The Naselle River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington.

Naselle River
Naselle River as seen from US 101, looking south, a few miles northwest of Naselle
Naselle River is located in Washington (state)
Naselle River
Location of the mouth of the Naselle River in Washington
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyPacific, Wahkiakum
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationWillapa Hills
 • coordinates46°28′8″N 123°33′14″W / 46.46889°N 123.55389°W / 46.46889; -123.55389[1]
MouthChelto Harbor
 • location
Willapa Bay
 • coordinates
46°27′54″N 123°56′24″W / 46.46500°N 123.94000°W / 46.46500; -123.94000[1]
Discharge 
 • locationriver mile 17.4 near Naselle, WA[2]
 • average425 cu ft/s (12.0 m3/s)[2]
 • minimum18 cu ft/s (0.51 m3/s)
 • maximum10,400 cu ft/s (290 m3/s)

Course edit

The Naselle River originates in the Willapa Hills and flows generally west, passing the community of Naselle before emptying into the southern part of Willapa Bay.

Tributaries of the Naselle include, from source to mouth, Alder Creek, North Fork Naselle River, Cedar Creek, Brock Creek, Salmon Creek, Lane Creek, O'Conner Creek, South Naselle River, Johnson Creek, Dell Creek, Petes Creek, Holm Creek, Smith Creek, and Ellsworth Creek. The community of Naselle is located near the confluence of the Naselle and South Naselle Rivers. The broad tidal mouth of the Naselle River is known as Chelto Harbor.[3] The Naselle River was used in a book called our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm.

History edit

The river's name has been spelled Nasel and Nasal. An early settler along the river called it the Kenebec. According to Edmond S. Meany the name comes from the Nisal Indians, a Chinookan tribe formerly residing on the river.[4]

Popular culture edit

The book Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm is about a Finnish family who settled along the Nasel River.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Naselle River
  2. ^ a b "Water Resources Data-Washington Water Year 2005; Naselle and Willapa River Basins; 12010000 Naselle River near Naselle, WA" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  3. ^ Course info mainly from USGS topographic maps accessed via the "GNIS in Google Map" feature of the USGS Geographic Names Information System website.
  4. ^ Meany, Edmond S. (1921). "Origin of Washington Geographic Names". The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. X–XI. Washington University State Historical Society: 278. Retrieved 2009-06-11.