its second largest tributary, from the right. The river flows west, past Sedro-Woolley
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
Sedro-Woolley is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,540 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Washington
Mount Vernon is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,743 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the county seat of Skagit County...
, and at the former site of Skagit City
Skagit City, Washington
Skagit City was a town at the divergence of the North and South Forks of the Skagit River, in the U.S. state of Washington. The Barker's Trading Post along the river, opened in 1869, was partially or fully responsible for drawing people to settle at the townsite, which became an important river...
it diverges into two forks, a north and south fork, forming Fir Island. These two forks both empty into Skagit Bay
Skagit Bay
Skagit Bay is a bay and strait located in the U.S. state of Washington. It is part of the Whidbey Island Basin of Puget Sound. The Skagit River empties into Skagit Bay. To the south, Skagit Bay connects with the rest of Puget Sound via Saratoga Passage and Possession Sound...
, a branch of Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
.
Natural history
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
. It is the only large river system in Washington that contains healthy populations of all five native salmon species and two species of trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. Runs include Chinook
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, Coho
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, Chum
Chum salmon
The chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is a Pacific salmon, and may also be known as dog salmon or Keta salmon, and is often marketed under the name Silverbrite salmon...
, Pink
Pink salmon
Pink salmon or humpback salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon.- Appearance :...
, Sockeye
Sockeye 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...
, and Steelhead
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....
and 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...
.
The river supports the largest wintering Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
population in the continental United States. The eagles feed on Chum and Coho salmon that have returned to the Skagit and its tributaries to spawn. The eagles arrive in late October or early November and stay into February. The highest number of eagles is usually seen in January. These eagles come from inland Canada and come from as far away as Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. When the salmon run is plentiful, there can be as many as 600 to 800 eagles on the river.
.
Thousands of snow geese
Snow Goose
The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...
winter in the Skagit River estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
. These geese feed on intertidal marsh plants such as bulrush
Schoenoplectus
Schoenoplectus is a genus of about 80 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. Note that the name bulrush is also applied to species in the unrelated genus Typha...
and they are drawn to nearby farmlands where they find leftover potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es in the fields. Trumpeter Swan
Trumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, is the largest native North American bird, if measured in terms of weight and length, and is the largest living waterfowl species on earth. It is the North American counterpart of the European Whooper Swan.-Description:Males typically measure from and weigh...
s are drawn to the estuary habitat as well. There can be several hundred Swans in the Skagit valley from October to February.
Historically, the Skagit tidal estuary had beaver dams in the myrtle zone. These were overtopped at high tide, but at low tide provided ponds which nurtured juvenile salmon.
The Skagit River basin provides habitat for a diverse set of animals. For more information about these animals, see List of Wildlife of the Skagit River Basin.
Geology
The Skagit River was highly influenced by the repeated advance and retreat of the Puget Lobe of the Cordilleran Ice SheetCordilleran Ice Sheet
The Cordilleran ice sheet was a major ice sheet that covered, during glacial periods of the Quaternary, a large area of North America. This included the following areas:*Western Montana*The Idaho Panhandle...
. Ice and gravel moraines repeatedly blocked the Skagit, causing it to pool into lakes and forcing it to drain south into the future North Fork Stillaguamish River
Stillaguamish River
The Stillaguamish River is a river in northwest Washington in the United States. It is mainly composed of two forks, the longer North Fork Stillaguamish and the South Fork Stillaguamish. The two forks join near Arlington. From there the Stillaguamish River proper flows for to Puget Sound...
. After the ice retreated the Skagit breached the moraine dam near Concrete, Washington
Concrete, Washington
Concrete is a town in north-central Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 705 at the 2010 census. The town of Concrete is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early history:...
, finding its present course. The Sauk River
Sauk River (Washington)
The Sauk River is a tributary of the Skagit River, approximately long, in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high Cascade Range in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle. The river is a popular destination for fly fishing...
and Suiattle River
Suiattle River
The Suiattle River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington.-Course:The Suiattle River originates from the Suiattle Glacier on the slopes of Glacier Peak in the Cascade Range. It flows generally northwest to join the Sauk River north of Darrington. The Sauk River in turn joins the Skagit River,...
continued to drain into the future North Fork Stillaguamish River until eruptions of Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak is the most isolated of the five major stratovolcanoes of the Cascade Volcanic Arc in Washington...
choked the rivers with debris, causing the formation of an alluvial fan
Alluvial fan
An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. A convergence of neighboring alluvial fans into a single apron of deposits against a slope is called a bajada, or compound alluvial...
near present-day Darrington, Washington
Darrington, Washington
Darrington is a town in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,347 at the 2010 census.-History:The upper Stillaguamish valley where Darrington is located was once settled by the local Sauk-Suiattle Tribes in the drainage of the Sauk, Suiattle and Whitechuck rivers...
. The debris forced the two rivers north to join the Skagit.
Above Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County....
, the Skagit flows through a deep gorge, contrastingly strongly with the glacial valley below Newhalem. There are several theories about this anomaly, one of which is that the upper Skagit once drained northward into Canada and the growth and retreat of successive Cordilleran ice flows brought about the reversal. Each advance blocked the river, forcing it to find new routes to the south, in the process carving deep gorges. Eventually the Skagit gorge was so deep that even after the Cordilleran ice retreated for good the river continued flowing south instead of north into Canada.
The Skagit watershed is made up of high peaks and low valleys. The highest points in the basin are two volcanoes: Mount Baker
Mount Baker
Mount Baker , also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is an active glaciated andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington State in the United States. It is the second-most active volcano in the range after Mount Saint Helens...
(10781 ft (3,286 m)) and Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak is the most isolated of the five major stratovolcanoes of the Cascade Volcanic Arc in Washington...
(10541 ft (3,212.9 m)). Most of the basin lies above 2000 feet (609.6 m). The river completes its course at sea level where it meets the Puget Sound.
History
The river takes its name from the SkagitSkagit (tribe)
The Skagit are either of two tribes of the Lushootseed Native American people living in the state of Washington, the Upper Skagit and the Lower Skagit. They speak a subdialect of the Northern dialect of Lushootseed, which is part of the Salishan family. The Skagit River, Skagit Bay, and Skagit...
tribe, the name used for two distinct Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
peoples, the Upper Skagit and Lower Skagit. Native people have lived along the Skagit for many centuries
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
. Archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
evidence indicates that the Upper Skagit tribe lived in the area now called Ross Lake National Recreation Area at least 8,000 years ago, and were quarrying chert
Chert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
from Hozomeen Mountain for blades used across a wide area. The Upper Skagit tribe occupied the land along the Skagit from what is now Newhalem to the mouth of the river. The Lower Skagit tribe lived on northern Whidbey Island and are also known as the Whidbey Island Skagit. Archaeological evidence reveals that these people lived from the land through fishing, hunting, and gathering.
The first written description we have of the upper Skagit was written by Henry Custer, the topographer
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
for the US Boundary Commission in 1859. With two other government men and ten locals from the Nooksack
Nooksack (tribe)
The Nooksack are a Native American people in northwestern Washington state in the United States. The tribe lives in the mainland northwest corner of the state near the small town of Deming, Washington , and has over 1,800 enrolled members.In 1971, the tribe was ceded a one acre reservation after...
and Chilliwack bands, he canoed and portaged from the Canada – United States border down to Ruby Creek. They found no native people inhabiting the Upper Skagit at the time, but an elder Samona Chief named Chinsoloc drew, from memory, a detailed map which Custer found to be accurate. (The "Report of Henry Custer, Assistant of Reconnaissances, Made in 1859 over the routes in the Cascades Mountains in the vicinity of the 49th parallel" belongs to the National Park Service.)
Settlement along the river by European Americans in the late 1800s was inhibited by two ancient logjams that blocked navigation, forcing them to live nearly on the tip of the delta at a settlement called Skagit City
Skagit City, Washington
Skagit City was a town at the divergence of the North and South Forks of the Skagit River, in the U.S. state of Washington. The Barker's Trading Post along the river, opened in 1869, was partially or fully responsible for drawing people to settle at the townsite, which became an important river...
. The first was located about 10 miles (16 km) upstream from the mouth of the river. Attempts to remove it began in 1874 by a team of loggers who salvaged the logs. After three years of work a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) section of the jam broke free and scattered downriver. Soon thereafter the river was navigable. Mount Vernon was founded at the approximate site of the logjam.
In November 1897 the Skagit River experienced a major flood, resulting in two new logjams forming, again blocking navigation. The largest was near the mouth and filled the river from bank to bank for about 800 yards (731.5 m). A recently built logjam removal boat named Skagit was able to clear this jam in about a month.
Wild and scenic designation
In 1978, the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
established the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System. The system includes 158.5 miles (255.1 km) of the Skagit and its tributaries — the Sauk
Sauk River (Washington)
The Sauk River is a tributary of the Skagit River, approximately long, in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high Cascade Range in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle. The river is a popular destination for fly fishing...
, Suiattle
Suiattle River
The Suiattle River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington.-Course:The Suiattle River originates from the Suiattle Glacier on the slopes of Glacier Peak in the Cascade Range. It flows generally northwest to join the Sauk River north of Darrington. The Sauk River in turn joins the Skagit River,...
, and Cascade
Cascade River (Washington)
The Cascade River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Skagit River which it joins at the city of Marblemount. It is a National Wild and Scenic River.- South Fork :...
rivers. This Wild and Scenic
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
designation is meant to protect and enhance the values that caused it to be listed:
- Free-flowing characteristics and water quality of each of the four rivers;
- Outstandingly remarkable wildlife, fish, and scenic qualities.
The Skagit Wild and Scenic River System flows through both public and private lands. Fifty percent of the system is in private ownership, 44 percent is National Forest System land, and 6 percent is owned by the State and other agencies. The Skagit Wild and Scenic River is co-managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Economy
The Skagit River Hydroelectric ProjectSkagit River Hydroelectric Project
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities...
is a group of three major dams, constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, which are a primary source of hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
for Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and other area communities. The Skagit Valley Railroad was constructed by the city of Seattle to transport workers on the dams. The river today is a popular destination for whitewater rafting and fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
.
Tributaries
Tributaries in Canada- Skaist River
- Sumallo RiverSumallo RiverThe Sumallo River is located in southern British Columbia, in the Cascade Mountains to the east of Hope. It begins on the east slopes of Mount Payne, south of the village of Sunshine Valley. It flows north until it reaches Sunshine Valley where it turns southeast and proceeds into Manning Park...
- Klesilkwa RiverKlesilkwa RiverThe Klesilkwa River is a tributary of the Skagit River, flowing east to join that river to the west of Shawatum Mountain after arising near Klesilkwa Mountain, which is on the east flank of Chilliwack Lake.-References:...
Tributaries in the US
- Cascade RiverCascade River (Washington)The Cascade River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Skagit River which it joins at the city of Marblemount. It is a National Wild and Scenic River.- South Fork :...
- Sauk RiverSauk River (Washington)The Sauk River is a tributary of the Skagit River, approximately long, in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high Cascade Range in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle. The river is a popular destination for fly fishing...
- Baker RiverBaker River (Washington)The Baker River is an approximately , southward-flowing tributary of the Skagit River in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high North Cascades in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle, and east of Mount Baker...
Cities and towns along the Skagit
- Mount VernonMount Vernon, WashingtonMount Vernon is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,743 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the county seat of Skagit County...
- BurlingtonBurlington, WashingtonBurlington is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population is 8,388 as recorded by the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- Sedro-WoolleySedro-Woolley, WashingtonSedro-Woolley is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,540 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- LymanLyman, WashingtonLyman is a town in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 438 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- HamiltonHamilton, WashingtonHamilton is a town in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 301 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- ConcreteConcrete, WashingtonConcrete is a town in north-central Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 705 at the 2010 census. The town of Concrete is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early history:...
- RockportRockport, WashingtonRockport is a census-designated place in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 109 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- NewhalemNewhalem, WashingtonNewhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County....
See also
External links