Dry Fork (Tug Fork tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dry Fork |
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![]() Flowing through McDowell County
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Country | United States |
Physical characteristics | |
Main source | Stony Ridge near Adria, Tazewell County, Virginia |
River mouth | Tug Fork at Iaeger, McDowell County, West Virginia |
The Dry Fork is a river in the United States. It flows for about 47.7 miles (76.8 km). This river is a tributary of the Tug Fork. A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one.
The Dry Fork is part of the larger Ohio River watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a single river or lake. The river runs through McDowell County, West Virginia, and Tazewell County, Virginia. It joins the Tug Fork at a place called Iaeger.
What's in a Name? The Dry Fork's Other Names
Sometimes, rivers can have different names over time. The Dry Fork is one such river! The United States Geological Survey (USGS) keeps track of geographic names. They know that the Dry Fork has been called by a few other names in the past.
These names include:
- Crane Creek
- Mud Fork
- South Fork
It's interesting how a river's name can change. This often happens because different groups of people lived near it at different times. Or, maybe the river changed its flow or look.
Smaller Streams Joining the Dry Fork
The Dry Fork river gets bigger as many smaller streams flow into it. These smaller streams are called tributaries. They add water to the main river as it travels from its start to where it joins the Tug Fork.
Some of these tributaries include:
- Lick Branch
- Ray Fork
- Dick Creek
- Vall Creek
- Jacobs Fork
- War Creek
- Bartley Creek
- Bradshaw Creek
These smaller streams are important. They help keep the Dry Fork flowing. They also bring water from a wider area into the main river.
Towns Along the Dry Fork River
The Dry Fork river flows past many towns and communities. These towns are located in both West Virginia and Virginia. People have lived along this river for a long time. The river provides water and a way of life for many of these communities.
Some of the towns you can find along the Dry Fork include:
- Apple Grove, West Virginia
- Atwell, West Virginia
- Bradshaw, West Virginia
- Iaeger, West Virginia
- War, West Virginia
- Yukon, West Virginia
These towns are part of the history and life of the Dry Fork river.