Middle Fork River

For other uses, see Middle Fork River (disambiguation).
Middle Fork River
The Middle Fork River in Audra State Park in 2005
Map of the Monongahela River basin, with the Middle Fork River highlighted
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWest Virginia
Physical characteristics
SourceKittle Creek
 • locationRich Mountain, Randolph County
 • coordinates38°40′03″N 80°04′45″W / 38.66750°N 80.07917°W / 38.66750; -80.07917[1]
 • elevation3,639 ft (1,109 m)[2]
2nd sourceBirch Fork
 • locationRocky Ridge, Randolph County
 • coordinates38°40′47″N 80°05′58″W / 38.67972°N 80.09944°W / 38.67972; -80.09944[3]
 • elevation3,493 ft (1,065 m)[2]
Source confluence 
 • locationAdolph, West Virginia, Randolph County
 • coordinates38°44′44″N 80°02′47″W / 38.74556°N 80.04639°W / 38.74556; -80.04639[4]
 • elevation2,303 ft (702 m)[1]
MouthTygart Valley River
 • location
Barbour County
 • coordinates
39°03′41″N 80°02′51″W / 39.06139°N 80.04750°W / 39.06139; -80.04750[4]
 • elevation
1,483 ft (452 m)[4]
Length35 mi (56 km)[5]
Basin size152 sq mi (390 km2)[6]
Discharge 
 • locationAudra State Park[7]
 • average356 cu ft/s (10.1 m3/s)[7]
 • minimum0.2 cu ft/s (0.0057 m3/s)
 • maximum16,700 cu ft/s (470 m3/s)

The Middle Fork River is a 35.4-mile-long (57.0 km)[5] tributary of the Tygart Valley River in north-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 152 square miles (390 km2) on the easternmost part of the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau. According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Middle Fork River has also been known simply as "Middle Fork" and as "Middlefork."[4]

  1. ^ a b Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Kittle Creek (Feature ID #1551657)". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  2. ^ a b Google Earth elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
  3. ^ Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Birch Fork (Feature ID #1550360)". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  4. ^ a b c d Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Middle Fork River (Feature ID #1552064)". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  5. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 15, 2011
  6. ^ West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. "Watershed Atlas Project". pp. Tygart Valley River watershed. Archived from the original on 2005-04-04. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  7. ^ a b Ward, S. M.; G. R. Crosby. "Water Resources Data, West Virginia, Water Year 2005". United States Geological Survey. pp. Monongahela River Basin. Retrieved 2007-05-20.