Muddy Creek (Linn County, Oregon)

Muddy Creek is a tributary of the Willamette River that flows through parts of Lane and Linn counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It begins near Coburg Ridge, northeast of Eugene, and meanders north across the floor of the Willamette Valley roughly parallel to the river. It joins the East Channel of the Willamette upstream of Corvallis.[3]

Muddy Creek
Muddy Creek (Linn County, Oregon) is located in Oregon
Muddy Creek (Linn County, Oregon)
Location of the mouth of Muddy Creek in Oregon
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyLinn and Lane
Physical characteristics
SourceCoburg Ridge
 • locationnear Coburg, Lane County
 • coordinates44°07′19″N 123°00′04″W / 44.12194°N 123.00111°W / 44.12194; -123.00111[1]
 • elevation1,611 ft (491 m)[2]
MouthWillamette River
 • location
East Channel, Linn County
 • coordinates
44°32′14″N 123°13′19″W / 44.53722°N 123.22194°W / 44.53722; -123.22194[1]
 • elevation
210 ft (64 m)[1]

Muddy Creek was so named by pioneer settlers on account of its muddy waters.[4] Its entry in Oregon Geographic Names says, "It is a sluggish stream, and it is no surprise that the pioneers named it as they did."[5] The name appeared in print as early as 1857.[5]

The creek's main tributaries are Dry Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek.[5] A different Muddy Creek with the same characteristics but on the other (western) side of the Willamette flows into Marys River, which enters the Willamette at Corvallis.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Muddy Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey (USGS). November 28, 1980. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  2. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  3. ^ "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  4. ^ "Indians, Surveyors, Incidents Gave Names to Streams, Lakes and Mountains". Eugene Register-Guard. January 4, 1942. p. 5. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 681. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.