Abiqua Creek

Geobox | River
name = Abiqua Creek
category = Creek


image_size =
image_caption =
etymology = Possibly from a Kalapuyan word for "hazelnut"cite book
last = Bright
first = William
title = Native American Placenames of the United States
publisher = University of Oklahoma Press
date = 2004
location = Norman, Oklahoma
pages = 20
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=5XfxzCm1qa4C&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=alsea+etymology&source=web&ots=ZRcBq5nnxq&sig=7Z-GLVpNRDf9U9_ZTVMuW0zNMAo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPA20,M1
isbn = 9780806135984
accessdate = 2008-08-03]
country = United States
country_

state = Oregon
district_type = County
district = Marion
source =
source_location = Cascade Range foothills
source_region = Marion County
source_state = Oregon
source_elevation_imperial = 3331
source_elevation_note = Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.]
source_length_imperial =
source_lat_d = 44
source_lat_m = 52
source_lat_s = 32
source_lat_NS = N
source_long_d = 122
source_long_m = 24
source_long_s = 29
source_long_EW = W
source_coordinates_note =
mouth_name = Pudding River
mouth_location = near Silverton
mouth_district =
mouth_region = Marion County
mouth_state = Oregon
mouth_country =
mouth_note =
mouth_lat_d = 45
mouth_lat_m = 02
mouth_lat_s = 10
mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 122
mouth_long_m = 49
mouth_long_s = 56
mouth_long_EW = W
mouth_coordinates_note =
mouth_elevation_imperial = 154
mouth_elevation_note = cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)| publisher = United States Geological Survey (USGS) | date = 1980-11-28 | url = http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1116756 | title = Abiqua Creek | accessdate = 2008-07-28.]
length_imperial = 29
length_round = 0
length_note =
watershed_imperial =
watershed_round = 1
watershed_note =
discharge_location =
discharge_round = 2
discharge_imperial =
discharge_note =
discharge_min_imperial = 0
discharge_max_imperial =
discharge1_location =
discharge1_imperial =
discharge1_note =


map_size =
map_caption =
map1 = Oregon Locator Map.png map1_size = 300
map1_caption = Location of the mouth of Abiqua Creek in Oregon
map1_locator = Oregon
commons =

Abiqua Creek is a tributary of the Pudding River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The creek originates near Lookout Mountain in the foothills of the Cascade Range in the northwestern part of the state. It flows northwest for about convert|29|mi|km to its confluence with the Pudding, about convert|2|mi|km west of Silverton, in the Willamette Valley. About convert|20|mi|km north of Silverton, the Pudding River meets the Molalla River, which meets the Willamette River less than convert|1|mi|km later near Canby.cite map
publisher = DeLorme Mapping
title = Oregon Atlas and Gazeteer
edition = 1991
page = 54, 60
isbn = 0-89933-235-8
accessdate = ]

The creek is the main source of drinking water for Silverton, which operates a diversion dam upstream. The city, the Pudding River Watershed Council, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are working to improve fish passage on the creek and are studying the effectiveness of the dam's fish ladder. Abiqua Creek has historically supported the largest steelhead spawning populations in the Pudding River watershed.

Course

The creek begins in the Abiqua Basin about convert|5|mi|km|0 north-northeast of Silver Falls State Park and flows down a canyon. Ridges on the north and south separate its watershed from Silver Creek on the south and Butte Creek on the north. Named tributaries include Sweet Spring Creek, entering from the left about convert|26|mi|km from the mouth; Wildcat Creek, from the left about convert|2|mi|km later; Trinity Falls Creek from the right about convert|21|mi|km from the mouth, and over the next convert|2|mi|km Bucket Creek from the right, Homestead Creek from the left, Johnson Creek from the right, and Goober Creek from the right, in that order.

Just below Goober Creek near Santiam State Forest, the stream plunges convert|101|ft|m over Abiqua Falls. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) places the falls at coordinates coord|44.9265111|-122.5667521 at an elevation of convert|1358|ft|m above sea level.cite web | title = The National Map (courtesy U.S. Geological Survey) | publisher = Microsoft Corporation's Terraserver USA | date = 2005 | url = http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=10&X=668&Y=6218&W=2 | accessdate = 2008-07-29] cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)| publisher = United States Geological Survey (USGS) | date = 1980-11-28 | url = http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1162805 | title = Abiqua Falls | accessdate = 2008-07-29] [cite web | title = Abiqua Falls | publisher = Northwest Waterfall Survey | date = 2008 | url = http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/waterfall.php?st=&num=1517 | accessdate = 2008-07-29] Downstream of the falls, the creek runs close by Milk Ranch Road and then Abiqua Road, both on the right. At about convert|12|mi|km from the mouth, Abiqua Creek receives Hammond Creek, and shortly thereafter Echo Creek, and about convert|4|mi|km later, Powers Creek, all from the left.

About convert|4.5|mi|km from the mouth, the stream passes under Oregon Route 213 between Silverton and Molalla, and about convert|1|mi|km from the mouth it goes under Oregon Route 214 between Silverton and Mount Angel. Shortly thereafter, it passes under Gallon House Road, which is carried by the covered Gallon House Bridge. It crosses under Mount Angel Highway before reaching the Pudding River, convert|45.7|mi|km by river from its confluence with the Molalla River.

Discharge

The Marion Soil and Water Conservation District operates a stream monitor on Abiqua Creek at Gallon House Road about convert|0.5|mi|km from the mouth. District calculations based on data from the monitor suggest that the flow of the creek there varies from near zero to about convert|250|cuft/s|m3/s. These figures do not include readings near flood stage because the district's monitor cannot safely measure the highest flows. [cite web | title = Flow Monitoring Program: Abiqua Creek | publisher = Marion Soil and Water Conservation District | date = 2007 | url = http://marionswcd.net/projects.html#flow | title = Flow Monitoring Program | accessdate = 2008-07-29]

Reservoir and fish ladder

Abiqua Creek is the main water supply for the city of Silverton, which also gets water from Silver Creek and stores water in Silverton Reservoir.cite web
title = Water Quality Division
publisher = The City of Silverton
date = 2008
url = http://www.silverton.or.us/Departments/PublicWorks/WaterQualityDivision/tabid/4760/Default.aspx
accessdate = 2008-07-28] The Abiqua Creek water reaches the city from a diversion dam in the Cascade Range foothills at (RM) 10.4.cite web
title = City, Watershed Council, State Examine Ways to Enhance Abiqua Creek Fish Environment
publisher = The City of Silverton
date = Spring 2007
url = http://www.silverton.or.us/Portals/64/Home/April%2007.pdf
format = pdf
accessdate = 2008-07-29] The diversion dam's higher elevation above sea level allows water to flow to the Silverton water treatment plant without pumping.

In 2007, the city of Silverton, the Pudding River Watershed Council, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) began a project to improve fish passage on Abiqua Creek. The first stage of the project involves evaluating the effectiveness of the fish ladder on the city's diversion dam, built in 1916. The creek supports native populations of winter steelhead and has the potential to support spring Chinook salmon. Abiqua Creek has historically supported thelargest steelhead spawning populations in the Pudding River watershed. [cite web
title = R & E Grant Application 07-09 Biennium: Silverton Dam Fish Passage Alternatives
publisher = Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
date = 2007
url = http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/RE/docs/2007_projects/07-063.pdf
format = pdf
accessdate = ] Native cutthroat trout thrive in the cool water of the upper and middle reaches. The lower valley reach of the stream features warmer water temperatures in the summer and poorer water quality. This stretch of the creek is mainly populated by northern pikeminnow and carp.

ee also

*List of rivers of Oregon

References