Columbia River
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The Columbia River is a river in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. The Columbia River is about 1,243 miles long. Its major tributary is the Snake River, which flows west from the state of Idaho. In the Columbia's lower part, it forms the Washington-Oregon state border. The Columbia drains 254,000 square miles (657,857 km2) of land, beginning in the Canadian Rockies and flowing west through the Cascade Range, to where it outlets into the Pacific Ocean.
There are 14 dams on the Columbia River. Three are in Canada, and the remaining 11 are in the United States. The dams generate hydroelectricity and provide flood control for the lower Columbia basin. There are also a few dams on the Snake River. Most of the Columbia River's tributaries also have dams. These dams have, along with their benefits, caused salmon populations in the river to vanish.
[change] Major tributaries
| Tributary | Average discharge: ft³/s (m³/s) |
|---|---|
| Snake River | 56,900 (1611) |
| Willamette River | 35,660 (1010) |
| Kootenay River (Kootenai) | 30,650 (867) |
| Pend Oreille River | 27,820 (788) |
| Cowlitz River | 9,200 (261) |
| Spokane River | 6,700 (190) |
| Deschutes River | 6,000 (170) |
| Lewis River | 4,800 (136) |
| Yakima River | 3,540 (100) |
| Wenatchee River | 3,220 (91) |
| Okanogan River | 3,050 (86) |
| Kettle River | 2,930 (83) |
| Sandy River | 2,260 (64) |
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