Black River (Chehalis River tributary)

History

In November of 1824, an expedition commanded by James McMillan set out to travel through the Black River and Black Lake. 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."

In 1922, 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.

Course

The Black River's source is Black Lake, located about 3 mi west of Tumwater. 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.

Wildlife refuge

The northern part of the river (near Black Lake) is part of the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge "Black River Unit", which provides a wildlife habitat for species including:

Birds

• American green-winged teal
• American wigeon
• bald eagle
• Canada geese (Pacific population)
• Caspian tern
• double-crested cormorant
• gadwall
• greater white-fronted goose (Pacific population)
• mallard (Western population)
• northern pintail
• northern shoveler
• peregrine falcon
• rufous hummingbird
• Virginia rail
• waterfowl

Fish

• Chinook salmon
• coho salmon
• cutthroat trout
• Olympic mudminnow
• steelhead trout

Frogs

• Oregon spotted frog

References

References

1. {{GNIS. 1511608. Black River
2. "Chehalis River Basin Nonpoint Action Plan - Black River". Chehalis River Council.
3. Crooks, Drew. W. "Pierre Charles in the Pacific Northwest". [[Washington State Historical Society.
4. Majors, Harry M.. (1975). "Exploring Washington". Van Winkle Publishing Co.
5. "Black River / Chehalis Watershed".
6. "Black Lake Basin Study".
7. (April 8, 1921). "Percival Creek Gets Water Flow from Black Lake". [[Washington State Library]].
8. (2000). "Washington Road & Recreation Atlas". [[Benchmark Maps]].
9. "Black River Unit protects fragile and unique natural habitats and their wildlife". [[U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]].