| Tanana River | |
|---|---|
 Tanana River nearFairbanks, Alaska | |
 Course of the Tanana River, formed by the shorter Nabesna River (left) and Chisana River (right), then flowing northwest to meet the Yukon River | |
| Etymology | from theKoyukon (Athabaskan)tene no,tenene, meaning "trail river". |
| Native name |
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| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| District | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area,Fairbanks North Star Borough,Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | confluence of theNabesna and Chisana rivers |
| • location | Northway Junction,Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge |
| • coordinates | 63°02′57″N141°51′52″W / 63.04917°N 141.86444°W /63.04917; -141.86444[1] |
| • elevation | 1,672 ft (510 m)[2] |
| Mouth | Yukon River |
• location | nearTanana |
• coordinates | 65°09′38″N151°57′37″W / 65.16056°N 151.96028°W /65.16056; -151.96028[1] |
• elevation | 200 ft (61 m)[1] |
| Length | 584 mi (940 km) |
| Basin size | 44,000 sq mi (110,000 km2)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | mouth[3] |
| • average | 41,800 cu ft/s (1,180 m3/s)[3] |
TheTanana River/ˈtænənɑː/ (Lower Tanana: Tth'eetoo',Upper Tanana:Tth’iitu’ Niign) is a 584-mile (940 km) tributary of theYukon River in theU.S. state ofAlaska.[n 1] According to linguist and anthropologistWilliam Bright, the name is from theKoyukon (Athabaskan)tene no,tenene, literally "trail river."[7] Early explorer and naturalist to AlaskaWilliam Dall translated the name as "River of Mountains."[8]
The river's headwaters are located at the confluence of theChisana andNabesna rivers just north ofNorthway in eastern Alaska.[9] The Tanana flows in a northwest direction from near the border with theYukon Territory, and laterally along the northern slope of theAlaska Range, roughly paralleled by theAlaska Highway.[9] In central Alaska, it emerges into a lowland marsh region known as theTanana Valley and passes south of the city ofFairbanks.[9]
In the marsh regions it is joined by several large tributaries, including theNenana (near the city ofNenana) and theKantishna. It passes the village ofManley Hot Springs and empties into the Yukon near the town ofTanana.[9]
Ice on the river accumulates each winter to an average maximum thickness of 43 inches (110 cm) at Nenana.[10] The Nenana Ice Classic, begun in 1917, is an annual guessing game about the date of the ice break-up.[10] In October or November, after the freeze has begun, a tripod is planted in ice in the middle of the river. The tripod is connected to an on-shore clock that stops when the tripod begins to move during the spring thaw. Over the years, the break-up date has varied from April 20 to May 20.[10] Betting on the exact time of the break-up takes the form of a lottery, called the Nenana Ice Classic.
Human habitation of the Yukon basin, including the Tanana watershed, began more than 12,000 years ago.[11] Several sites in the watershed have produced evidence of occupation byPaleo-Arctic people. Later residents include people of the Tanana tribe, which has had a presence in the region for 1,200 years.[11]
In the summer of 1885, LieutenantHenry Tureman Allen of theU.S. Army undertook the first recorded exploration of the Tanana River. In 1883, LieutenantFrederick Schwatka and his party had entered the Yukon watershed by way ofCanada and floated to the mouth of the Yukon. Allen's goal was to find an all-Alaska route to the Yukon River. He and his men ascended theCopper River, crossed into Tanana River drainage, and descended the Tanana to the Yukon and down it to the mouth. During the five-month trip, the Allen party mapped the courses of the Copper, Tanana, andKoyukuk rivers.[12]
During World War II, it was proposed to resettle Finnish refugees in areas around the Tanana River (Operation Alaska).[13]
In the early 21st century, the basin is largely wilderness unchanged by human activity. Fairbanks, a metropolitan area with about 100,000 residents in 2019, is a center ofplacer gold mining, which has continued in the basin since the mid-19th century. Limited farming also occurs in the valley near Fairbanks.[11]
On April 23, 2024, aDouglas C-54D operated by Alaska Air Fuelcrashed along the banks of the Tanana River, killing both pilots, the only two occupants on board. Most fuel on board the aircraft was burned up in the post-crash fire and no cleanup operation was conducted.[14]
Since the early 1900s, Alaskans have been gambling on when the river would melt. Each year, thousands pay $3.00 to guess the exact date and minute the Tanana River ice will go out in Nenana. TheNenana Ice Classic is a fundraiser for local charities and has awarded some large prizes. In 2010, after the ice went out on April 29, three lottery winners split a jackpot of $279,030.[15] In 2012, the record prize was $350,000.[16]
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