| Smith River | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Along Lower Smith River Road northeast ofReedsport | |
  Location of the mouth of the Smith River in Oregon | |
| Etymology | Jedediah Smith, early 19th century explorer[2] |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Douglas County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Central Oregon Coast Range |
| • location | north ofDrain,Douglas County,Oregon |
| • coordinates | 43°44′25″N123°20′22″W / 43.74028°N 123.33944°W /43.74028; -123.33944[1] |
| • elevation | 1,407 ft (429 m)[3] |
| Mouth | Umpqua River |
• location | Reedsport,Douglas County,Oregon |
• coordinates | 43°44′13″N124°04′43″W / 43.73694°N 124.07861°W /43.73694; -124.07861[1] |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m)[1] |
| Length | 91 mi (146 km)[4] |
| Basin size | 352 sq mi (910 km2)[4] |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 735 cu ft/s (20.8 m3/s)[4] |
TheSmith River is a 90-mile (140 km) tributary of theUmpqua River in theU.S. state ofOregon.[4] It drains 352 square miles (910 km2) of theCentral Oregon Coast Range between the watershed of the Umpqua to the south and theSiuslaw River to the north.[4][5]
Rising in northernDouglas County about 10 miles (16 km) north ofDrain, the river flows generally west in a winding course through the mountains, passing through theSiuslaw National Forest for about 10 miles (16 km) in its lower course. It joins the Umpqua from the north across fromReedsport, about 6 miles (10 km) from the mouth of the Umpqua on the Pacific Ocean.[5]
The river is named forJedediah Smith, who in 1828 led a party of explorers fromUtah overland to northern California and southern Oregon. From California, they traveled north to the Umpqua River, camping along its banks near the mouth of the Smith River on July 13. An attack by Native Americans on July 14 killed 15 of Smith's party. One man escaped by heading north toTillamook and thenFort Vancouver. Smith and two others who were not in camp at the time of the attack fled east toward theWillamette Valley and survived. TheSmith River in California is also named for Smith.[2]
Named tributaries of the Smith River from source to mouth are Spring, Whiskey, Alder, Watering Trough, Sleezer, Tip Davis, Peterson, Redford, and Hall creeks. Then Summit, Hefty, Plank, Clevenger, Beaver, Elk, and Arthur Jones creeks. Next is the South Fork Smith River followed by Salmonberry, Amberson, Panther, Haney, Huckleberry, Deer, Yellow, and Hardenbrook creeks.[6]
Next, continuing downstream, are Cleghorn, Johnson, Slideout, Clabber, Halfway, Mosetown, Blind, Rock, Marsh, Devils Club, South Sister and North Sister creeks. Then Beaver, Carpenter, Coldwater, Clearwater, Blackwell, and Scare creeks. Next is theWest Fork Smith River followed by Vincent, Rachel, Johnson, Bear, Little Buck, and Buck creeks.[6]
Then come Fawn, Doe, Dailey, Spencer, Taylor, Wasson, and Murphy creeks. Next is theNorth Fork Smith River followed by Russian John Gulch, then Eslick, Noel, Cassidy, Joyce, Black, and Brainard creeks. Below that are Otter Slough, Camp Seven Gulch, Hudson Slough, Frantz Creek, and Butler Creek.[6]
