Chilkat River

The Chilkat River^{[pronunciation?]} is a river in British Columbia and southeastern Alaska that flows southward from the Coast Range to the Chilkat Inlet and ultimately Lynn Canal. It is 84 kilometres (52 mi) long. It begins at Chilkat Glacier, in Alaska, flows west and south in British Columbia for 27 kilometres (17 mi), enters Alaska and continues southwest for another 60 kilometres (37 mi).^[2] It reaches the ocean at the abandoned area of Wells, Alaska and deposits into a long delta area.

Chilkat River
A view up the Chilkat River valley from the Takshanuk Mountains
Location of the mouth of the Chilkat River in Alaska
Location
Countries	Canada, United States
Province	British Columbia
State	Alaska
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Chilkat Glacier, Coast Mountains
• coordinates	[1]
Mouth	Chilkat Inlet
• location	1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of Haines, Saint Elias Mountains
• coordinates	59°12′15″N 135°28′47″W[1]
• elevation	0 ft (0 m)[1]
Length	52 mi (84 km)[1]

The river was named by the Russians for the Chilkat group of Tlingit, called /t͡ʃiɬqut/ in their own language,^[3] who lived in the region. The name means "salmon storehouse".^[2]

Near the Chilkat River is the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, where thousands of bald eagles appear between October and February, to take advantage of late salmon runs. Nearby Haines, the nearest town, is the most common organization spot for birdwatchers.

Threats

The Chilkat was listed as one of America's Most Endangered Rivers in 2019^[4] and again in 2023 due to threats from the Palmer Project, a proposed underground copper and zinc mine sited upstream from the Tlingit village of Klukwan. If built, the project is feared to result in pollution from acidic wastewater laced with heavy metals and hydrocarbons.^[5]

Tributaries

• Klehini River
• Tsirku River

See also

• Chilkat Peninsula
• List of rivers of Alaska
• List of rivers of British Columbia

References

1. "Chilkat River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. January 1, 2000. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
2. "Chilkat River". BC Geographical Names.
3. Bright, William (2004). Native American placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-8061-3598-4. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
4. Stremple, Claire (18 April 2019). "Conservation group: Chilkat and Stikine among 10 most endangered rivers in US". KTOO. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
5. Rosen, Yereth (19 April 2023). "Looming mine development puts Southeast's Chilkat-Klehini system on list of endangered rivers". Alaska Beacon. Retrieved 8 August 2023.