Elk River (West Virginia)

Elk River
A map of Elk River and its watershed
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
CountiesPocahontas, Randolph, Webster, Braxton, Clay, Kanawha
Physical characteristics
SourceOld Field Fork
 • locationElk Mountain, Pocahontas County
 • coordinates38°18′24″N 80°06′18″W / 38.30667°N 80.10500°W / 38.30667; -80.10500
 • elevation3,557 ft (1,084 m)[1]
2nd sourceBig Spring Fork
 • locationPocahontas County
 • coordinates38°22′32″N 80°00′34″W / 38.37556°N 80.00944°W / 38.37556; -80.00944
 • elevation3,655 ft (1,114 m)[2]
Source confluence 
 • locationSlatyfork
 • coordinates38°25′08″N 80°07′48″W / 38.41889°N 80.13000°W / 38.41889; -80.13000
 • elevation2,667 ft (813 m)[3]
MouthKanawha River[4]
 • location
Charleston
 • coordinates
38°21′18″N 81°38′42″W / 38.35500°N 81.64500°W / 38.35500; -81.64500
 • elevation
574 ft (175 m)
Length172 mi (277 km)[5]
Discharge 
 • locationQueen Shoals[6]
 • average2,650 cu ft/s (75 m3/s)[6]
 • minimum271 cu ft/s (7.7 m3/s)(1976)
 • maximum14,000 cu ft/s (400 m3/s)(1972)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftBirch River
 • rightHolly River

The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River, 172 miles (277 km) long,[5] in central West Virginia in the United States. Via the Kanawha and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.

  1. ^ "USGS Elevation Query: Old Field Fork Source". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-22.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "USGS Elevation Query: Big Spring Fork Source". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-22.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "USGS Elevation Query: Elk River Source Confluence". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-22.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Elk River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  5. ^ a b "Columbia Gazetteer of North America: Elk River". Columbia University Press. 2000. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  6. ^ a b "USGS 03197000 ELK RIVER AT QUEEN SHOALS, WV". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-04-22.