Middle Fork John Day River

Middle Fork John Day River
Middle Fork John Day River
Middle Fork John Day River is located in Oregon
Middle Fork John Day River
Location of the mouth of the Middle Fork John Day River in Oregon
EtymologyJohn Day, fur trapper
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyGrant
Physical characteristics
SourceBlue Mountains
 • locationnear Austin, Grant County, Oregon
 • coordinates44°35′05″N 118°25′48″W / 44.58472°N 118.43000°W / 44.58472; -118.43000[1]
 • elevation4,254 ft (1,297 m)[2]
MouthNorth Fork John Day River
 • location
near Slickear Mountain, Grant County, Oregon
 • coordinates
44°54′59″N 119°18′08″W / 44.91639°N 119.30222°W / 44.91639; -119.30222[1]
 • elevation
2,192 ft (668 m)[1]
Length73.4 mi (118.1 km)[3]
Basin size806 sq mi (2,090 km2)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationRitter, Oregon, 14.9 miles (24.0 km) from the mouth
 • average266 cu ft/s (7.5 m3/s)[6][7]
 • minimum0.90 cu ft/s (0.025 m3/s)[5]
 • maximum5,430 cu ft/s (154 m3/s)[5]

The Middle Fork John Day River is a 73-mile (117 km) tributary of the North Fork John Day River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It originates in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon in the Malheur National Forest near Austin and flows generally west to the North Fork about 18 miles (29 km) above Monument. The Middle Fork drainage basin covers about 806 square miles (2,090 km2).[4]

The Oregon Scenic Waterways Program, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), protects the river for most of its length. The state lists a 60-mile (97 km) segment of the Middle Fork from about 71 miles (114 km) from the mouth to about 11 miles (18 km) from the mouth as a Scenic River Area and the lower 11 miles (18 km) as a Natural River Area. People planning to cut trees, mine, build roads or structures, or make other substantial changes within 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) of the river must first notify OPRD and seek its approval.[8]

  1. ^ a b c "Middle Fork John Day River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  2. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  3. ^ "Online Topographic Maps from the United States Geological Survey". TopoQuest. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
  4. ^ a b Columbia-Blue Mountain Resource Conservation & Development Area (2005). "John Day Subbasin Revised Draft Plan" (PDF). Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Archived from the original (pdf) on June 16, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference minandmax was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference avgdischarge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ The average discharge rate was calculated by adding average annual discharge rates for the 10 calendar years, 2010–2019, from the USGS gauge records and dividing by 10.
  8. ^ "Scenic Waterways Program". Oregon Parks and Recreation Department: Rules and Regulations. State of Oregon. 2008. Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2008.