Wynoochee River Explained

Wynoochee River
Name Other:river
Pushpin Map:Washington#USA
Pushpin Map Size:300
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:United States
Subdivision Type2:State
Subdivision Name2:Washington
Subdivision Type3:Counties
Subdivision Name3:Grays Harbor
Subdivision Type5:Cities
Subdivision Name5:Montesano
Length:60miles
Source1:Wynoochee Canyon, Olympic Mountains
Mouth:Montesano, Chehalis River (Washington)
Mouth Coordinates:46.9617°N -123.6092°W
Basin Size:218sqmi

The Wynoochee River is a 60miles long[1] river located in the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. A tributary of the Chehalis River, the Wynoochee River rises in the Olympic Mountains within the Olympic National Park and flows generally south. Its drainage basin is 218sqmi in area.[2] The name Wynoochee comes from the Lower Chehalis placename /xʷənúɬč/,[3] meaning "shifting".[4]

The city of Montesano was a recipient of the installation of flood control measures near Montesano's wastewater treatment plant which rests near the river. As part of the Chehalis Basin Strategy, log jacks were placed during 2018-2019 that helped increase the riverbank of the migrating river, which was threatening the plant that during flooding would have inundated the community with sewage runoff. The fortification increased the habitat of aquatic species and extended the operating life of the plant by several decades.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wynoochee River. The Columbia Gazetteer of North America . 2009-05-19.
  2. Web site: Chehalis River Basin Nonpoint Action Plan - Wynoochee River . Chehalis River Council . 2009-06-05.
  3. Book: Bright, William. William Bright

    . William Bright. Native American placenames of the United States. 6 April 2011. 2004. University of Oklahoma Press. 978-0-8061-3598-4. 576.

  4. Book: Majors, Harry M. . Exploring Washington . Van Winkle Publishing Co . 1975 . 73 . 978-0-918664-00-6.
  5. News: The Chronicle staff . Chehalis Basin Strategy progress in review: Log jacks protect wastewater treatment plant in Grays Harbor County . August 28, 2023 . The Chronicle . August 25, 2023.