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Snohomish River facts for kids

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Snohomish River
River seen from downtown Snohomish.jpg
Snohomish River at Snohomish
Snohomishmap.png
Map of the Snohomish River and tributaries
Snohomish River is located in Washington (state)
Snohomish River
Snohomish River is located in the United States
Snohomish River
Mouth of the Snohomish River in Washington
Country United States
State Washington
County Snohomish
Physical characteristics
Main source Confluence of the Skykomish River and the Snoqualmie River
Monroe
47°49′48″N 122°2′47″W / 47.83000°N 122.04639°W / 47.83000; -122.04639
River mouth Puget Sound
Port Gardner
0 m (0 ft)
48°1′16″N 122°12′30″W / 48.02111°N 122.20833°W / 48.02111; -122.20833
Length 20 mi (32 km)
Basin features
Basin size 1,856 sq mi (4,810 km2)

The Snohomish River is a river in Snohomish County the U.S. state of Washington, formed by the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers near Monroe. It flows northwest entering Port Gardner Bay, part of Puget Sound, between Everett and Marysville. The Pilchuck River is its main tributary and joins the river at Snohomish. The river system drains the west side of the Cascade Mountains from Snoqualmie Pass to north of Stevens Pass.

Measured at Monroe, the Snohomish River has an average annual flow of 9,500 cubic feet per second (270 m3/s). In comparison, the Columbia River, Washington's largest river, has an average flow of about 265,000 cubic feet per second (7,500 m3/s).

Snohomish River Highway 9 Bridge
Route 9 bridge, with downtown Snohomish behind
Snohomish River 26715
Debris in the November 2006 flood is swept under the Airport Way Bridge in Snohomish.

Course

The Snohomish River forms at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish Rivers just west of Monroe. Both of these rivers originate in the Cascades and drain the west slopes of the mountains in southeastern Snohomish County and northeastern King County. The Snohomish River flows generally northwestward from the confluence, passing under state route 522 and flowing alongside Lord Hill Park before reaching downtown Snohomish. Here, it is joined by the Pilchuck River, its main tributary, and flows under state route 9. From Snohomish, the river continues northwestward through a broad floodplain, forming the eastern boundary of the city of Everett. The final few miles of the river in Everett form the Snohomish River estuary, a river delta that features wetlands and tideflats spread out across various islands and arms of the river. Several bridges carry U.S. 2, Interstate 5, and state route 529 across the delta. The river then empties into Possession Sound, which is part of Puget Sound, between Everett and Marysville.

Panoramic view of the Snohomish River from downtown Snohomish

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Río Snohomish para niños

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