Kougarok River

Coordinates: 65°15′23″N 164°33′57″W / 65.25639°N 164.56583°W / 65.25639; -164.56583
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Kougarok River
Kougarok River
Kougarok River is located in Alaska
Kougarok River
Location of the mouth of the Kougarok River in Alaska
Native nameKuuguraq (Inupiaq)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
DistrictNome Census Area
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of Macklin and Washington creeks
 • locationSeward Peninsula
 • coordinates65°41′00″N 164°47′46″W / 65.68333°N 164.79611°W / 65.68333; -164.79611[1]
 • elevation457 ft (139 m)[2]
MouthKuzitrin River
 • location
47 miles (76 km) southwest of Imuruk Lake
 • coordinates
65°15′23″N 164°33′57″W / 65.25639°N 164.56583°W / 65.25639; -164.56583[1]
 • elevation
75 ft (23 m)[1]
Length45 mi (72 km)[3]

The Kougarok (Koo-gah-rok) River (Kuuguraq in Inupiaq, lit. little river) is a river on the Seward Peninsula in the U.S. state of Alaska. Formed by the merger of the two smaller streams Macklin Creek and Washington Creek, the main stem is about 45 miles (72 km) long, flowing generally south from near Taylor Airport.[1] It flows into the Kuzitrin River, which flows west into the Imuruk Basin, connected to the bay of Port Clarence on the Bering Sea.[4]

In 1900 the river was reported under the same name as Kugruk River, this was later changed.[3] The river drew gold miners in the early 1900s, though development slowed after World War II. The Nome-Taylor Highway follows the river for much of its course.[4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Kougarok River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. January 1, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  2. ^ Derived by entering source coordinates in Google Earth.
  3. ^ a b Orth, Donald J.; United States Geological Survey (1971) [1967]. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names: Geological Survey Professional Paper 567 (PDF). University of Alaska Fairbanks. p. 543. Retrieved September 21, 2013. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b Alaska Atlas & Gazetteer (7th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 2010. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-89933-289-5.