Shenandoah River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shenandoah River |
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 Crossing the Shenandoah River in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| States | Virginia, West Virginia |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | North Fork |
| - right | South Fork |
| Towns | Harper's Ferry, WV, Front Royal, VA, Luray, VA |
| Primary source | North Fork |
| - location | Shenandoah Mountain |
| Secondary source | South Fork |
| - location | Port Republic |
| Source confluence | |
| - location | Front Royal, VA |
| Mouth | Potomac River |
| - location | Harpers Ferry |
| - elevation | 250 ft (76 m) |
| - coordinates | 39°19′21″N 77°43′40″W / 39.3225°N 77.727778°W |
| Length | 56 mi (90 km) |
| Basin | 2,937 sq mi (7,607 km²) |
| Discharge | for Millville, WV |
| - average | 2,755 cu ft/s (78 m³/s) |
The Shenandoah River is a major river in the United States. It flows into the Potomac River. The Shenandoah River is about 55.6 miles (89.5 km) long. It has two main branches, called forks, which are each about 100 miles (160 km) long.
One fork is mainly in Virginia, and the other is in West Virginia. The river and its smaller streams collect water from the central and lower Shenandoah Valley. This area includes the Page Valley in the Appalachian Mountains. It is located on the west side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This region covers northwestern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
River Geology and Caves
The land under the Shenandoah Valley is mostly made of limestone. Limestone is a type of rock that is often found in areas with caves. The soil here is very rich and good for growing crops. This made the valley a popular place for people to settle a long time ago. Today, it is still a very important farming area in Virginia and West Virginia.
Because of the limestone, there are many caves in the area. This type of landscape, with caves and sinkholes, is called karst topography. Several of these caves are open to visitors as tourist attractions. Famous ones include Luray Caverns, Shenandoah Caverns, and the Skyline Caverns.
There is a story about a cave near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It is said to have a small opening, just big enough for a person on horseback to enter. Inside, the cave opens up into a large room. Legend says that hundreds of soldiers once hid there from enemies.
Images for kids
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Moonlight on the Shenandoah, engraving by J.D. Woodward
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The South Fork Shenandoah River, with Massanutten Mountain in the background, as viewed from an overlook in Shenandoah River State Park.
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View of the North Fork Shenandoah River near Woodstock, Virginia.
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The point where the Potomac River and Shenandoah Rivers meet, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
See also
In Spanish: Río Shenandoah para niños
