South Fork McKenzie River

General data

Name: South Fork McKenzie River
Water system: Columbia River
Water type: River
Progression: McKenzie River (Oregon) -> Willamette River -> Columbia River -> Columbia River Estuary -> Pacific Ocean -> Planet Earth
Climates: Mountain
Continents: North America
Countries: United States of America

The South Fork McKenzie River is a tributary, about 31 miles (50 km) long, of the McKenzie River in the U.S. state of Oregon.

It begins at about 4,500 feet (1,400 m) above sea level near Mink Lake in the Three Sisters Wilderness of the Cascade Range. Flowing northwest within Lane County, it meets the McKenzie River about 60 miles (97 km) from the larger river's confluence with the Willamette River.

About 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from the South Fork mouth, Cougar Dam impounds water from the river to create Cougar Reservoir. It is a multipurpose United States Army Corps of Engineers project built in 1963 to generate hydroelectricity and limit flooding.

The watershed offers many opportunities for recreation, including fishing, swimming, hiking, and camping. Motorized boating is allowed on Cougar Reservoir, which is used for waterskiing. A popular hot springs is along a tributary near the reservoir. Whitewater enthusiasts sometimes run a difficult stretch of the upper river.

Cougar Reservoir supports populations of stocked rainbow trout and stocked landlocked Chinook salmon as well as naturally reproducing cutthroat trout.[9] The lake also supports bull trout, but it is not legal to catch and keep them. Catch-and-release fishing for cutthroat and bull trout is popular on the upper river and its tributaries. Fish on the upper river are numerous but relatively small, averaging 8 to 11 inches (20 to 28 cm).

South Fork McKenzie River

General data

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