Mattaponi River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mattaponi River |
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The Mattaponi River, upstream of its confluence with the South River
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York River watershed
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Counties | King and Queen, King William, New Kent, Caroline |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Confluence of the Matta and Poni rivers Near Woodford, Caroline County 38°06′45″N 77°26′08″W / 38.11250°N 77.43556°W |
| River mouth | York River West Point, King William County 37°31′03″N 76°47′30″W / 37.51750°N 76.79167°W |
| Length | 103 mi (166 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Mattaponi River is a river in eastern Virginia, United States. It is about 103-mile-long (166 km). The Mattaponi River is a tributary, which means it is a smaller river that flows into a larger one. It flows into the York River. The York River is an estuary, a special place where a river meets the sea and fresh water mixes with salt water.
Contents
River's Journey: Where the Mattaponi Flows
The Mattaponi River starts from four smaller streams in Spotsylvania County. Each of these streams has a part of the Mattaponi's name:
- The Mat River and the Ta River join together in Spotsylvania County. When they meet, they form the Matta River.
- The Po River and the Ni River also join up, but they do so in Caroline County. When they meet, they form the Poni River.
- Finally, the Matta River and the Poni River come together in Caroline County. This is where the Mattaponi River officially begins!
From this meeting point, the Mattaponi River flows mostly southeast. It passes through Caroline County. Along its way, it collects water from another river called the South River. This happens near the southern edge of the Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area.
As the Mattaponi River continues, it forms the border between King William and King and Queen counties. At a town called West Point, the Mattaponi River meets another river, the Pamunkey River. When these two rivers join, they create the York River.
Mattaponi River's Past Names
Over time, the Mattaponi River has been known by many different names and spellings. Some of these old names include Mat-ta-pa-ment, Matapanient River, Matapany River, Matapeneugh River, Mattapanient River, Mattaponie River, and Mattapony River.
The name and spelling we use today, "Mattaponi," were officially decided by the United States Board on Geographic Names. This happened in two steps, first in 1897 and then again in 1936. This helped make sure everyone used the same name for the river.
Protecting the River: A Look at the Reservoir Idea
For many years, there was a discussion about building a large reservoir (a man-made lake to store water) on the Mattaponi River. This idea caused a lot of debate among people living near the river.
Groups like the Sierra Club, which works to protect the environment, were against building the reservoir. Members of the Mattaponi Indian tribe, who have lived along this river for a very long time, also opposed the plan. Many residents of King William County joined them. They were against the efforts by Newport News Waterworks, a company that provides water, to build what was called the King William Reservoir. People had different ideas about the best way to manage the river's water.
More to Explore
You can find more information about the Mattaponi River in Spanish here: Río Mattaponi para niños
