| Nushagak River | |
|---|---|
 Nushagak River | |
  Location of the mouth of the Nushagak River in Alaska | |
| Native name | Iilgayaq (Central Yupik) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Alaska Range |
| Mouth | Nushagak Bay |
• location | Bristol Bay |
• coordinates | 58°47′58″N158°37′57″W / 58.79944°N 158.63250°W /58.79944; -158.63250[1] |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 280 mi (450 km) |
| Basin size | 13,400 sq mi (35,000 km2)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | mouth[2] |
| • average | 35,315 cu ft/s (1,000.0 m3/s)[2] |
TheNushagak River/ˈnuːʃɪɡæk/[3] (Central Yupik:Iilgayaq) is ariver in southwestAlaska, United States. It begins in theAlaska Range and flows southwest 450 km (280 mi) to Nushagak Bay, an inlet ofBristol Bay, east ofDillingham, Alaska.
TheMulchatna River is a major tributary. Other navigable tributaries include theNuyakuk River and theKing Salmon River.
Jet-boats are commonly used to access these tributaries and the upper Nushagak. TheWood River,Iowithla River and theKokwok River are smaller tributaries.
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The villages ofPortage Creek,Ekwok,Koliganek andNew Stuyahok are on the river. The town ofDillingham (Pop. 2,466) is onNushagak Bay.
The Nushagak River is downstream of the proposedPebble Mine, whose tailings storage lake would sit at the headwaters of theKoktuli River, one of the Nushagak's tributaries. Villages on the Nushagak are among the major opponents of the proposal[citation needed].
Five species of Pacificsalmon (Chinook,coho,sockeye,chum, andpink) spawn in the river or its tributaries. Commercial, subsistence and sportfishing are important in the area. Most notable is the annual run of king (Chinook) salmon which occurs from mid-June to mid-July. Rainbow trout, northern pike, grayling, burbot, whitefish and Arctic char are also present in the Nushagak. It is estimated that over 50% of the world's production of wild salmon is harvested in the Nushagak River and the Bristol Bay area.
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