North Fork Malheur River

North Fork Malheur River
North Fork Malheur River is located in Oregon
North Fork Malheur River
Location of the mouth of the North Fork Malheur River in Oregon
EtymologyFrom the French malheur (bad fortune), applied by French Canadian hunters whose cache of furs near the river were stolen[2]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyBaker, Grant, Harney, Malheur
Physical characteristics
SourceBlue Mountains
 • locationBig Cow Burn, Baker County
 • coordinates44°21′58″N 118°24′16″W / 44.36611°N 118.40444°W / 44.36611; -118.40444[1]
 • elevation6,884 ft (2,098 m)[3]
MouthMalheur River
 • location
Juntura, Malheur County
 • coordinates
43°45′25″N 118°03′40″W / 43.75694°N 118.06111°W / 43.75694; -118.06111[1]
 • elevation
2,923 ft (891 m)[1]
Length59 mi (95 km)[4]
Basin size550 sq mi (1,400 km2)[5]
Discharge 
 • locationBeulah, 14.5 miles (23.3 km) from the mouth[6]
 • average87.9 cu ft/s (2.49 m3/s)[6]
 • minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
 • maximum7,000 cu ft/s (200 m3/s)
TypeScenic
DesignatedOctober 28, 1988

The North Fork Malheur River is a 59-mile (95 km) tributary of the Malheur River in eastern Oregon in the United States. Rising in Big Cow Burn in the Blue Mountains, it flows generally south to join the larger river at Juntura. The upper 25.5 miles (41.0 km) of the river have been designated Wild and Scenic. This part of the river basin offers camping, hiking, and fishing opportunities in a remote forest setting. The lower river passes through Beulah Reservoir, which stores water for irrigation and has facilities for boaters.

  1. ^ a b c "North Fork Malheur River". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  2. ^ McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names, 7th ed. Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. pp. 606–07. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
  3. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  4. ^ Fenton, Jason. "'Use of Radio Telemetry to Document Movements of Bull Trout in the North Fork Malheur River, Oregon 2002' in Evaluation of the Life History of Native Salmonids in the Malheur River Basin" (PDF). Bonneville Power Administration. p. 5. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  5. ^ Malheur Watershed Council; Burns Paiute Tribe (May 2004). "Malheur River Subbasin Assessment and Management Plan For Fish and Wildlife Mitigation" (PDF). Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Water Data Report 2010, 13217500 North Fork Malheur River at Beulah, OR" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 28, 2011.