Big Sandy River (Ohio River tributary)
The Big Sandy River, called Sandy Creek as early as 1756, is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 29 miles (47 km) long, in western West Virginia and northeastern Kentucky in the United States. The river forms part of the boundary between the two states along its entire course. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed.
| Big Sandy River | |
|---|---|
Confluence of Levisa Fork and Tug Fork, forming the Big Sandy River | |
Map of the Big Sandy River watershed, with its Levisa Fork (left) and Tug Fork (right) tributaries shown | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky, West Virginia |
| Counties | Lawrence KY, Wayne WV, Boyd KY |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Tug Fork |
| • location | Big Stone Ridge, McDowell County, WV |
| • coordinates | 37°16′38″N 81°26′06″W |
| • elevation | 2,604 ft (794 m) |
| 2nd source | Levisa Fork |
| • location | Gap of Sandy, Buchanan County, VA |
| • coordinates | 37°09′06″N 81°54′04″W |
| • elevation | 2,657 ft (810 m) |
| Source confluence | |
| • location | Louisa, KY |
| • coordinates | 38°07′05″N 82°36′06″W |
| • elevation | 545 ft (166 m) |
| Mouth | Ohio River |
• location | Catlettsburg, KY |
• coordinates | 38°24′58″N 82°35′45″W |
• elevation | 525 ft (160 m) |
| Length | 29 mi (47 km) |
| Basin size | 4,280 sq mi (11,100 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | mouth |
| • average | 5,006.74 cu ft/s (141.775 m3/s) (estimate) |
It is formed between Louisa, Kentucky, and Fort Gay, West Virginia, by the confluence of the Tug Fork and Levisa Fork. It flows generally northwardly in a highly meandering course, between Lawrence and Boyd counties in Kentucky and Wayne County in West Virginia. It joins the Ohio between Catlettsburg, Kentucky and Kenova, West Virginia, 8 miles (13 km) west of Huntington, West Virginia, at the common boundary between West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.
The river is navigable and carries commercial shipping, primarily coal mined in the immediate region.
The name of the river, originally called Sandy Creek by 1756, comes from the presence of extensive sand bars. The Native American names for the river included Tatteroa, Chatteroi, and Chatterwha. The name "Big Sandy" was in use no later than February, 1789.
George Washington surveyed land at the mouth of the river between 1768 and 1772.