North Fork Coquille River

The North Fork Coquille River is a 53-mile (85 km) tributary of the Coquille River in the southern Oregon Coast Range in the U.S. state of Oregon.[3] It begins at an elevation of about 1,700 feet (520 m) above sea level and drops to 13 feet (4.0 m) near Myrtle Point, where it joins the South Fork Coquille River to form the main stem.[1]

North Fork Coquille River
View from a bridge upstream of Myrtle Point
North Fork Coquille River is located in Oregon
North Fork Coquille River
Location of the mouth of the North Fork Coquille River in Oregon
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
DistrictCoos County
CityMyrtle Point
Physical characteristics
SourceCoos Mountain
 • locationOregon Coast Range, Coos County
 • coordinates43°16′54″N 123°51′14″W / 43.28167°N 123.85389°W / 43.28167; -123.85389[1]
 • elevation1,654 ft (504 m)[2]
MouthCoquille River
 • location
Myrtle Point, Coos County
 • coordinates
43°04′49″N 124°08′29″W / 43.08028°N 124.14139°W / 43.08028; -124.14139[1]
 • elevation
13 ft (4.0 m)[1]
Length53.3 mi (85.8 km)[3]
Basin size154 sq mi (400 km2)[3]
Discharge 
 • locationMyrtle Point, Oregon
 • average945 cu ft/s (26.8 m3/s)
 • maximum38,400 cu ft/s (1,090 m3/s)

Course

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About 53 miles (85 km) long,[3] it starts as the confluence of several gulches on the east slope of Coos Mountain in Coos County. The river first flows north, but then turns west and south. It intersects Laverne County Park, passes through the rural community of Fairview and then Rock Prairie County Park before receiving Middle Creek from the left. It continues south through the hills and receives the East Fork Coquille River, also from the left, at the rural community of Gravelford. The river then turns west, meandering to a point north of Myrtle Point. Here it joins the South Fork Coquille River to form the Coquille, which flows west to the Pacific Ocean at Bandon.[4]

Tributaries

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Named tributaries of the North Fork Coquille River from source to mouth are Little North Fork Coquille River followed by North Fork, Giles, Neely, Whilley, Moon, Hudson, and Swayne creeks. Below this come Evans, Steele, Blair, Lost, Middle, Schoolhouse, Garage, Wood, and Wimer creeks. Next is the East Fork Coquille River followed by Johns, Kessler, Carey, and Llewellyn creeks.[4]

Watershed

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About 70 percent of the Coquille River basin is forested, and most of the forest land produces commercial timber. Other land uses in the basin include farming and mining. Population is very sparse on the forested slopes above the valleys.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "North Fork Coquille River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. November 28, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  2. ^ Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Introduction to the Coquille Watershed". Coquille Watershed Association. Archived from the original on November 17, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved February 22, 2016 – via Acme Mapper.
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