Goose Creek | |
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![]() Goose Creek near Oakley, Idaho | |
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | Idaho, Nevada, Utah |
Counties | Cassia County, Idaho, Elko County, Nevada, Box Elder County, Utah |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Cassia Division of the Sawtooth National Forest, Cassia County, Idaho |
• coordinates | 42°10′29″N 114°17′31″W / 42.17472°N 114.29194°W[1] |
• elevation | 7,239 ft (2,206 m)[2] |
Mouth | Snake River |
• location | near Burley, Cassia County, Idaho |
• coordinates | 42°32′37″N 113°45′47″W / 42.54361°N 113.76306°W[1] |
• elevation | 4,137 ft (1,261 m)[1] |
Length | 123 mi (198 km)[3] |
Basin size | 1,120 sq mi (2,900 km2)[4] |
Goose Creek is a 123-mile (198 km) long[3] tributary of the Snake River. Beginning at an elevation of 7,239 feet (2,206 m)[2] in the Cassia Division of the Sawtooth National Forest in southwestern Cassia County, Idaho, it flows south into Elko County, Nevada, and loops back around into Cassia County, briefly crossing Box Elder County, Utah, in the process.[5] It is impounded by Oakley Dam several miles south of Oakley, Idaho, forming Lower Goose Creek Reservoir. All of the creek's water is stored for irrigation, so its channel from the reservoir to its mouth near Burley, Idaho, is dry and largely obliterated by agriculture.[6] Goose Creek has a 1,120-square-mile (2,901 km2) watershed.[4] The California Trail followed Goose Creek from a point just north of the Idaho/Utah border southwest across northwestern Utah to Little Goose Creek in northeastern Elko County, Nevada.[7]
The stream was named for the geese along its course.[8]