Green River (North Fork Toutle River tributary)

The Green River is the largest tributary of the North Fork Toutle River in the U.S. state of Washington. Situated near Mount St. Helens in the Cascade Range in the southern part of the state, it flows generally west through Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and industrial timberlands for 37.4 miles (60.2 km). The river drains more than 130 square miles (340 km2) in parts of three Washington counties: Skamania, Lewis, and Cowlitz.

Green River
Map
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountiesLewis, Skamania, Cowlitz
Physical characteristics
SourceNear Spirit Lake
 • locationGifford Pinchot National Forest, Lewis County
 • coordinates46°18′02″N 122°05′33″W / 46.30056°N 122.09250°W / 46.30056; -122.09250[2]
 • elevation4,765 ft (1,452 m)
MouthNorth Fork Toutle River
 • location
Toutle, Cowlitz County
 • coordinates
46°22′22″N 122°34′57″W / 46.37278°N 122.58250°W / 46.37278; -122.58250[2]
 • elevation
741 ft (226 m)
Length37.4 mi (60.2 km)
Basin size131 sq mi (340 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationnear Kid Valley[1]
 • average479 cu ft/s (13.6 m3/s)[1]
 • minimum34.2 cu ft/s (0.97 m3/s)
 • maximum14,500 cu ft/s (410 m3/s)

As with most other parts of the Toutle River and Cowlitz River systems, the upper part of the Green River was heavily affected by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Course

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It rises from snowmelt on the opposite side of a ridge from Spirit Lake, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Skamania County. The river initially flows north, but turns northwest after the confluence with Grizzly Creek. Turning west, it crosses into Lewis County, then back south into Skamania, and almost immediately afterwards flows into Cowlitz County. Shultz Creek enters from the left then Devils Creek from the right. The river empties into the North Fork Toutle River near the unincorporated community of Toutle.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "USGS Gage #14240800 on the Green River above Beaver Creek near Kid Valley, WA". National Water Information System. U.S. Geological Survey. 1980–1994. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  2. ^ a b "Green River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1979-09-10. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
  3. ^ USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2011-02-11.