The Hood River, formerly known as Dog River, is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the Columbia River in northwestern

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

, United States. Approximately long from its mouth to its farthest headwaters on the East Fork, the river descends from wilderness areas in the Cascade Range on Mount Hood and flows through the agricultural

Hood River Valley Hood River Valley is the river basin of Hood River in northern Oregon, U.S. It is bounded by the Columbia River to the north, Mount Hood to the south, the Cascade Range crest to the west and an apparently unnamed ridge system to the east whic ...

to join the Columbia River in the

Columbia River Gorge The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the st ...

. It rises in three separate forks on the north side of Mount Hood, within the

Mount Hood Wilderness The Mount Hood Wilderness is a protected wilderness area inside the Mount Hood National Forest, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The area, covering , includes the peak of Mount Hood and its upper slopes, and ranges from temperate rain forests at the ...

in Hood River County which is approximately east of

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

West Fork

The West Fork, approximately long, rises on northwestern Mount Hood from Ladd Glacier. It flows generally east-northeast and joins the East Fork from the west near Dee.

Middle Fork

The Middle Fork, approximately long, rises in several short branches on the north slopes of Mount Hood, from Coe Glacier and Eliot Glacier. It flows north through the upper

East Fork

The East Fork, approximately long, rises on the eastern side of the mountain in the

Mount Hood National Forest The Mount Hood National Forest is a U.S. National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon, located east of the city of Portland and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of fore ...

in the Mt. Hood Meadows Ski area fed by Newton-Clark Glacier, and flows northward into the Upper Hood River Valley, where it is joined by the

Dog River Dog River may refer to: Canada *Dog River (Ontario), a river in Thunder Bay District, Ontario * Dog River (Manitoba), a river in Northern Region, Manitoba * Dog River, Saskatchewan, a fictional setting for the television series ''Corner Gas'' Uni ...

and then by the Middle Fork.

Main stem

The combined

main stem In hydrology, a mainstem (or trunk) is "the primary downstream segment of a river, as contrasted to its tributaries". Water enters the mainstem from the river's drainage basin, the land area through which the mainstem and its tributaries flow.. A ...

river, approximately long, flows northeast through the Hood River Valley. It joins the Columbia at Hood River, a popular destination for

windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...

and

kiteboarding Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wak ...

in the

Columbia Gorge The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the sta ...

History

The maps of the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gr ...

show the Hood River under the name Labeasche River after Francis Labiche, one of the expedition's members. In the mid-19th century pioneer era a party of starving travelers resorted to eating dog meat. As a result, the Hood River became known as the Dog River. This name was unpopular. A pioneer resident of the area, Mrs. Nathaniel Coe, was able to change local usage to Hood River, after Mount Hood. The name Hood River appeared on maps as early as 1856. The older Dog River name became attached to a lesser tributary of the East Fork Hood River. Powerdale Dam built in the early 1920’s on the Lower Hood River once supplied nearly 6 MW of hydro power. Built by PacificCorp, Powerdale dam was fully removed in Summer of 2010. The Old Powerhouse still stands as a historical/visual reminder of hydro generation on the Hood River. PacificCorp donated 400 acres of surplus land between the former Powerdale Dam and the Old Powerhouse downstream in 2013 to Hood River County (101 acres) and Columbia Land Trust (299 acres) to be a fully protected riparian buffer. Other conservation successes have occurred along the Hood River and its tributaries. The 12 foot high Odell Creek Dam on Odell Creek was removed by September 2016. Farmers continue to upgrade/screen irrigation diversions for the protection of the Columbia River Fisheries. All indications point to a healthier and improved salmon and steelhead fishery on the Hood River thanks to continued efforts of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), local interests, and collaborative efforts with the Warm Springs Tribe.

Maps

Image:Map mount hood vicinity.png, Hood River and surroundings Image:Hood river watershed elements.png, Hood River watershed

References

External links

{{authority control Rivers of Oregon Columbia River Gorge Rivers of Hood River County, Oregon Tributaries of the Columbia River Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States