Mitchell River (North Carolina)

Mitchell River
Tributary to Yadkin River
Mitchell River (North Carolina) is located in North Carolina
Mitchell River (North Carolina)
Location of Mitchell River mouth
Mitchell River (North Carolina) is located in the United States
Mitchell River (North Carolina)
Mitchell River (North Carolina) (the United States)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyAlleghany
Surry
Physical characteristics
Sourcedivide between Mitchell River and Little River
 • locationabout 1.5 miles north of Roaring Gap, North Carolina
 • coordinates36°25′09″N 080°59′51″W / 36.41917°N 80.99750°W / 36.41917; -80.99750[1]
 • elevation2,740 ft (840 m)[2]
MouthYadkin River
 • location
Burch, North Carolina
 • coordinates
36°16′31″N 080°46′10″W / 36.27528°N 80.76944°W / 36.27528; -80.76944[1]
 • elevation
856 ft (261 m)[1]
Length21.62 mi (34.79 km)[3]
Basin size108.17 square miles (280.2 km2)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationYadkin River
 • average172.17 cu ft/s (4.875 m3/s) at mouth with Yadkin River[4]
Basin features
Progressioneast then southeast
River systemYadkin
Tributaries 
 • leftStewart Fork
Long Creek
Mill Creek
Saddle Mountain Creek
Butler Creek
Robertson Creek
Potters Creek
Pine Branch
Snow Creek
 • rightMill Creek
South Fork Mitchell River
Camp Creek
BridgesDevotion Estate Way (x5), Haystack Road (x3), River Road, Judsville School Road, Millstone Trail, Kapps Mill Road, Zephry Mountain Park Road, I-77, NC 268

The Mitchell River is a tributary of the Yadkin River in northwestern North Carolina in the United States.[5] Via the Yadkin it is part of the watershed of the Pee Dee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. According to the Geographic Names Information System, it has also been known historically as "Mitchells River," "Mitchels River," and "Mountain Creek."[6]

The Mitchell rises in eastern Alleghany County in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and flows generally southeastwardly through Surry County, where it joins the Yadkin River about 5 mi (8 km) northeast of Elkin at the community of Burch.[5]

In Surry County, it collects the short South Fork Mitchell River, which has also been known historically as "Mill Creek," "South Fork Creek," and "South Fork Mitchells River."[7] The river is a popular destination for anglers who catch Brown, Brook, and Rainbow trout.

  1. ^ a b c "GNIS Detail - Mitchell River". geonames.usgs.gov. US Geological Survey. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Mitchell River Topo Map, Surry County NC (Elkin North Area)". TopoZone. Locality, LLC. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  3. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". epa.maps.arcgis.com. US EPA. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Mitchell River Watershed Report". Waters Geoviewer. US EPA. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b DeLorme (2001). North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-277-3
  6. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mitchell River
  7. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Fork Mitchell River