Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.
| Cowlitz River | |
|---|---|
The Cowlitz River at Kelso, Washington | |
Map of the Cowlitz River watershed | |
Mouth of the Cowlitz River in Washington | |
| Etymology | from the Salish, tawallitch, perhaps meaning "capturing the medicine spirit" |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| Region | Lewis County, Cowlitz County |
| Cities | Packwood, Randle, Mossyrock, Toledo, Castle Rock, Longview, Kelso |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Packwood |
| • coordinates | 46°39′16″N 121°37′13″W |
| • elevation | 1,190 ft (360 m) |
| Mouth | Columbia River |
• location | Longview |
• coordinates | 46°5′52″N 122°54′40″W |
• elevation | 3 ft (0.91 m) |
| Length | 105 mi (169 km) |
| Basin size | 2,586 sq mi (6,700 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Castle Rock |
| • average | 9,122 cu ft/s (258.3 m3/s) |
| • minimum | 998 cu ft/s (28.3 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 139,000 cu ft/s (3,900 m3/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Cispus River, Toutle River |
| • right | Tilton River |
The Cowlitz has a 2,586-square-mile (6,698 km2) drainage basin, located between the Cascade Range in eastern Lewis County, Washington and the cities of Kelso and Longview. The river is roughly 105 miles (169 km) long, not counting tributaries.
Major tributaries of the Cowlitz River include the Cispus River and the Toutle River, which was overtaken by volcanic mudflows (lahars) during the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
When the smelt spawn in the Cowlitz River, the gulls go into a feeding frenzy that lasts for weeks. Kelso, Washington is known as the "Smelt Capital of the World".