Kanawha River
The Kanawha River (/kəˈnɔːə/ kə-NAW-ə) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi (156 km) long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, its watershed has been a significant industrial region of the state since early in the 19th century.
| Kanawha River | |
|---|---|
The Kanawha River in St. Albans, West Virginia | |
Map of the Kanawha River and its tributary the New River, with the Kanawha River highlighted in darker blue. | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| Counties | Fayette, Kanawha, Putnam, Mason |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | New River |
| • location | Ashe County, NC |
| • coordinates | 36°32′45″N 81°21′09″W |
| • elevation | 2,546 ft (776 m) |
| 2nd source | Gauley River |
| • location | Three Forks of Gauley, Pocahontas County, WV |
| • coordinates | 38°24′33″N 80°14′17″W |
| • elevation | 2,917 ft (889 m) |
| Source confluence | |
| • location | Gauley Bridge, WV |
| • coordinates | 38°09′42″N 81°11′47″W |
| • elevation | 653 ft (199 m) |
| Mouth | Ohio River |
• location | Point Pleasant, WV |
• coordinates | 38°50′16″N 82°08′34″W |
• elevation | 538 ft (164 m) |
| Length | 97 mi (156 km) |
| Basin size | 12,236 sq mi (31,690 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Charleston, 56.8 mi (91.4 km) from the mouth |
| • average | 15,240 cu ft/s (432 m3/s) |
| • minimum | 1,100 cu ft/s (31 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 216,000 cu ft/s (6,100 m3/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Kanawha River → Ohio River → Mississippi River → Gulf of Mexico |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Ferry Branch, Coal River |
| • right | Elk River, Pocatalico River |
It is formed at the town of Gauley Bridge in northwestern Fayette County, approximately 35 mi (56 km) SE of Charleston, by the confluence of the New and Gauley rivers 2 mi upstream from Kanawha Falls. The waterfall is 24 ft high and has been a barrier to fish movement for more than 1 million years.: 13 The river flows generally northwest, in a winding course on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, through Fayette, Kanawha, Putnam, and Mason counties, past the cities of Charleston and St. Albans, and numerous smaller communities. It joins the Ohio at Point Pleasant. An environmental overview and summary of natural and human factors affecting water quality in the watershed was published in 2000.
Paleo-Indians, the earliest indigenous peoples, lived in the valley and the heights by 10,000 BC as evidenced by archaeological artifacts such as Clovis points. A succession of prehistoric cultures developed, with the Adena culture beginning the construction of numerous skilled earthwork mounds and enclosures more than 2000 years ago. Some of the villages of the Fort Ancient culture survived into the times of European contact.
The area was a place of competition among historical American Indian nations. Invading from their base in present-day New York, the Iroquois drove out or conquered Fort Ancient culture peoples, as well as such tribes as the Huron and Conoy. By right of conquest, the Iroquois, Lenape (Delaware), and Shawnee reserved the area as a hunting ground. They resisted European-American settlement during the colonial years. Eventually the settlers took over by right of conquest.