Snoqualmie River

Snoqualmie River
Snoqualmie River flooding several miles below Snoqualmie Falls in December 2004
Map of the Snoqualmie River highlighted in the Snohomish River watershed
Snoqualmie River is located in Washington (state)
Snoqualmie River
Location of the mouth of the Snoqualmie River in Washington
Snoqualmie River is located in the United States
Snoqualmie River
Snoqualmie River (the United States)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountiesKing, Snohomish
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of the Middle and North Forks
 • coordinates47°31′15″N 121°46′33″W / 47.52083°N 121.77583°W / 47.52083; -121.77583[1]
MouthSnohomish River
 • coordinates
47°49′11″N 122°1′45″W / 47.81972°N 122.02917°W / 47.81972; -122.02917
Length45 mi (72 km)
Discharge 
 • locationUSGS gage 12149000 near Carnation[2]
 • average3,710 cu ft/s (105 m3/s)[2]
 • minimum341 cu ft/s (9.7 m3/s)
 • maximum54,500 cu ft/s (1,540 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftRaging River, South Fork, Middle Fork
 • rightTolt River, North Fork
Official nameSnoqualmie (Middle Fork)
TypeWild, Scenic
DesignatedDecember 19, 2014

The Snoqualmie River is a 45-mile (72 km) long river in King County and Snohomish County in the U.S. state of Washington. The river's three main tributaries are the North, Middle, and South Forks, which drain the west side of the Cascade Mountains near the town of North Bend and join near the town of Snoqualmie just above the Snoqualmie Falls. After the falls the river flows north through rich farmland and the towns of Fall City, Carnation, and Duvall before meeting the Skykomish River to form the Snohomish River near Monroe. The Snohomish River empties into Puget Sound at Everett. Other tributaries of the Snoqualmie River include the Taylor River and the Pratt River, both of which enter the Middle Fork, the Tolt River, which joins at Carnation, and the Raging River at Fall City.

Many of the Snoqualmie River's headwaters originate as snowmelt within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. On August 8, 2007, U.S. Representative Dave Reichert (WA-08), King County Executive Ron Sims, and others announced a proposal to expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness to include the valley of the Pratt River, a tributary of the Middle Fork, near the town of North Bend. The proposal would also give the Pratt River National Wild and Scenic River status.[3][4]

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Snoqualmie River
  2. ^ a b "Water Resources Data-Washington Water Year 2005; Snohomish River Basin" (PDF). USGS. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  3. ^ "Reichert proposes expanding Alpine Lakes Wilderness". [dead link]
  4. ^ "Reichert, Local Officials and Citizens Announce Intention to Expand Wilderness". Archived from the original on 2007-09-02.