Nisqually River

Overview

The Nisqually River is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately 81 miles long. It drains part of the Cascade Range southeast of Tacoma, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound.

History

The Nisqually River is the traditional territorial center of the Nisqually tribe, for which it was named, though they also lived throughout southern Puget Sound. The Treaty of Medicine Creek, one of the major Northwest treaties between Washington territory and the native population of Puget Sound, was signed near a creek at the delta of the Nisqually River. The Nisqually people were moved from the region surrounding the river after the signing of the treaty, settling on a reservation on Puget Sound east of Olympia. After a period of resistance by the Nisqually tribe, including such leaders as Chief Leschi, a new reservation three times the size of the original was established on the river.

Course

The river rises in southern Mount Rainier National Park, fed by the Nisqually Glacier on the southern side of Mt. Rainier. It flows west through Ashford and Elbe along Route 706. It is then impounded for hydroelectricity by the Alder Dam, completed in 1944, and the LaGrande Dam, completed in 1912. They hold back Alder Lake and the inaccessible two-mile long LaGrande Reservoir. Below Elbe, the river flows northwest through the foothills, passes near McKenna, Washington, and through Fort Lewis and the Nisqually Indian Reservation. The river crosses beneath Interstate 5 and into the Nisqually River Delta, which is the location of the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. The delta as a whole, including federal, state, and private land, was designated in 1971 as a National Natural Landmark. The Nisqually enters the Nisqually Reach portion of Puget Sound approximately 15 miles east of Olympia.

Trips

Segment 1

Put In Location: Longmire Suspension Bridge on Longmire Rd E

Coordinates: 46°44'56.4"N 121°48'28.0"W

Take Out Location: Nisqually River Bridge on Kernahan Rd E

Coordinates: 46°44'40.0"N 121°58'52.4"W

Pass: National Park
Difficulty: Class 3
Distance Traveled: 10.02 miles
Estimated Time: 4-6 Hours
Potential Hazards:

Bony

Hypothermic Water Temperature

Strainers

Woody Debris

Recommended Flow: 1000-2500 CFS,

Gauge: Nisqually River at Mckenna, WA - 12089500

Segment 2

Put In Location: Nisqually River Bridge on Kernahan Rd E

Coordinates: 46°44'40.0"N 121°58'52.4"W

Take Out Location: Nisqually River Bridge on WA-7

Coordinates: 46°45'44.8"N 122°11'31.8"W

Pass: N/A
Difficulty: Class 3
Distance Traveled: 12.14 miles
Estimated Time: 5-7 Hours
Potential Hazards:

Bony

Hypothermic Water Temperature

Strainers

Woody Debris

Recommended Flow: 1000-2500 CFS,

Gauge: Nisqually River at Mckenna, WA - 12089500

Segment 3

Put In Location: Marshel River Bridge on Mountain Hwy E

Coordinates: 46°51'22.4"N 122°18'10.4"W

Take Out Location: Mckenna Park on WA-507

Coordinates: 46°45'44.8"N 122°11'31.8"W

Pass: N/A
Difficulty: Class 2
Distance Traveled: 19.81 miles
Estimated Time: 7-9 Hours
Potential Hazards:

Centralia Canal Dam, Portage Required

Hypothermic Water Temperature

Strainers

Woody Debris

Recommended Flow: 1000-2500 CFS,

Gauge: Nisqually River at Mckenna, WA - 12089500

Segment 4

Put In Location: Mckenna Park on WA-507

Coordinates: 46°45'44.8"N 122°11'31.8"W

Take Out Location: Nisqually River Powerhouse Park Access Point on Yelm Hwy SE

Coordinates: 46°58'31.6"N 122°38'12.7"W

Pass: N/A
Difficulty: Class 3
Distance Traveled: 9.10 miles
Estimated Time: 4-6 Hours
Potential Hazards:

Boulder Garden

Hypothermic Water Temperature

Kahuna Rapid

Little Kahuna Rapid

Rotary Screw Trap

Strainers

Submerged Cars

Woody Debris

Recommended Flow: 1000-2500 CFS,

Gauge: Nisqually River at Mckenna, WA - 12089500

Segment 5

Put In Location: Nisqually River Powerhouse Park Access Point on Yelm Hwy SE

Coordinates: 46°58'31.6"N 122°38'12.7"W

Take Out Location: Nisqually River Public Access

Coordinates: 47°03'28.6"N 122°41'33.9"W

Pass: Discover Pass
Difficulty: Class 2
Distance Traveled: 8.5 miles
Estimated Time: 4-6 Hours
Potential Hazards:

Hypothermic Water Temperature

Strainers

Woody Debris

Recommended Flow: 1000-2500 CFS,

Gauge: Nisqually River at Mckenna, WA - 12089500

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