Cow Creek is a medium-sized river in southwestern

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, a tributary of the

South Umpqua River The South Umpqua River is a tributary of the Umpqua River, approximately long, in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains part of the Cascade Range east of Roseburg. The river passes through a remote canyon in its upper reaches then ...

. It drains an area of over on the western foothills of the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

and within the Oregon Coast Range. Although the vast majority of the basin is within Douglas County, a tiny portion in the southeast extends into northern Jackson County.

Course

The stream rises in the

Umpqua National Forest Umpqua National Forest, in southern Oregon's Cascade Range, covers an area of in Douglas County, Oregon, Douglas, Lane County, Oregon, Lane, and Jackson County, Oregon, Jackson counties, and borders Crater Lake National Park. The four ranger di ...

at the confluence of South Fork Cow Creek and East Fork Cow Creek. The south fork, which is much larger, is sometimes considered the main stem. In its first few miles the creek flows west through an agricultural valley and through

Galesville Reservoir Galesville Reservoir is a water storage reservoir in Klamath Mountains of Douglas County, Oregon. The dam was completed in October 1986. This reservoir is the outlet of the Upper Cow Creek Watershed, which contains of land. The dam was proposed ...

. Cow Creek runs alongside Interstate 5 for several miles and receives Windy Creek from the right at

Glendale, Oregon Glendale is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 874 at the 2010 census. History After construction of a railroad line south from Roseburg in 1881–83, Solomon Abraham, the local right-of-way agent, platted the ...

. The stream then bends northwest into a canyon, receiving West Fork Cow Creek on the left and Middle Creek from the right. It then continues northwards, bending steadily eastwards and doubling back on its former course. The river emerges from the mountains near Riddle, and bends sharply south around a ridge, joining the South Umpqua about west of Canyonville.

References

{{authority control Rivers of Oregon Rivers of Jackson County, Oregon Rivers of Douglas County, Oregon

Course

See also

References