The Charley River is an tributary of the
Yukon River
The Yukon River ( Gwich'in: ''Ųųg Han'' or ''Yuk Han'', Yup'ik: ''Kuigpak'', Inupiaq: ''Kuukpak'', Deg Xinag: ''Yeqin'', Hän: ''Tth'echù'' or ''Chuu k'onn'', Southern Tutchone: Chu Nìikwän, russian: Юкон, Yukon) is a major watercour ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...
.
Flowing generally northeast from the Mertie Mountains (named after geologist
John Beaver Mertie, Jr.) in the northeastern part of the state, the river lies entirely within
Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve.
The Charley River enters the larger river downstream and northwest of
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...
.
In 1980, the Charley River and all of its main tributaries became part of the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free- ...
.
A total of was declared "wild" along the entire
main stem
In hydrology, a mainstem (or trunk) is "the primary downstream segment of a river, as contrasted to its tributaries". Water enters the mainstem from the river's drainage basin, the land area through which the mainstem and its tributaries flow. ...
as well as Copper, Bonanza, Hosford, Derwent, Flat-Orthmer, Crescent, and Moraine creeks.
The Charley River watershed is forested chiefly with
black spruce
''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Lab ...
and
white spruce White spruce is a common name for several species of spruce (''Picea'') and may refer to:
* ''Picea glauca'', native to most of Canada and Alaska with limited populations in the northeastern United States
* ''Picea engelmannii
''Picea engelman ...
. This general locus within the Yukon River catchment is the approximate westernmost limit of the black spruce, ''
Picea mariana
''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labr ...
''.
[C. Michael Hogan. 2008] The river forms part of the boundary between the
Southeast Fairbanks and
Yukon–Koyukuk census areas.
Boating
The Charley River is generally floated by raft or inflatable canoe or kayak. The upper river is rated Class III (intermediate) on the
International Scale of River Difficulty, rising to Class IV (advanced) in high water. The lower are rated Class II (novice) to III. Dangers include swift current, overhanging or submerged vegetation, rocks, rapids, and weather-related fluctuations in water levels.
See also
*
List of rivers of Alaska
This is a List of rivers in Alaska, which are at least fifth-order according to the Strahler method of stream classification, and an incomplete list of otherwise-notable rivers and streams. Alaska has more than 12,000 rivers, and thousands more st ...
References
Works cited
* J.G. Clough et al. 1995. ''Geological Map of the Charley Basin'', Alaska Department of Fish and Game
* C. Michael Hogan. 2008
''Black Spruce: Picea mariana'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg
{{authority control
Rivers of Alaska
Rivers of Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska
Rivers of Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska
Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States
Tributaries of the Yukon River
Rivers of Unorganized Borough, Alaska