Yakima River: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}{{Infobox river

The '''Yakima River''' is a [[tributary]] of the [[Columbia River]] in south central and eastern [[Washington (state)|Washington]] state, named for the indigenous [[Yakama Nation|Yakama]] people. [[Lewis and Clark]] mention in their journals that the [[Sahaptin|Chin-nâm pam]] (or the Lower Snake River Chamnapam Nation) called the river '''''Tâpe têtt'''''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=William |title=October 18, 1805 |url=https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/item/lc.jrn.1805-10-18 |website=Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition |publisher=Center for Digital Research in the Humanities with the University of Nebraska Press |access-date=24 December 2022 |date=18 October 1805}}</ref> (also rendered ''Tapteete''),<ref>{{cite web |title=Search results for Place : Yakima (Tapteete) River |url=https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/search?places=Yakima%20%28Tapteete%29%20River |website=Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition |publisher=Center for Digital Research in the Humanities with the University of Nebraska Press |access-date=24 December 2022}}</ref> possibly from the French ''tape-tête'', meaning "head hit". The length of the rivers river from headwaters to mouth is {{convert|214|mi|km|0}}, with an average drop of {{convert|9.85|ft/mi}}. It is the longest river entirely in [[Washington (state)|Washington]] state.

The river rises in the [[Cascade Range]] at an elevation of {{convert|2449|ft|m|0}} at Keechelus Dam on [[Keechelus Lake]] near [[Snoqualmie Pass]], near [[Easton, Washington|Easton]]. The river flows through that town, skirts [[Ellensburg, Washington|Ellensburg]], passes the city of [[Yakima, Washington|Yakima]], and continues southeast to [[Richland, Washington|Richland]], where it flows into the [[Columbia River]] creating the [[Yakima River Delta]] at an elevation of {{convert|340|ft}}The length of the rivers from headwaters to mouth is {{convert|214|mi|km|0}}, with an average drop of {{convert|9.85|ft/mi}}

About 9 million years ago, the Yakima River flowed south from near [[Vantage, Washington|Vantage]] to the [[Tri-Cities, Washington|Tri-Cities]], and then turned west straight for the [[Pacific Ocean|ocean]] through Badger Canyon west of [[Kennewick, Washington|Kennewick]]. Badger Canyon was once a waterway of the Yakima River, this pre-existing channel led the Yakima River to make tribute to the [[Columbia River]] at the current location of the city of Kennewick. Beginning nearly 15,000 years ago the [[Columbia Plateau]] was transformed by the successive [[Missoula Floods|Missoula glacial outburst floods]]. Much of the flood water made way down the Columbia river Channel where a 'choke-point' known as [[Wallula Gap]] caused the restriction of flow. Floodwaters began ponding near the Tri-Cities resulting in the back-flooding of the Columbia's tributary valleys. Badger Canyon was an entry point for back-flooding of the Yakima Valley, successive floods left behind thick deposits of sediments in Badger Canyon and the Valley beyond. These flood deposits which were deposited in large quantities in short amounts of time changed the ground elevation within badgerBadger canyonCanyon causing the Yakima River to re-route north of Red Mountain and enter the Columbia River by present-day [[Richland, Washington|Richland]].{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

During the last [[ice age]], the [[Missoula Floods]] further altered the landscape of the area, opening up the [[Horn Rapids]] area to the Yakima River. The [[Amon Creek|West Fork of Amon Creek]] now utilizes Badger Canyon.<ref name="geocache">

The Yakima River provides [[irrigation]] for the dry but fertile land in the valley, and irrigated agriculture is the economic base. Agricultural land totals {{convert|1000|sqmi}}, including irrigated pastures, orchards, grapes, hops, and field crops. A significant portion of Washington [[Apple (fruit)|appleapples]]s and [[Cherry|cherries]] are grown in the valley, as well as most (75%) of the United States's [[hops]]. Since the late 20th century, the [[wine]] industry has grown rapidly in the area. It is the location of the [[Yakima Valley AVA]], a designated [[American Viticultural Area]].

*[[List of rivers of Washington (state)]]