Black River (Chehalis River tributary)
| Black River | |
|---|---|
Wetland near Black River, 2023 | |
Interactive map of River location | |
| Etymology | Color of waters |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Thurston County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• coordinates | 46°49′16″N 123°13′10″W / 46.82111°N 123.21944°W |
| Length | 25 mi (40 km) |
| Basin size | 144 mi2 (370 km2) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Black River→ Chehalis River→ Pacific Ocean |
| GNIS feature ID | 1511608[1] |
The Black River is a river in Thurston County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is approximately 25 miles (40 km) long with a drainage basin of about 144 square miles (370 km2).[2]
History
In November of 1824, an expedition commanded by James McMillan set out to travel through the Black River and Black Lake.[3] One of the explorers, fur trader John Work, described the Black River as "so named from the colour of its water ... A great many dead salmon are in the river, and many that are just alive and barely able to move through the water."[4]
In 1922,[5] a ditch was created to connect the river to Percival Creek, making Black River the only waterway to drain to the Puget Sound (via Budd Inlet) and the Pacific Coast.[6][7][8]
The river was recognized in 1980 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as an important fish and wildlife habitat, one of twenty in Washington state. The Nature Conservancy began efforts afterwards to create a wildlife refuge around the northern reaches of Black River. Approved by the federal government in 1996, the site became officially known as the Black River Unit of the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, or more succulently as the Black River Refuge. An additional unit overseen by the state is the Black River Wildlife Area Unit.[9]
Course
The Black River's source are natural springs and Black Lake, located about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Tumwater. The river spans more than 20 miles (32 km) and has numerous meanders. The topography of the river is flat and is considered to be a slow-current waterway.[9]
The river flows generally south, through Littlerock, near the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve, then southwest, passing through the Black River Habitat Management Area and the town of Rochester, before meandering west through the community of Gate and entering Grays Harbor County, where it empties into the Chehalis River in the Chehalis Indian Reservation.[10]
Environment and ecology
Peat bogs and various wetlands, which include permanent, seasonal, or forested areas, are located in the Black River Refuge.[9]
The river, including the Black River Unit at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, includes various aquatic and bird species.[5][9]
Birds
Bird species in the Black River Refuge, and along the course of the waterway, include various species of sparrows, swallows, vireo, warblers, and wrens, as well as numerous types of waterfowl.[9]
- American bittern
- American green-winged teal
- American wigeon
- bald eagle
- Canada geese (Pacific population)
- Caspian tern
- cedar waxwing
- double-crested cormorant
- gadwall
- Great blue heron
- greater white-fronted goose (Pacific population)
- Green heron
- Hooded merganser
- Kingfisher
- mallard (Western population)
- northern pintail
- northern shoveler
- peregrine falcon
- Pine siskin
- Red-tail hawk
- rufous hummingbird
- Spotted towhee
- Virginia rail
Fish
Frogs
Vegetation
The shores and waters of the Black River are home to various species of plants, such as lilies, mint, and sedges. Trees along the waterway include alder and willow.[9]
Recreation
The Black River is open to fishing usually during the middle of the year; cutthroat trout is a common catch. Camping is not sanctioned in the Black River Refuge but self-propelled watercraft, such as kayaks or paddleboards, are approved.[9]
See also
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Black River
- ^ "Chehalis River Basin Nonpoint Action Plan - Black River". Chehalis River Council. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
- ^ Crooks, Drew. W. "Pierre Charles in the Pacific Northwest" (PDF). Columbia. 4 (Spring 1990): 29. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ Majors, Harry M. (1975). Exploring Washington. Van Winkle Publishing Co. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-918664-00-6.
- ^ a b "Black River Unit protects fragile and unique natural habitats and their wildlife". Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
- ^ "Black River / Chehalis Watershed". Capitol Land Trust. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ "Black Lake Basin Study". Thurston County. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ^ "Percival Creek Gets Water Flow from Black Lake". Washington Standard. Washington State Library. April 8, 1921. p. 6. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Johnston, Greg (June 27, 2002). "Black River - It's A Jungle Out There, Of Wetlands and Rare Species, And Conservationists Want To Keep It That Way". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 14. NewsBank 0F470F09C675C532. Retrieved February 2, 2026 – via NewsBank.
- ^ Course info mainly from: Washington Road & Recreation Atlas. Benchmark Maps. 2000. and [1]