Nisqually River

Nisqually River
Nisqually River near Ashford during a flood in 2006 that destroyed a campground in Mount Rainier National Park
Nisqually River is located in Washington (state)
Nisqually River
Location of the mouth of the Nisqually River in Washington
Nisqually River is located in the United States
Nisqually River
Nisqually River (the United States)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
DistrictNisqually Indian Reservation, Fort Lewis
Physical characteristics
SourceNisqually Glacier
 • locationMount Rainier
 • coordinates46°47′39″N 121°44′54″W / 46.79417°N 121.74833°W / 46.79417; -121.74833[1]
 • elevation4,809 ft (1,466 m)[2]
MouthPuget Sound
 • location
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
 • coordinates
47°6′31″N 122°42′11″W / 47.10861°N 122.70306°W / 47.10861; -122.70306[1]
 • elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length81 mi (130 km)
Basin size517 sq mi (1,340 km2)[3]
Discharge 
 • locationLa Grande, WA[4]
 • average1,460 cu ft/s (41 m3/s)[4]
 • minimum460 cu ft/s (13 m3/s)
 • maximum39,500 cu ft/s (1,120 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftLittle Nisqually River
 • rightMashel River
Near its source in Mount Rainier National Park, the Nisqually River flows under a bridge of Route 706.

The Nisqually River /nɪˈskwɑːli/ is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately 81 miles (130 km) long. It drains part of the Cascade Range southeast of Tacoma, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound. Its outlet was designated in 1971 as the Nisqually Delta National Natural Landmark.

The Nisqually River forms the Pierce–Lewis county line, as well as the boundary between Pierce and Thurston counties.

  1. ^ a b United States Geological Survey; U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Nisqually River; retrieved April 20, 2007.
  2. ^ Google Earth elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
  3. ^ United States Geological Survey; Nisqually River at McKenna, WA; retrieved April 20, 2007.
  4. ^ a b United States Geological Survey; Nisqually River at La Grande, WA; retrieved April 20, 2007 (used instead of McKenna gage due to power canal river diversion).