| Newhalen River | |
|---|---|
  Location of the mouth of the Newhalen River in Alaska | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Lake and Peninsula |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Six Mile Lake |
| • coordinates | 59°56′56″N 154°51′42″W / 59.94889°N 154.86167°W[1] |
| • elevation | 253 ft (77 m)[2] |
| Mouth | Iliamna Lake |
• location | 3 miles (5 km) south of Iliamna |
• coordinates | 59°42′48″N 154°53′24″W / 59.71333°N 154.89000°W[1] |
• elevation | 46 ft (14 m)[1] |
| Length | 22 mi (35 km)[3] |
The Newhalen River (Dena'ina: Nughiltnu) is a 22-mile (35 km) stream in the Lake and Peninsula Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska.[3] Beginning at Six Mile Lake, the Newhalen flows south to enter Iliamna Lake about 3 miles (5 km) south of Iliamna.[1]
Alaska Fishing describes the river as "the major pathway for a mind-boggling migration of sockeye salmon"[4] that ascend the stream in early summer. The main game fish in addition to sockeye are rainbow trout.[4]
It is possible to float parts of the Newhalen in rafts and kayaks. However, waterfalls rated Class V (extremely difficult) on the International Scale of River Difficulty and other sections of whitewater rated Class IV (very difficult) mean that the river "is rarely run in its entirety".[5] The first 8 miles (13 km) below Six Mile Lake are Class I (easy), and there is a take-out point, Upper Landing, at the end of this stretch. More difficult water begins below Upper Landing.[5]
- ^ a b c d "Newhalen River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. January 1, 2000. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
- ^ Derived by entering source coordinates in Google Earth.
- ^ a b Orth, Donald J.; United States Geological Survey (1971) [1967]. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names: Geological Survey Professional Paper 567 (PDF). University of Alaska Fairbanks. p. 684. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b Limeres, Rene; Pedersen, Gunnar; et al. (2005). Alaska Fishing: The Ultimate Angler's Guide (3rd ed.). Roseville, California: Publishers Design Group. p. 230. ISBN 1-929170-11-4.
- ^ a b Jettmar, Karen (2008) [1993]. The Alaska River Guide: Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting in the Last Frontier (3rd ed.). Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press. pp. 177–78. ISBN 978-0-89732-957-6.