Champoeg Creek Explained

Champoeg Creek
Map Size:	300
Pushpin Map:	USA Oregon
Pushpin Map Size:	300
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location of the mouth of Champoeg Creek in Oregon
Subdivision Type1:	Country
Subdivision Name1:	United States
Subdivision Type2:	State
Subdivision Name2:	Oregon
Subdivision Type4:	County
Subdivision Name4:	Marion County
Length:	6miles
Source1:	French Prairie
Source1 Coordinates:	45.1839°N -122.9303°W^[1]
Source1 Elevation:	121feet^[2]
Mouth:	Willamette River
Mouth Location:	near Champoeg
Mouth Coordinates:	45.2539°N -122.8822°W
Mouth Elevation:	62feet

Champoeg Creek is a tributary, roughly 6miles long, of the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The creek is formed by the confluence of its two forks in the French Prairie region of the Willamette Valley and flows generally northeast to meet the Willamette 45miles from the river's confluence with the Columbia River. Its course lies entirely in Marion County.^{[3] [4]}

The name "Champoeg" comes from the Kalapuyan word [čʰámpuik], which might be an abbreviation of [čʰa-čʰíma-púičuk], referring to the edible root [púičuk], or yampa.^[5]

Course

The creek begins at the confluence of East Fork Champoeg Creek and West Fork Champoeg Creek in French Prairie and flows generally northeast. The East Fork is about 5miles long, and the West Fork is about 6miles long. Not far from its source, Champoeg Creek enters McKay Reservoir then Spada Reservoir, where it passes under St. Paul Highway Northeast. Shortly thereafter, it receives Murphy Creek from the left. It passes under McKay Road Northeast and Champoeg Road Northeast before receiving Case Creek from the right and Mission Creek from the left in Champoeg State Heritage Area. Less than 1miles later, it enters the Willamette River 45miles from the larger stream's mouth on the Columbia River.^{[3] [4]}

See also

• List of rivers of Oregon

Notes and References

1. Web site: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) . United States Geological Survey . November 28, 1980 . [{{Gnis3|1162888}} Champoeg Creek ]. November 28, 2009.
2. Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
3. DeLorme Mapping . Oregon Atlas and Gazetteer . 2008 . 28 . 978-0-89933-347-2 .
4. Web site: United States Geological Survey . United States Geological Survey Topographic Map: St. Paul and Newberg quadrants . TopoQuest . November 28, 2009.
5. Book: Bright, William. William Bright

   . William Bright. Native American placenames of the United States. April 11, 2011. 2004. University of Oklahoma Press. 978-0-8061-3598-4. 87.