Everything about The Jefferson River totally explained
The
Jefferson River is a
tributary of the
Missouri River, approximately long, in the
U.S. state of
Montana.
The Jefferson River and the
Madison River form the official beginning of the Missouri at
Missouri Headwaters State Park near
Three Forks. It is joined downstream (northeast) by the
Gallatin.
The
Lewis and Clark Expedition visited the site on
28 July 1805.
Meriwether Lewis in his journal entry wrote:
» Both Capt. C. and myself corresponded in opinon with rispect[sic]
to the impropriety of calling either of these [three]
streams the Missouri and accordingly agreed to name them after the President of the United States and the Secretaries of the Treasury and state.
The Lewis and Clark decision not to call the Jefferson (named for President
Thomas Jefferson) the Missouri has spurred debate over what is the longest river in
North America since the Missouri and
Mississippi are nearly identical in length. The Missouri traditionally had been called the longest river on the continent. However, of it have been trimmed off in channeling so that it's now sometimes referred as second to the Mississippi in terms of length. If the Jefferson were included in the Missouri length, it would still be considered the longest river.
The utmost headwaters of the Missouri are subject to debate, but both locations ultimately drain into the Jefferson. Lewis on
August 12,
1805, said he visited the headwaters on Trail Creek just above
Lemhi Pass on the
Continental Divide in the Beaverhead Mountains at around which he described:
» the most distant fountain of the waters of the mighty Missouri in surch[sic]
of which we've spent so many toilsome days and wristless[sic]
nights.
However in 1888
Jacob V. Brower, who had championed turning the headwaters of the Mississippi River into a
Minnesota state park, visited another site which today is believed to be the furthest point on the Missouri — now called
Brower's Spring. Brower published his finding in 1896 in "The Missouri: Its Utmost Source."
Brower's Spring lies at around in the
Centennial Mountains. The site is marked by a rock pile at the source of Hell Roaring Creek which flows into Red Rock River. The Red Rock River rises in the Centennial Mountains near the Continental Divide in southwestern
Beaverhead County, near Montana's border with
Idaho, also the
continental divide.
It flows west through
Upper and
Lower Red Rock lakes, then NNW past
Lima to the
Clark Canyon Reservoir, where it becomes the Beaverhead River. As the Beaverhead, the river flows NNE past
Dillon. Near
Twin Bridges, the Beaverhead is joined by the
Ruby River and the
Big Hole River, and continues as the Jefferson River north and east. Near
Cardwell, it receives the
Boulder River, and flows east to form the Missouri where it meets the Madison and Gallatin northeast of Three Forks, approximately WNW of
Bozeman.
Advocates
- Jefferson River Watershed Council — The mission of the Jefferson River Watershed Council is to coordinate efforts, through a spirit of community cooperation and sharing, that will enhance, conserve, and protect the natural resources, quality of life, and economic vitality of the Jefferson River watershed.
- Trout Unlimited — Trout Unlimited's mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.
- Western Watersheds Project — The mission of Western Watersheds Project is to protect and restore western watersheds and wildlife through education, public policy initiatives and litigation.
- Montana River Action — The clean flowing waters of Montana belong to the people and are held in trust by the State for a pollution-free healthful environment guaranteed by our Montana Constitution. Montana River Action's mission is to protect and restore rivers, streams and other water bodies.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Jefferson River'.
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