Copper River (Alaska)

The Copper River or Ahtna River (/ˈɑːtnə/), Ahtna Athabascan ‘Atna’tuu ([ʔatʰnaʔtʰuː]), "river of the Ahtnas", Tlingit Eeḵhéeni ([ʔìːq.híː.nì]), "river of copper", is a 290-mile (470 km) river in south-central Alaska in the United States. It drains a large region of the Wrangell Mountains and Chugach Mountains into the Gulf of Alaska. It is known for its extensive delta ecosystem, as well as for its prolific runs of wild salmon, which are among the most highly prized stocks in the world. The river is the tenth largest in the United States, as ranked by average discharge volume at its mouth.

Copper River
A fisherman (bottom center) dipnetting for salmon on the Copper River at Chitina in Southcentral Alaska
Location
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationCopper Glacier on Mount Wrangell
  coordinates62°10′39″N 143°49′05″W
  elevation4,380 ft (1,340 m)
Mouth 
  location
Copper Bay of Pacific Ocean
  coordinates
60°23′19″N 144°57′39″W
  elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length290 mi (470 km)
Basin size24,000 sq mi (62,000 km2)
Discharge 
  average57,400 cu ft/s (1,630 m3/s) at mouth
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