Alpowa Creek is a stream in Garfield and Asotin Counties, southeastern Washington. It starts near Peola, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Pomeroy, in the foothills of the northern Blue Mountains just outside the Umatilla National Forest.[3] It initially flows north through farmland before descending northeast into a canyon, flanked to the north by Alpowa Ridge and to the south by Knotgrass Ridge.[4] It receives Stember Creek from the left; downstream of there, U.S. Highway 12 runs parallel to it.[5] It empties into the Snake River at Lower Granite Lake, the impoundment formed by Lower Granite Dam, about 8 miles (13 km) to the west of Clarkston.[6]
| Alpowa Creek | |
|---|---|
  Location of the mouth of Alpowa Creek in Washington | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Garfield, Asotin |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Blue Mountains |
| • location | near Peola |
| • coordinates | 46°17′49″N 117°29′37″W / 46.29694°N 117.49361°W[1] |
| Mouth | Snake River |
• location | West of Lewiston/Clarkston |
• coordinates | 46°25′16″N 117°12′15″W / 46.42111°N 117.20417°W[1] |
• elevation | 738 ft (225 m)[1] |
| Length | 25.1 mi (40.4 km)[2] |
The creek's name derives from the Nez Perce Alpahwah or Elpawawe meaning "a spring forming a creek", which was the name of a Nez Perce village that once stood at the confluence of Alpowa Creek and the Snake River.[7]: 6 The creek supports a minor population of Snake River steelhead trout. Due to the impacts of livestock grazing and water diversion for agriculture, it has been designated a priority restoration reach by the Snake River Salmon Recovery Board.[8]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c "Alpowa Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. September 10, 1979. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed February 18, 2024
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. "U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Map: Peola, Washington quad". TopoQuest. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. "U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Map: Alpowa Ridge, Washington quad". TopoQuest. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. "U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Map: Stember Creek, Washington quad". TopoQuest. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. "U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Map: Silcott Island, Washington quad". TopoQuest. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Meany, Edmond Stephen. Origin of Washington Geographic Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN 9780598974808.
- ^ "MSA Alpowa Creek". Salmon Recovery Portal. Retrieved February 20, 2024.