| Buckhannon River | |
|---|---|
 The Buckhannon River inRangoon in 2005 | |
 Map of theMonongahela River basin, highlighting the Buckhannon River | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| Counties | Upshur,Barbour |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Confluence of Left Fork Buckhannon River and Right Fork Buckhannon River |
| • location | Alexander,Upshur County |
| • coordinates | 38°47′03″N80°13′20″W / 38.78417°N 80.22222°W /38.78417; -80.22222[1] |
| • elevation | 1,837 ft (560 m)[2] |
| Mouth | Tygart Valley River |
• location | southwesternBarbour County |
• coordinates | 39°05′49″N80°04′35″W / 39.09694°N 80.07639°W /39.09694; -80.07639[1] |
• elevation | 1,325 ft (404 m)[1] |
| Length | 45 mi (72 km)[3] |
| Basin size | 309 sq mi (800 km2)[4] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Cutright Run |
TheBuckhannon River is a 45.4-mile-long (73.1 km)[3]tributary of theTygart Valley River in north-centralWest Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley,Monongahela andOhio rivers, it is part of thewatershed of theMississippi River, draining an area of 309 square miles (800 km2) on theunglaciated portion of theAllegheny Plateau. It provides drinking water for much ofUpshur County.[5]
The Buckhannon River is formed at the community of Alexander in southernUpshur County by the confluence of theLeft Fork Buckhannon River[2] and theRight Fork Buckhannon River,[6] both of which rise in southwesternRandolph County at elevations of 3,658 feet (1,115 m) and 3,401 feet (1,037 m), respectively,[7] and flow generally north-northwestwardly into southern Upshur County. The Right Fork flows through the communities ofPickens andSelbyville and collects tributaries known as the Middle Fork Right Fork Buckhannon River[8] and the Left Fork Right Fork Buckhannon River;[9] the Left Fork of the Right Fork flows through the community ofHelvetia.[10]
From Alexander the Buckhannon River flows generally northwardly, pastSago, to the city ofBuckhannon, then northeastwardly into southwesternBarbour County, pastBoulder (Rangoon Post Office) andCarrollton, where it is crossed by theCarrollton Covered Bridge. It joins the Tygart Valley River just downstream of Carrollton, about 4 miles (6 km) southwest ofPhilippi,[10] at the site of the former community ofTygart Junction.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 79.5% of the Buckhannon River's watershed isforested, mostlydeciduous; approximately 18.1% is used foragriculture andpasture; and less than 1% is urban.[4]
The city of Buckhannon was officially named forBuckongahelas[11] (c. 1720–1805), the legendaryLenape Chief. A statue of Buckongahelas and his fallen son, crafted by Buckhannon sculptor Ross Straight, was erected in Buckhannon West Virginia’s Jawbone Park in 2000.[12]
The uppermost (southernmost) stretch of the river downstream of Alexander drops approximately 400 feet (120 m) in its first 13 miles (21 km) and isboulder-strewn, providing habitat fortrout (particularlybrown trout),smallmouth bass, androck bass. A low dam, installed for the provision of drinking water, forms a pool stretching upstream of Buckhannon to Sago; downstream of Sago, the Buckhannon is considered to be one of the best streams formuskellunge fishing in West Virginia. For 20 miles (32 km) downstream of Buckhannon, the river generally moves slowly between vegetation-covered banks over numerous submerged logs, providing habitat for muskies as well as smallmouth bass, rock bass, andcarp. In its lowermost course above its mouth, the river assumes a higher gradient and is home to smallmouth bass, rock bass, andsunfish.[13]
According to theGeographic Names Information System & official historic markers, the Buckhannon River has also been known as:[1]
