Yaak River

Geobox River
name = Yaak River
native_name =
other_name = Yahk River
other_name1 =


image_size =
image_caption =
country = United States
country1 = Canada
state = Montana
state1 =
region_type = Province
region = British Columbia
region1 =
district =
district1 =
city =
city1 =
length_imperial =
watershed_imperial = 766
watershed_note = [http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2004/wdr-mt-04/ Montana Water Resources Data, 2004] , USGS]
discharge_location = mouth (near Troy, MT)
discharge_imperial = 850
discharge_round = 2
discharge_max_imperial = 11600
discharge_min_imperial = 49
discharge_note =
discharge1_location =
discharge1_imperial =
source_name = Purcell Mountains
source_location = Yahk Mountain
source_district =
source_region =
source_state =
source_country =
source_lat_d = 49
source_lat_m = 12
source_lat_s = 35
source_lat_NS = N
source_long_d = 115
source_long_m = 42
source_long_s = 41
source_long_EW = W
source_coordinates_note = Gnis|793580|Yaak River, USGS, GNIS]
source_elevation_imperial = 4910
source_elevation_note = Google Earth elevation for GNIS coordinates]
source_length_imperial =
mouth_name = Kootenay River
mouth_location = Troy, Montana
mouth_district =
mouth_region =
mouth_state =
mouth_country =
mouth_lat_d = 48
mouth_lat_m = 33
mouth_lat_s = 40
mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 115
mouth_long_m = 58
mouth_long_s = 37
mouth_long_EW = W
mouth_coordinates_note =
mouth_elevation_imperial = 1838
mouth_elevation_note =
tributary_left = East Fork Yaak River
tributary_left1 = South Fork Yaak River
tributary_right = West Fork Yaak River
tributary_right1 =
free_name =
free_value =


map_size =
map_caption = The Yaak River (spelled Yahk River in Canada) is a tributary of the Kootenay River (spelled Kootenai in the United States) in the U.S. state of Montana and the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Course

The Yaak River originates near Yahk Mountain, in the Yahk Range, part of the Purcell Mountains, in southeast British Columbia. The river flows south, crossing into Montana. It receives the East Fork Yaak River, then the West Fork Yaak River (also called the West Yahk River). The West Fork originates in Montana near Rock Candy Mountain, flows northeast into British Columbia, then southeast back into Montana to join the main Yaak River.

Below the West Fork confluence, the Yaak River receives the South Fork Yaak River before curving broadly west, then south, receiving numerous tributaries creeks such as Spread Creek, Hellroaring Creek, and Burnt Creek (also called Burnt Grizzly Bear Creek), before flowing into the Kootenai River near Yaak Mountain and the small city of Troy, Montana.

In Montana, the Yaak River and its tributaries mostly lie within Kootenai National Forest.

The river is a Class I water from Yaak Falls to its confluence with the Kootenai River for the purposes of public access for recreational purposes [ [http://fwp.mt.gov/content/getItem.aspx?id=24929 Stream Access in Montana] ] .

History

According to British Columbia's Geographical Names Information System, "Yahk" is a Kootenay word meaning either "arrow" or "bow" and referring either to the Yaak River or the Kootenay River. The southward curve of the Kootenay River (from Canada into the United States and back into Canada) is said to be a "bow", with the Yaak River possibly being the "arrow" (if the name is from the Kootenay word "a'k"). [ [http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/bcgn-bin/bcg10?name=24770 Yahk River] , BCGNIS]

According to the USGS, variant names of the Yaak River include A'ak, Yaac, Yahk, Yahkh, and Yak.

ee also

* Montana Stream Access Law
* List of rivers of Montana
* List of British Columbia rivers

References