| Williams River | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | West Virginia |
| Subdivision Type3: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name3: | Pocahontas, Webster |
| Length: | 33miles |
| Discharge1 Location: | Dyer, WV |
| Discharge1 Min: | 0.62cuft/s(1995) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 30cuft/s |
| Discharge1 Max: | 1840cuft/s(1971) |
| Source1: | Beaverdam Run |
| Source1 Location: | Day Mountain, Pocahontas County, WV |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 38.2464°N -80.165°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 3892feet[1] |
| Source2: | Downy Run |
| Source2 Location: | Day Mountain, Pocahontas County, WV |
| Source2 Coordinates: | 38.2342°N -80.1589°W |
| Source2 Elevation: | 3975feet[2] |
| Source Confluence Location: | Pocahontas County, WV |
| Source Confluence Coordinates: | 38.2286°N -80.0194°W |
| Source Confluence Elevation: | 3448feet[3] |
| Mouth: | Gauley River[4] |
| Mouth Location: | Donaldson, WV |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 38.385°N -80.5133°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 2169feet |
| Basin Size: | 132sqmi |
The Williams River is a tributary of the Gauley River, 33 miles (53 km) long,[5] in east-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Gauley, Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 132 square miles (342 km2) in a sparsely populated region of the southern Allegheny Mountains and the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau.[5] [6]
The river has also been known historically as the South Fork of the Gauley River[4] In Webster County, it collects a short tributary known as the Middle Fork Williams River, which itself collects the North Branch Middle Fork Williams River. The river most likely was named after a landowner named Williams.[7]
The Williams River rises in southern Pocahontas County, approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of Marlinton, and flows initially northwardly, then westwardly into southern Webster County, where it joins the Gauley River approximately 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Cowen.[6] It flows for much of its length in the Monongahela National Forest, including the Cranberry Wilderness, in an area that was heavily logged in the early 20th century and has since been reforested. Coal mining activity took place along the river's lower course into the 1970s.[5]
The Williams River is regarded as one of the five best trout fishing streams in West Virginia,[5] due to its cold water temperature, low turbidity, and frequent stockings of trout (amounting to 27,000 pounds annually) by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.[8]