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| Directions Barrier Dam Boat Launch To get to the Barrier Dam boat launch from Interstate 5, take Highway 12 East about 12 miles. Turn right on Fuller Road. Continue until the "T" intersection and turn left on Spencer Road. Stay right at the "Y." Turn left into the salmon hatchery parking lot, or drive straight to get to the Barrier Dam boat launch and fishing area. Blue Creek Boat Launch To get to the Blue Creek Boat Launch from Interstate 5, take State Highway 12 east to the community of Ethel. Turn right (south) on to Tucker Road. Tucker Road bends to the right where it meets Classe Road at a Y. Go straight on to Classe Road. At the end of the road turn left on to Spencer Road. Watch for the signs directing you to turn right to go to the trout hatchery and to the Blue Creek boat launch USGS Cowlitz River Stream Flows |
| Waters West Guide Service 388 Geissler Rd Montesano, WA 98563 Since 2003 |
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owlitz River Fishing Guides The Cowlitz River is world famous for Salmon and Steelhead Fishing. Salmon and Steelhead can be caught from the mouth of the Cowlitz near Longview to the Barrier Dam Salmon Hatchery. Steelhead are in the lower Cowlitz all year long.
Spring Chinook Salmon and Fall Chinook that weigh up to 50 plus pounds.Rainbow, Brown, Cutthroat, and Whitefish can be found above the Dam.There are hatcheries at Blue Creek and Barrier Dam.Current river flow information on the Cowlitz river, Nisqually river,
Wynoochee river and Green river, plus lake levels for Riffe lake, Alder lake, Wynoochee lake and Cushman lake, are available on Tacoma Power’s Fishing Line, toll free at 1-888-502-8690Cowlitz River Strong and wide, the Cowlitz River rolls downstream along 1-5 from
the Toledo/Vader area, past Castle Rock and then loops below Kelso/Longview into a giant fishhook shape before joining the Columbia. Huge salmon push their ponderous forms upriver in the Cowlitz, yielding thousands of catches to rodsmen enroute. A 24-hour fishery
from 400 feet below the barrier dam near Salkum from April I through July 31 allows anglers to take six fish daily, only three of which may exceed 24 inches. During the period August I-March 31 downstream from the salmon hatchery barrier dam signs the basic freshwater
salmon bag applies, with two adult fish permitted in a six- fish take of salmon over 10 inches in length. From Oct. I through Dec. 31 all Chinook over 28 inches in length caught upstream of the 1-5 bridge must be released, however. The upper Cowlitz, from the inlet of giant
Riffe (Davisson) Lake to the confluence of the Muddy Fork and Ohanapecosh Rivers is open all year round for taking a daily freshwater salmon bag limit (see regs.)Chinook to 40 and 50 pounds are not rare in the Cowlitz, but most Chinook will drag scale needles to around
25-30 pounds. The best catches come in May and June and again in late September through November, when schools of bright coho salmon thrash their way toward the barrier dam area to join the fray. Plugs, back-bounced shrimp and cluster egg baits or bait and yarn
combinations angled with drift rigs take their share of salmon. Bright spoons and spinners account for a good number of catches too, with coho especially fond of tiny No. 0, I and 2 Mepps spinners having nickel or brass finish. To cast and fish the pint-size lures, a No. 4 or 6
split shot is added 16 to 20 inches above the spinner. In the early 70's, tremendous runs of "silvers" flocked into the Cowlitz and the fishing near Salkum was superb. Another excellent way of hanging humungous salmon was to make long casts with thin, heavy spoons such
as the Martin Tackle Ottogator or Luhr Jensen Krocodile across the river and work the spoons slowly downstream, letting them hang at the point of furthest travel to antagonize salmon into giving them a savage chewing.The popular area at the Salkum barrier dam yields a
high number of steelhead catches, as does the fishing area below the Washington Department of Game trout hatchery at the mouth of Blue Creek, due south of Ethel via Tucker and Classe roads. At the upper barrier dam near Salkum, boat fishing is no longer allowed
between the mouth of Mill Creek (good concrete ramp) and the barrier dam deadline markers. Anglers also should read their regulations booklet on legal hooks and daylight fishing in this specific area.Good public boat ramps provide access to the Cowlitz fishing at Mill
Creek, Ethel Bar, trout hatchery, Massey Bar, downstream of 1-5, at the Castle Rock Fairgrounds, above Lexington and two miles below Longview. Bank anglers have equal opportunities to sink hooks home at dozens of sites reached off Highway 411 near the river mouth or
from county roads closely pursuing the Cowlitz from Toledo to Salkum. Fishermen can reach the upper river from Glenoma to about three miles short of Ohanapecosh by taking county and logging roads off Highway 12.
Spring Chinook Salmon and Fall Chinook that weigh up to 50 plus pounds.Rainbow, Brown, Cutthroat, and Whitefish can be found above the Dam.There are hatcheries at Blue Creek and Barrier Dam.Current river flow information on the Cowlitz river, Nisqually river,
Wynoochee river and Green river, plus lake levels for Riffe lake, Alder lake, Wynoochee lake and Cushman lake, are available on Tacoma Power’s Fishing Line, toll free at 1-888-502-8690Cowlitz River Strong and wide, the Cowlitz River rolls downstream along 1-5 from
the Toledo/Vader area, past Castle Rock and then loops below Kelso/Longview into a giant fishhook shape before joining the Columbia. Huge salmon push their ponderous forms upriver in the Cowlitz, yielding thousands of catches to rodsmen enroute. A 24-hour fishery
from 400 feet below the barrier dam near Salkum from April I through July 31 allows anglers to take six fish daily, only three of which may exceed 24 inches. During the period August I-March 31 downstream from the salmon hatchery barrier dam signs the basic freshwater
salmon bag applies, with two adult fish permitted in a six- fish take of salmon over 10 inches in length. From Oct. I through Dec. 31 all Chinook over 28 inches in length caught upstream of the 1-5 bridge must be released, however. The upper Cowlitz, from the inlet of giant
Riffe (Davisson) Lake to the confluence of the Muddy Fork and Ohanapecosh Rivers is open all year round for taking a daily freshwater salmon bag limit (see regs.)Chinook to 40 and 50 pounds are not rare in the Cowlitz, but most Chinook will drag scale needles to around
25-30 pounds. The best catches come in May and June and again in late September through November, when schools of bright coho salmon thrash their way toward the barrier dam area to join the fray. Plugs, back-bounced shrimp and cluster egg baits or bait and yarn
combinations angled with drift rigs take their share of salmon. Bright spoons and spinners account for a good number of catches too, with coho especially fond of tiny No. 0, I and 2 Mepps spinners having nickel or brass finish. To cast and fish the pint-size lures, a No. 4 or 6
split shot is added 16 to 20 inches above the spinner. In the early 70's, tremendous runs of "silvers" flocked into the Cowlitz and the fishing near Salkum was superb. Another excellent way of hanging humungous salmon was to make long casts with thin, heavy spoons such
as the Martin Tackle Ottogator or Luhr Jensen Krocodile across the river and work the spoons slowly downstream, letting them hang at the point of furthest travel to antagonize salmon into giving them a savage chewing.The popular area at the Salkum barrier dam yields a
high number of steelhead catches, as does the fishing area below the Washington Department of Game trout hatchery at the mouth of Blue Creek, due south of Ethel via Tucker and Classe roads. At the upper barrier dam near Salkum, boat fishing is no longer allowed
between the mouth of Mill Creek (good concrete ramp) and the barrier dam deadline markers. Anglers also should read their regulations booklet on legal hooks and daylight fishing in this specific area.Good public boat ramps provide access to the Cowlitz fishing at Mill
Creek, Ethel Bar, trout hatchery, Massey Bar, downstream of 1-5, at the Castle Rock Fairgrounds, above Lexington and two miles below Longview. Bank anglers have equal opportunities to sink hooks home at dozens of sites reached off Highway 411 near the river mouth or
from county roads closely pursuing the Cowlitz from Toledo to Salkum. Fishermen can reach the upper river from Glenoma to about three miles short of Ohanapecosh by taking county and logging roads off Highway 12.
Steelhead
catches from
rival the best
rivers in the
Steelhead state
and the Cowlitz
has ranked as
the No. 1 winter
river several
times,
producing up to
32,000
steelhead
annually.
Summer-run
fishermen may
take from 500 to
1,600 ironheads
each year.
Adding more
fishing chances
seems like
gilding a lily, but
there is more ...
excellent
rainbow trout
fishing above
the two huge
reservoirs,
Mayfield and
Riffe, as well as
fine sea-run
cutthroat fishing
in the lower six
to eight miles of
river. A good
way to tangle
with the feisty
and willing cults
is to fish light
drift gear rigs
sporting single
egg baits or
thin, bright
trolling spoons.
The entire
Cowlitz River
is open to
year-round-trout
fishing for eight
fish daily, with a
12-inch
minimum
length
requirement.
The upper
deadline is
again the mouth
of the Muddy
Fork River.
Tributaries of
the upper
Cowlitz are
covered by the
late May-Oct.
31 general
season
regulations.
catches from
rival the best
rivers in the
Steelhead state
and the Cowlitz
has ranked as
the No. 1 winter
river several
times,
producing up to
32,000
steelhead
annually.
Summer-run
fishermen may
take from 500 to
1,600 ironheads
each year.
Adding more
fishing chances
seems like
gilding a lily, but
there is more ...
excellent
rainbow trout
fishing above
the two huge
reservoirs,
Mayfield and
Riffe, as well as
fine sea-run
cutthroat fishing
in the lower six
to eight miles of
river. A good
way to tangle
with the feisty
and willing cults
is to fish light
drift gear rigs
sporting single
egg baits or
thin, bright
trolling spoons.
The entire
Cowlitz River
is open to
year-round-trout
fishing for eight
fish daily, with a
12-inch
minimum
length
requirement.
The upper
deadline is
again the mouth
of the Muddy
Fork River.
Tributaries of
the upper
Cowlitz are
covered by the
late May-Oct.
31 general
season
regulations.
| Winter Steelhead Spring Chinook - Summer Steelhead Winter 2011-2012 Special! Cowlitz River 4 people only $140/person! 3 People $185/person Now Fishing Cowlitz River Winter Steelhead! Fishing is my only job, I will be chasing these fish every day. It is very important to book with a full time licensed and insured U.S. Coast Guard certified fishing guide, who stays on top of these fish every day and knows where they are, what they're biting on and what they're planning on having for lunch. We are currently taking reservations for the end of November through May for the Cowlitz River Winter Steelhead Fishery. 253-389-0359 email: jessica@fishwaterswest.com The Cowlitz River is located in Washington State and is a main tributary of the Columbia River. There are two state-run fish hatcheries on the river which provide great recreational fishing opportunities year round for both Salmon and Steelhead. Spring Chinook Fishing on the Cowlitz River We start targeting spring chinook on the Cowlitz River in the months of April through May. Spring Chinook or "Springers" are the best table fare of all salmon. These fish enter the Cowlitz River starting in April and do not spawn until fall. We target these fish in a variety of ways on the Cowlitz River, including; back-trolling, side-drifting, hover-fishing, and even bobber fishing. Summer Steelhead Fishing on the Cowlitz River After Spring Chinook fishing on the Cowlitz River our focus turns to Summer Steelhead fishing on the Cowlitz River. The summer steelhead start showing up on the Cowlitz River around June. Summer run steelhead are the most acrobatic and aggressive species we fish for on the Cowlitz River. Our favorite technique is side-drifting, but later in the summer we like to back-troll plugs and bait. Fall Salmon Fishing on the Cowlitz River Fall Salmon fishing on the Cowlitz River begins in late September and lasts throughout the month of November. We generally will start near the mouth of the Cowlitz River and follow the majority of the run upstream to the barrier dam. The two species of salmon we fish for on the Cowlitz River are King 'Chinook' Salmon and Silvers or 'Coho' Salmon. We use a variety of techniques including, side-drifting, twitching jigs, back-trolling, hover-fishing and casting hardware. This is an action-packed fishery with fish ranging from 5 to 50 pounds. Winter Steelhead Fishing on the Cowlitz River Winter Steelhead fishing on the Cowltiz River is one of our favorite fisheries of the year. With multiple hook-ups and lots of action, these aggressive and hard-fighting fish will keep your blood pumping. We fish for Winter Steelhead on the Cowlitz River from November through March. The most popular technique for Winter Steelhead on the Cowlitz is side-drifting bait. Don't miss out on this fishery. Fish Hatcheries on the Cowlitz River The Cowlitz River Salmon Hatchery produces nearly 13 million fish each year, including about 1.3 million spring Chinook, 5.0 million fall Chinook and 3.2 million coho salmon. This hatchery is located near Barrier Dam and the Barrier Dam boat launch, directly on the Cowlitz River. The Trout Hatchery is located near the Blue Creek Boat Launch and releases around 1.5 million fish a year. The species released here include Summer and Winter Steelhead as well as Sea-Run Cutthroat Trout. The Cowlitz River is famous for it's steelhead fishing. The Cowlitz River is a short drive from Portland International Airport (PDX) and there are many recreational opportunities for your stay in the area. The Cowlitz River is near the Famous Mt. Saint Helens Volcano, which last erupted in the early 1980's. Send us an email or call us today to book your Cowlitz River Fishing Adventure! 253-389-0359 253-312-8900 Send us an email to Book your Fishing Adventure |
Cowlitz River Winter Steelhead Fishing, Cowlitz River Summer Steelhead Fishing, Cowlitz River Salmon Fishing, Cowlitz River Fishing Guide
Cowlitz RiverFrom Wikipedia, the free
search
Coordinates: 46°5′52″N 122°54′40″
W / 46.09778°N 122.91111°W /
46.09778; -122.91111Cowlitz River
The confluence of the Cowlitz (lower
center) with the Toutle River during
flood conditions in 1980
Name origin: from the Salish, tawallitch,
perhaps meaning "capturing the
medicine spirit"[1]
Country United States
State Washington
Regions Lewis County, Cowlitz County
Tributaries
- left Cispus River, Toutle River
- right Tilton River
Cities Packwood, Randle, Mossyrock,
Toledo, Castle Rock, Longview, Kelso
Source
- location Packwood
- elevation 1,190 ft (363 m) [2]
- coordinates 46°39′16″N 121°37′13″
W / 46.65444°N 121.62028°W /
46.65444; -121.62028 [3]
Mouth Columbia River
- location Longview
- elevation 3 ft (1 m) [3]
- coordinates 46°5′52″N 122°54′40″
W / 46.09778°N 122.91111°W /
46.09778; -122.91111 [3]
Length 105 mi (169 km)
Basin 2,586 sq mi (6,698 km2)
Discharge for Castle Rock
- average 9,122 cu ft/s (258 m3/s) [4]
- max 139,000 cu ft/s (3,936 m3/s)
- min 998 cu ft/s (28 m3/s)
Mouth of the Cowlitz River in
Washington
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state
of Washington in the United States, a
tributary of the Columbia River. Its
tributaries drain a large region
including the slopes of Mount Rainier,
Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.
The Cowlitz has a 2,586-square-mile
(6,698 km2) drainage basin,[5][6]
located between the Cascade Range
in eastern Lewis County, Washington
and the cities of Kelso and Longview.
The river is roughly 105 miles (169 km)
long, not counting tributaries.
Major tributaries of the Cowlitz River
include the Cispus River and the
Toutle River, which was overtaken by
volcanic mudflows (lahars) during the
May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
Contents [hide]
1 Dams
2 Bridges
3 Other river structures
4 Main tributaries
5 Recreation
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] DamsThe Cowlitz River currently
has 3 major hydroelectric dams, with
several small-scale hydropower and
sediment retention structures within
the Cowlitz Basin.
The Cowlitz Falls Project is a 70
megawatt hydroelectric dam that was
constructed in the early 1990s and
completed in 1994. The dam is 140
feet (43 m) high and 700 feet (210 m)
wide. The Cowlitz Falls Project
produces on average 260
gigawatthours annually for Lewis
County PUD. Its reservoir, Lake
Scanewa, is located at the confluence
of the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers
downstream of Randle.
Mossyrock Dam began generating
power for Tacoma City Light in 1968. It
rises 605 feet (184 m) from bedrock
and created 23-mile (37 km) long Riffe
Lake (previously Davisson Reservoir).
It is the highest dam in the Pacific
Northwest.[7] The dam is named for
the nearby city of Mossyrock, and the
lake for the town of Riffe, which, along
with Kosmos, was destroyed by the
flooding of the Cowlitz River valley
above the dam.
The Mayfield Dam is 850 feet (260 m)
long and 185 feet (56 m) high. An 860-
foot (260 m) tunnel connects the
reservoir to the powerhouse. The dam
began producing electricity in 1963.
Mayfield Lake offers many recreational
opportunities due to the presence of
several county and state parks and its
location below the Mossyrock Dam.
The modulated inflow from the
Mossyrock Dam allows Mayfield Lake
to maintain a water level that rarely
fluctuates more than a few feet. It is
located several miles downstream of
Mossyrock.
Packwood Lake was dammed in 1964
by the Washington Public Power
Supply System (now called Energy
Northwest). As an ancient landslide
used to, the dam supplanted the job of
holding back the lake, redirecting
streamflow to a 27 megawatt
hydroelectric generator in the Cowlitz
River valley floor 2,000 feet (300 m)
below just outside the town of
Packwood. When designing and
building the dam, care was taken so as
not to affect the abundant wildlife that
calls the lake and surrounding area
home; the dam raising the water level
by only a few feet.
The sediment retention structure on
the North Fork of the Toutle River. The
dam is approximately 22 miles (35 km)
upriver from the confluence of the
Toutle and the Cowlitz.A serious side
effect of the Mount St. Helens 1980
eruption has been the downstream
movement of enormous amounts of
sediment through the North Fork
Toutle River. After the eruption, river-
borne sediment increased over five
thousand-fold, making the Toutle River
one of the most sediment-laden rivers
in the world.[citation needed] The
Toutle River Sediment Retention
Structure was constructed to trap this
sediment before it was carried farther
downstream, where it could clog the
river channel, exacerbate floods along
the lower Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers,
and fill the Columbia River shipping
channel, which still requires periodic
dredging. An overflow channel has
been added to divert lahars around
the dam.
[edit] BridgesThe Cowlitz is spanned
by several bridges along its length.
Just upstream from its mouth at the
Columbia river, a railroad bridge
connecting the Port of Longview to the
BNSF rail line crosses the Cowlitz, with
a road bridge for SR 432 (Tennant
Way) beside.
Further upstream are the Allen St. and
Cowlitz Way bridges, connecting West
Kelso with the rest of Kelso. Just north
of Kelso, a railroad bridge provides
crossing for the Columbia & Cowlitz
Railroad.
Connecting SR 411 to Interstate-5 is
the Lexington bridge, a two lane bridge
between the large unincorporated
community of Lexington to Exit 42 on
the east side of the bank.
At Castle Rock, the A St. bridge
provides access from downtown to the
school and residential areas across
the river. A few miles north, after the
Toutle River split, the BNSF line
crosses the river.
Across the Lewis/Cowlitz County line,
between the towns of Vader and
Toledo, Washington, I-5 crosses the
river. At Toledo, SR-505 (called the
Jackson Highway) crosses.
Where Highway 12 crosses Mayfield
Lake, just west of Mossyrock,
causeways were built out to the middle
of the lake, where a short bridge
section connects the two sides. A small
bridge provides a crossing for SR 122
at the head of Mayfield Lake. Just east
of Mossyrock, the Cowlitz River Bridge
on Highway 12 was the largest
concrete arch bridge in North America
until 1971 at 550 feet (170 m).
At the head of Riffe Lake, the 27 Road
provides access to the forestland
south of the Cowlitz from Morton and
Glenoma to the north.
At Randle, SR 131 crosses the Cowlitz
to provide access to the Cispus basin
and the northern areas of the Mount
St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Between Randle and Packwood,
Highway 12 crosses the Cowlitz at the
Cora bridge.
At Packwood, Skate Creek Road
spans the river, providing access to
the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and
Tatoosh Wilderness, as well as
connecting the downtown and
residential areas of Packwood.
Upstream from Packwood, the Cowlitz
splits into the Muddy and Clear Forks,
with several Forest Service and Park
Service roads crossing each.
[edit] Other river structuresWhen the
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery began
operation in 1968, it was the largest
salmon hatchery in the world.
Currently, it produces nearly 13 million
fish each year. Adjacent to the salmon
hatchery is the barrier dam, which
diverts spawning and upriver migrating
fish to a separating station where fish
are sorted by species. Some of the fish
are used by the hatchery while others
are transported upstream to continue
migration.
The Bonneville Power Administration,
in cooperation with the Lewis County
PUD, state and federal agencies and
Tacoma Power, constructed a
downstream anadromous fish
collection facility as part of the Cowlitz
Falls Project. The fish facility, along
with the Cowlitz River Salmon
Hatchery's diversion dam below
Mayfield Lake, has permitted the
reintroduction of salmon and steelhead
in the upper Cowlitz River basin for the
first time since the construction of the
Mossyrock and Mayfield dams in the
1960s.
[edit] Main tributariesOhanapecosh
River
Lake Creek
Johnson Creek
Cispus River
Tilton River
Sulphur Creek
Winston Creek
Lacamas Creek
Olequa Creek
Toutle River
Coweeman River
[edit] RecreationThese two hatcheries
provide an exceptional sportfishing
opportunity for recreational anglers in
Washington and Oregon. The Cowlitz
river consistently ranks as one of the
states top ten steelhead and salmon
producers.
Steelhead and Salmon Fishing Trips
can be arranged through several local
fishing guides.
[edit] See alsoList of rivers of
Washington
Tributaries of the Columbia River
[edit] References1.^ Phillips, James W.
(1971). Washington State Place
Names. Seattle and London: University
of Washington Press. pp. 33. ISBN 0-
295-95498-1.
2.^ Google Earth elevation for GNIS
coordinates.
3.^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information
System: Cowlitz River, USGS, GNIS
4.^ Water Resources Data,
Washington, 2005, USGS
5.^ Lower Columbia Tributaries,
Northwest Power and Conservation
Council
6.^ Toutle Management Plan,
Northwest Power and Conservation
Council
7.^ Cowlitz River Project, Tacoma
Power
[edit] External linksUSGS Cowlitz River
Basin map
Cowlitz Falls Project
energy-northwest.com
The Army Corps of Engineers' Mt. St.
Helens Sediment Retention Structure
search
Coordinates: 46°5′52″N 122°54′40″
W / 46.09778°N 122.91111°W /
46.09778; -122.91111Cowlitz River
The confluence of the Cowlitz (lower
center) with the Toutle River during
flood conditions in 1980
Name origin: from the Salish, tawallitch,
perhaps meaning "capturing the
medicine spirit"[1]
Country United States
State Washington
Regions Lewis County, Cowlitz County
Tributaries
- left Cispus River, Toutle River
- right Tilton River
Cities Packwood, Randle, Mossyrock,
Toledo, Castle Rock, Longview, Kelso
Source
- location Packwood
- elevation 1,190 ft (363 m) [2]
- coordinates 46°39′16″N 121°37′13″
W / 46.65444°N 121.62028°W /
46.65444; -121.62028 [3]
Mouth Columbia River
- location Longview
- elevation 3 ft (1 m) [3]
- coordinates 46°5′52″N 122°54′40″
W / 46.09778°N 122.91111°W /
46.09778; -122.91111 [3]
Length 105 mi (169 km)
Basin 2,586 sq mi (6,698 km2)
Discharge for Castle Rock
- average 9,122 cu ft/s (258 m3/s) [4]
- max 139,000 cu ft/s (3,936 m3/s)
- min 998 cu ft/s (28 m3/s)
Mouth of the Cowlitz River in
Washington
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state
of Washington in the United States, a
tributary of the Columbia River. Its
tributaries drain a large region
including the slopes of Mount Rainier,
Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.
The Cowlitz has a 2,586-square-mile
(6,698 km2) drainage basin,[5][6]
located between the Cascade Range
in eastern Lewis County, Washington
and the cities of Kelso and Longview.
The river is roughly 105 miles (169 km)
long, not counting tributaries.
Major tributaries of the Cowlitz River
include the Cispus River and the
Toutle River, which was overtaken by
volcanic mudflows (lahars) during the
May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
Contents [hide]
1 Dams
2 Bridges
3 Other river structures
4 Main tributaries
5 Recreation
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit] DamsThe Cowlitz River currently
has 3 major hydroelectric dams, with
several small-scale hydropower and
sediment retention structures within
the Cowlitz Basin.
The Cowlitz Falls Project is a 70
megawatt hydroelectric dam that was
constructed in the early 1990s and
completed in 1994. The dam is 140
feet (43 m) high and 700 feet (210 m)
wide. The Cowlitz Falls Project
produces on average 260
gigawatthours annually for Lewis
County PUD. Its reservoir, Lake
Scanewa, is located at the confluence
of the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers
downstream of Randle.
Mossyrock Dam began generating
power for Tacoma City Light in 1968. It
rises 605 feet (184 m) from bedrock
and created 23-mile (37 km) long Riffe
Lake (previously Davisson Reservoir).
It is the highest dam in the Pacific
Northwest.[7] The dam is named for
the nearby city of Mossyrock, and the
lake for the town of Riffe, which, along
with Kosmos, was destroyed by the
flooding of the Cowlitz River valley
above the dam.
The Mayfield Dam is 850 feet (260 m)
long and 185 feet (56 m) high. An 860-
foot (260 m) tunnel connects the
reservoir to the powerhouse. The dam
began producing electricity in 1963.
Mayfield Lake offers many recreational
opportunities due to the presence of
several county and state parks and its
location below the Mossyrock Dam.
The modulated inflow from the
Mossyrock Dam allows Mayfield Lake
to maintain a water level that rarely
fluctuates more than a few feet. It is
located several miles downstream of
Mossyrock.
Packwood Lake was dammed in 1964
by the Washington Public Power
Supply System (now called Energy
Northwest). As an ancient landslide
used to, the dam supplanted the job of
holding back the lake, redirecting
streamflow to a 27 megawatt
hydroelectric generator in the Cowlitz
River valley floor 2,000 feet (300 m)
below just outside the town of
Packwood. When designing and
building the dam, care was taken so as
not to affect the abundant wildlife that
calls the lake and surrounding area
home; the dam raising the water level
by only a few feet.
The sediment retention structure on
the North Fork of the Toutle River. The
dam is approximately 22 miles (35 km)
upriver from the confluence of the
Toutle and the Cowlitz.A serious side
effect of the Mount St. Helens 1980
eruption has been the downstream
movement of enormous amounts of
sediment through the North Fork
Toutle River. After the eruption, river-
borne sediment increased over five
thousand-fold, making the Toutle River
one of the most sediment-laden rivers
in the world.[citation needed] The
Toutle River Sediment Retention
Structure was constructed to trap this
sediment before it was carried farther
downstream, where it could clog the
river channel, exacerbate floods along
the lower Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers,
and fill the Columbia River shipping
channel, which still requires periodic
dredging. An overflow channel has
been added to divert lahars around
the dam.
[edit] BridgesThe Cowlitz is spanned
by several bridges along its length.
Just upstream from its mouth at the
Columbia river, a railroad bridge
connecting the Port of Longview to the
BNSF rail line crosses the Cowlitz, with
a road bridge for SR 432 (Tennant
Way) beside.
Further upstream are the Allen St. and
Cowlitz Way bridges, connecting West
Kelso with the rest of Kelso. Just north
of Kelso, a railroad bridge provides
crossing for the Columbia & Cowlitz
Railroad.
Connecting SR 411 to Interstate-5 is
the Lexington bridge, a two lane bridge
between the large unincorporated
community of Lexington to Exit 42 on
the east side of the bank.
At Castle Rock, the A St. bridge
provides access from downtown to the
school and residential areas across
the river. A few miles north, after the
Toutle River split, the BNSF line
crosses the river.
Across the Lewis/Cowlitz County line,
between the towns of Vader and
Toledo, Washington, I-5 crosses the
river. At Toledo, SR-505 (called the
Jackson Highway) crosses.
Where Highway 12 crosses Mayfield
Lake, just west of Mossyrock,
causeways were built out to the middle
of the lake, where a short bridge
section connects the two sides. A small
bridge provides a crossing for SR 122
at the head of Mayfield Lake. Just east
of Mossyrock, the Cowlitz River Bridge
on Highway 12 was the largest
concrete arch bridge in North America
until 1971 at 550 feet (170 m).
At the head of Riffe Lake, the 27 Road
provides access to the forestland
south of the Cowlitz from Morton and
Glenoma to the north.
At Randle, SR 131 crosses the Cowlitz
to provide access to the Cispus basin
and the northern areas of the Mount
St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Between Randle and Packwood,
Highway 12 crosses the Cowlitz at the
Cora bridge.
At Packwood, Skate Creek Road
spans the river, providing access to
the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and
Tatoosh Wilderness, as well as
connecting the downtown and
residential areas of Packwood.
Upstream from Packwood, the Cowlitz
splits into the Muddy and Clear Forks,
with several Forest Service and Park
Service roads crossing each.
[edit] Other river structuresWhen the
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery began
operation in 1968, it was the largest
salmon hatchery in the world.
Currently, it produces nearly 13 million
fish each year. Adjacent to the salmon
hatchery is the barrier dam, which
diverts spawning and upriver migrating
fish to a separating station where fish
are sorted by species. Some of the fish
are used by the hatchery while others
are transported upstream to continue
migration.
The Bonneville Power Administration,
in cooperation with the Lewis County
PUD, state and federal agencies and
Tacoma Power, constructed a
downstream anadromous fish
collection facility as part of the Cowlitz
Falls Project. The fish facility, along
with the Cowlitz River Salmon
Hatchery's diversion dam below
Mayfield Lake, has permitted the
reintroduction of salmon and steelhead
in the upper Cowlitz River basin for the
first time since the construction of the
Mossyrock and Mayfield dams in the
1960s.
[edit] Main tributariesOhanapecosh
River
Lake Creek
Johnson Creek
Cispus River
Tilton River
Sulphur Creek
Winston Creek
Lacamas Creek
Olequa Creek
Toutle River
Coweeman River
[edit] RecreationThese two hatcheries
provide an exceptional sportfishing
opportunity for recreational anglers in
Washington and Oregon. The Cowlitz
river consistently ranks as one of the
states top ten steelhead and salmon
producers.
Steelhead and Salmon Fishing Trips
can be arranged through several local
fishing guides.
[edit] See alsoList of rivers of
Washington
Tributaries of the Columbia River
[edit] References1.^ Phillips, James W.
(1971). Washington State Place
Names. Seattle and London: University
of Washington Press. pp. 33. ISBN 0-
295-95498-1.
2.^ Google Earth elevation for GNIS
coordinates.
3.^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information
System: Cowlitz River, USGS, GNIS
4.^ Water Resources Data,
Washington, 2005, USGS
5.^ Lower Columbia Tributaries,
Northwest Power and Conservation
Council
6.^ Toutle Management Plan,
Northwest Power and Conservation
Council
7.^ Cowlitz River Project, Tacoma
Power
[edit] External linksUSGS Cowlitz River
Basin map
Cowlitz Falls Project
energy-northwest.com
The Army Corps of Engineers' Mt. St.
Helens Sediment Retention Structure