Black River (Duwamish River tributary) facts for kids

A map showing where the Black River flowed before 1916 and where it is today.

These maps show how rivers in the Duwamish Valley changed between 1899 and 1959.

The Black River is a small stream in King County, Washington. It used to be a much bigger river. Before 1916, it was the only way water flowed out of Lake Washington.

But in 1916, something big happened. A new waterway called the Lake Washington Ship Canal was opened in Seattle. This canal lowered the water level of Lake Washington by about nine feet. Because of this, most of the Black River dried up. Today, only a small part of it remains as a dammed stream, about 2 miles (3.2 km) long.

The Black River's Past

Before the 1900s, Lake Washington was connected to other rivers through the Black River.

• Water from Lake Washington flowed south into the Black River.
• The Cedar River joined the Black River.
• Then, the Black River met the White River. (The White River is now called the lower Green River. The original White River was moved south.)
• When the Black and White rivers joined, they formed the Duwamish River.
• The Duwamish River then flowed into Elliott Bay in Puget Sound.

This means that all the water from rivers flowing into Lake Washington, like the Sammamish River, once traveled through the Black River and then the Duwamish River to reach Puget Sound. Today, Lake Washington's water goes directly into Puget Sound through the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

How the River Changed

The Black River changed a lot in the early 1900s.

• In November 1911, the Cedar River caused a big flood in a town called Renton.
• To stop future floods, the Cedar River was moved in 1912. Its water was sent into Lake Washington instead of directly into the Black River. However, the water still ended up in the Black River after passing through the lake.
• The biggest change happened in 1916. When the Lake Washington Ship Canal opened, the lake's water level dropped a lot. This caused the Black River to dry up almost completely.
• Today, parts of the old riverbed are now a protected area called the Black River Riparian Forest and Wetland. This area helps protect plants and animals that live near water.

People of the Black River

The Duwamish people, who are Native Americans, lived along the Black River for many centuries.

• They had villages and settlements along the river.
• These villages stayed there until the river dried up in 1916.
• Several important villages were located where the Black and Duwamish rivers met.
• The Duwamish people called this area "Inside Place" (in their language, Dx^wdəw). This is where the name "Duwamish" comes from.
• The "Inside Place" was a safe spot for many Native Americans. People who were forced to leave their homes because of the growing city of Seattle often found refuge there. This continued until the Black River disappeared.

This picture shows the small remaining part of the Black River (on the right) joining the Green River to form the Duwamish (on the left). This photo was taken in 2009 from the Fort Dent Pedestrian Bridge.