Guyandotte River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guyandotte River |
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The Guyandotte River in West Logan in 2007
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| Country | United States of America |
| State | West Virginia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Huntington, West Virginia |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Ohio River |
The Guyandotte River is a river in West Virginia, United States. It's about 166 miles (267 km) long. The river flows into the Ohio River. Its name comes from a French term for the Wendat Native Americans. The Guyandotte River helps drain a large area of the Allegheny Plateau. This area is south of the Ohio River. The river is part of the huge Mississippi River watershed.
Contents
The River's Journey
The Guyandotte River starts in southwestern Raleigh County. It forms where three smaller streams meet: Winding Gulf, Stonecoal Creek, and Devils Fork. The river first flows west and northwest into Wyoming and Mingo counties.
In Mingo County, it briefly turns north. Then it enters Logan County. From there, it flows north-northwest. The river takes a very winding path through Logan, Lincoln, and Cabell counties. Finally, it joins the Ohio River from the south. This happens near Huntington, about 5 miles (8 km) east of the city's center.
River Dams
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a dam in Mingo County. This dam makes the river wider. It creates a lake called R. D. Bailey Lake. This lake is found in Mingo and western Wyoming counties.
Smaller Rivers Joining In
Several smaller rivers and creeks join the Guyandotte River. The Mud River meets the Guyandotte at Barboursville in Cabell County. The Slab Fork joins the Guyandotte in downtown Mullens in Wyoming County. Also, Big Ugly Creek flows into the Guyandotte in Lincoln County.
Protecting the River: Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association
In Mullens, there's a group working to keep the river clean. This group is called the Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association (UGWA). It's a community-based organization. Their main goal is to reduce pollution in the upper parts of the Guyandotte River. They want to clean up streams and make the whole area better for everyone. UGWA has received a lot of support from the public. They work with many local, state, and federal groups to achieve their goals.
Towns Along the Guyandotte River
Other Names for the River
The Guyandotte River has been known by many different names over time. The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) lists these other names:
- Arbuckles River
- Big Laurel Fork
- Guiandotte River
- Guyan Dot River
- Guyan Dott River
- Guyan River
- Guyandates Creek
- Guyandot Creek
- Guyandot River
- Guyandott River
- La-ke-we-ke-ton
- Little Guiandot
- Se-co-ne
- Se-co-nee
- Secone
- Seconec
