Sammamish River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sammamish River |
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Map of the Lake Washington drainage basin with the Sammamish River highlighted
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| Other name(s) | Sammamish Slough, Squak Slough |
| Country | United States of America |
| State | Washington |
| County | King |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lake Sammamish Washington, United States of America 30 ft (9.1 m) 47°39′09″N 122°06′24″W / 47.65250°N 122.10667°W |
| River mouth | Lake Washington Washington, United States of America 16 ft (4.9 m) 47°45′12″N 122°15′30″W / 47.75333°N 122.25833°W |
| Length | 14 mi (23 km) |
The Sammamish River is a cool river in north King County, Washington. It's about 14 miles (23 km) long. This river connects Lake Sammamish to Lake Washington. As it flows, it passes through cities like Redmond, Woodinville, Bothell, and Kenmore.
The river gets its name from the Sammamish people, who were the native people living along the river a long time ago. It's also sometimes called the Sammamish Slough.
Contents
Where the Sammamish River Flows
The Sammamish River starts at the northern end of Lake Sammamish. Lake Sammamish itself gets its water from several smaller streams. The most important of these is Issaquah Creek.
From Lake Sammamish, the river flows north through the city of Redmond. A stream called Bear Creek joins the Sammamish River from the east. Bear Creek also brings water from Evans Creek and Cottage Lake Creek.
After Redmond, the Sammamish River enters Woodinville. Here, it turns northwest and then west. Another stream, Little Bear Creek, joins the Sammamish from the north at this turn. The river keeps bending generally westward. As it continues, North Creek joins it from the north in Bothell, near the University of Washington. Then, Swamp Creek joins it in Kenmore.
Finally, the Sammamish River flows into Lake Washington on the west side of Kenmore.
The area that drains into the Sammamish River is called its basin. This basin is quite large, covering about 626 square kilometers (242 square miles). It stretches from Everett in the north to May Valley in the south. The Sammamish River basin is part of an even bigger water system that includes Lake Washington and the Cedar River.
How the River Has Changed
The Sammamish River you see today is very different from how it was over 100 years ago. People have changed it a lot to make it easier to use for boats, for farming near the river, and to stop floods.
Back in the early 1900s, the river was wider and deeper. It also flowed much slower because there wasn't a big difference in height between Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington. At that time, it was known as Squak Slough. Small boats could travel its whole length, and it was used to move logs and coal from Lake Sammamish to Lake Washington. The river's mouth (where it met Lake Washington) was also in a different spot.
Two big projects changed the river the most.
- Lowering Lake Washington: In 1916, Lake Washington was lowered as part of building the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Lock system. This made the height difference between Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington much bigger. Because of this, the Sammamish River started flowing faster. It also moved the river's mouth further west.
- Dredging and Straightening: In 1964, King County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers made the river straighter and deeper by dredging it. They also built a weir (a small dam) at the start of the river from Lake Sammamish. This project greatly reduced flooding in the Sammamish River valley and around Lake Sammamish. The weir was later changed in 1998 to help salmon swim upstream more easily when the water levels are low.
Animals and Nature Along the River
The Sammamish River is a home for many different kinds of salmon and trout. These include Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Kokanee, steelhead, and coastal cutthroat trout. The King County government is working to improve the river's habitat to help these fish.
You can also spot many birds and mammals along the river.
- Birds: Look for Canada geese, different kinds of ducks, and the tall great blue heron.
- Mammals: Bald eagles and beavers are also often seen near the river.
Fun Things to Do
The Sammamish River Trail is a paved path perfect for biking and walking. It runs right along the river! You can start at Marymoor Park in Redmond and follow it all the way to Bothell. In Bothell, it connects to the Burke-Gilman Trail, which can take you all the way to Seattle.
The river is also home to the Sammamish Rowing Association. This is a group that helps people of all ages learn and enjoy rowing. They have a boathouse and a dock on the west side of the river, across from Marymoor Dog Park.
See also
In Spanish: Río Sammamish para niños
