Cowlitz River
Country	United States
State	Washington
Region	Lewis County
Major cities	Longview, Kelso
Length	105 mi (169 km)
Watershed	2,480 sq mi (6,423 km²)
Discharge at	Castle Rock
- average	9,122 cu ft/s (258 m³/s) [1]
- maximum	139,000 cu ft/s (3,936 m³/s)
- minimum	998 cu ft/s (28 m³/s)
Source
- coordinates	46°40′40″N 121°35′6″W / 46.67778, -121.585 [2]
- elevation	1,190 ft (363 m) [3]
Mouth	Columbia River
- coordinates	46°5′52″N 122°54′40″W / 46.09778, -122.91111 [2]
- elevation	0 ft (0 m) [3]
Major tributaries
- left	Cispus River, Toutle River
- right	Tilton River

The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Lewis County is a County located in the US state of Washington. Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Kelso is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Castle Rock, also known as Turokville or "The Canyon" is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. The cubic foot is an imperial and US customary (non- metric) unit of Volume, used in the United States Canada and the United Kingdom The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units CM3 redirects here If you were looking for the 3rd game in the Cooking Mama series abbreviated as CM3 see here. The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units The cubic foot is an imperial and US customary (non- metric) unit of Volume, used in the United States Canada and the United Kingdom The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units CM3 redirects here If you were looking for the 3rd game in the Cooking Mama series abbreviated as CM3 see here. The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units The cubic foot is an imperial and US customary (non- metric) unit of Volume, used in the United States Canada and the United Kingdom The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units CM3 redirects here If you were looking for the 3rd game in the Cooking Mama series abbreviated as CM3 see here. The second ( SI symbol s) sometimes abbreviated sec, is the name of a unit of Time, and is the International System of Units A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The Columbia River (known as A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The Cispus River approximately 53 miles in length and flows into the Cowlitz River at Lake Scanewa in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. The Toutle River is a river in southwestern Washington State in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A tributary is a Stream or River which flows into a mainstem (or parent river The Columbia River (known as Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. Mount Rainier is an active Stratovolcano (also known as a composite volcano in Pierce County Washington, located southeast of Seattle, Washington Mount Adams is a potentially active Stratovolcano in the Cascade Range and the second-highest Mountain in the state of Washington Mount St Helens is an active Stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States

The Cowlitz has a 2,480 sq mi (4,017. 6 km²) drainage basin, located between the Cascade Range in eastern Lewis County, Washington and the cities of Kelso and Longview. Lewis County is a County located in the US state of Washington. Kelso is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. The river is roughly 105 miles (170 km) in total length, 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 (see 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption). The Cispus River approximately 53 miles in length and flows into the Cowlitz River at Lake Scanewa in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. The Toutle River is a river in southwestern Washington State in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States A lahar is a type of Mudflow / Landslide composed of Pyroclastic material and Water that flows down from a Volcano, typically Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Mount St Helens is an active Stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States The 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, a volcano located in Washington state in the United States was a major volcanic eruption.

Dams

The Cowlitz River currently has 3 major hydroelectric dams, with several small-scale hydropower and sediment retention structures within the Cowlitz Basin. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water

The Cowlitz Falls Project is a 70 megawatt hydroelectric dam that was constructed in the early 1990s and completed in 1994. The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water The dam is 140 feet high and 700 feet wide. The Cowlitz Falls Project produces on average 260 gigawatthours annually for Lewis County PUD. Its reservoir, Lake Scanewa, is located at the confluence of the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers downstream of Randle. Randle is an unincorporated community in extreme eastern Lewis County, Washington, United States.

Mossyrock Dam began generating power for Tacoma City Light in 1968. It rises 605 feet from bedrock and created 23-mile long Riffe Lake (previously Davisson Reservoir). It is the highest dam in the Pacific Northwest. ^[4] The dam is named for the nearby city of Mossyrock, and the lake for the town of Riffe, which, along with Kosmos, was destroyed by the flooding of the Cowlitz River valley above the dam. Mossyrock is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States.

The Mayfield Dam is 850 feet long and 185 feet high. An 860-foot tunnel connects the reservoir to the powerhouse. The dam began producing electricity in 1963. Mayfield Lake offers many recreational opportunities due to the presence of several county and state parks and its location below the Mossyrock Dam. The modulated inflow from the Mossyrock Dam allows Mayfield Lake to maintain a water level that rarely fluctuates more than a few feet. It is located several miles downstream of Mossyrock.

Packwood Lake was dammed in 1964 by the Washington Public Power Supply System (now called Energy Northwest). The dam has taken over the job of holding back the lake from an ancient landslide and redirects streamflow to a 27 megawatt hydroelectric generator in the Cowlitz River valley floor 2,000 feet (300 m) below just outside the town of Packwood. The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. Packwood is an Unincorporated community located in easternmost Lewis County Washington. When designing and building the dam, care was taken so as not to affect the abundant wildlife that calls the lake and surrounding area home; the dam raising the water level by only a few feet.

The sediment retention structure on the North Fork of the Toutle River. The dam is approximately 22 miles upriver from the confluence of the Toutle and the Cowlitz.

A serious side effect of the Mount St. Helens 1980 eruption has been the downstream movement of enormous amounts of sediment through the North Fork Toutle River. The 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, a volcano located in Washington state in the United States was a major volcanic eruption. After the eruption, river-borne sediment increased over five thousand-fold, making the Toutle River one of the most sediment-laden rivers in the world. The Toutle River Sediment Retention Structure was constructed to trap this sediment before it was carried farther downstream, where it could clog the river channel, exacerbate floods along the lower Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers, and fill the Columbia River shipping channel, which still requires periodic dredging. The Sediment Retention Structure is a 1800 foot long 184 foot high Earthen dam on the Toutle River in Washington. The Columbia River (known as An overflow channel has been added to divert lahars around the dam. A lahar is a type of Mudflow / Landslide composed of Pyroclastic material and Water that flows down from a Volcano, typically

Bridges

The Cowlitz is spanned by several bridges along its length.

Just upstream from its mouth at the Columbia river, a railroad bridge connecting the Port of Longview to the BNSF rail line crosses the Cowlitz, with a road bridge for SR 432 (Tennant Way) beside. The BNSF Railway headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the four remaining Transcontinental railroads and one of the largest railroad networks in

Further upstream are the Allen St. and Cowlitz Way bridges, connecting West Kelso with the rest of Kelso. Kelso is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Just north of Kelso, a railroad bridge provides crossing for the Columbia & Cowlitz Railroad. The Columbia and Cowlitz Railway, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Company and is headquartered in Longview Washington; the railroad serves an 8½  Mile

Connecting SR 411 to Interstate-5 is the Lexington bridge, a two lane bridge between the large unincorporated community of Lexington to Exit 42 on the east side of the bank.

At Castle Rock, the A St. Castle Rock, also known as Turokville or "The Canyon" is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. bridge provides access from downtown to the school and residential areas across the river. A few miles north, after the Toutle River split, the BNSF line crosses the river. The BNSF Railway headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the four remaining Transcontinental railroads and one of the largest railroad networks in

Across the Lewis/Cowlitz County line, between the towns of Vader and Toledo, Washington, I-5 crosses the river. Lewis County is a County located in the US state of Washington. Cowlitz County is a County located in the US state of Washington. Vader is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 590 at the 2000 census Toledo is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 653 at the 2000 census Interstate 5 (I-5 is the main Interstate highway on the West Coast of the United States, paralleling the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico At Toledo, SR-505 (called the Jackson Highway) crosses. Toledo is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 653 at the 2000 census

Where Highway 12 crosses Mayfield Lake, just west of Mossyrock, causeways were built out to the middle of the lake, where a short bridge section connects the two sides. US Route 12, or US 12, is an east-west United States highway running from Grays Harbor on the Pacific Ocean in the state of Washington to downtown A small bridge provides a crossing for SR 122 at the head of Mayfield Lake. Just east of Mossyrock, the Cowlitz River Bridge on Highway 12 was the largest concrete arch bridge in North America until 1971 at 550 feet.

At the head of Riffe Lake, the 27 Road provides access to the forestland south of the Cowlitz from Morton and Glenoma to the north. Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1045 at the 2000 census Glenoma is a small unincorporated town in Lewis County, Washington, United States.

At Randle, SR 131 crosses the Cowlitz to provide access to the Cispus basin and the northern areas of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Randle is an unincorporated community in extreme eastern Lewis County, Washington, United States. Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument is a US National Monument that East of Randle, at Cora, Highway 12 again crosses the Cowlitz.

In the Big Bottom Valley between Randle and Packwood, Highway 12 crosses the Cowlitz.

At Packwood, Skate Creek Road spans the river, providing access to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Tatoosh Wilderness, as well as connecting the downtown and residential areas of Packwood. Gifford Pinchot Located in Washington State the of Tatoosh Wilderness is managed by the U

Upstream from Packwood, the Cowlitz splits into the Muddy and Clear Forks, with several Forest Service and Park Service roads crossing each.

Other River Structures

When the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery began operation in 1968, it was the largest salmon hatchery in the world. Currently, it produces nearly 13 million fish each year. Adjacent to the salmon hatchery is the barrier dam, which diverts spawning and upriver migrating fish to a separating station where fish are sorted by species. Some of the fish are used by the hatchery while others are transported upstream to continue migration.

The Bonneville Power Administration, in cooperation with the Lewis County PUD, state and federal agencies and Tacoma Power, constructed a downstream anadromous fish collection facility as part of the Cowlitz Falls Project. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA is an American Federal agency based in the Pacific Northwest. The fish facility, along with the Cowlitz River Salmon Hatchery's diversion dam below Mayfield Lake, has permitted the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River basin for the first time since the construction of the Mossyrock and Mayfield dams in the 1960s.

Recreational Opportunities

These two hatcheries provide an exceptional sportfishing opportunity for recreational anglers in Washington and Oregon. The Cowlitz river consistently ranks as one of the states top ten steelhead and salmon producers.

Steelhead and Salmon Fishing Trips can be arranged through several local fishing guides.

References

External links

• USGS Cowlitz River Basin map
• Cowlitz Falls Project
• http://www.energy-northwest.com/generation/packwood
• The Army Corps of Engineers' Mt. St. Helens Sediment Retention Structure