Copper River (Alaska)
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Copper River Atna River |
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 The Copper River near Chitina |
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| Data | ||
| Water code | US : 1421207 | |
| location | Alaska (USA) | |
| River system | Copper River | |
| origin |
Copper Glacier 62 ° 10 ′ 39 ″ N , 143 ° 49 ′ 5 ″ W. |
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| Source height | 1340 m | |
| muzzle |
Gulf of Alaska Coordinates: 60 ° 23 ′ 19 " N , 144 ° 57 ′ 39" W 60 ° 23 ′ 19 " N , 144 ° 57 ′ 39" W |
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| Mouth height | 0 m | |
| Height difference | 1340 m | |
| Bottom slope | 2.9 ‰ | |
| length | 460 km | |
| Catchment area | 62,500 km² | |
| Outflow at the level at the mouth |
MQ |
1670 m³ / s |
| Left tributaries | Sanford River , Chitina River , Bremner River , Martin River | |
| Right tributaries | Slana River , Chistochina River , Gulkana River , Gakona River , Tazlina River , Klutina River , Tonsina River , Tiekel River | |
| Flowing lakes | Miles Lake | |
 The Copper River bed near the Copper Center in March |
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 The Million Dollar Bridge over the Copper River with the segment that collapsed during the earthquake |
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The Copper River (also Atna River ) is a river in the United States that meanders 460 kilometers through southeast Alaska .
The Copper River is known for the rambling delta and its ecosystem . The rich schools of salmon in the river fetch high prices on the world market.
The river is fed by the Copper Glacier on the north side of the Wrangell Mountains and runs northeast of Mount Sanford through Wrangell-St.-Elias National Park . The river makes its way west of the northern end of the Wrangell Mountains and continues to flow in the southwest of the Mentasta Mountains . At the northern end of the Wrangell Mountains, the river flows southwest, then southeast through a flat swampy area to Chitina , where the Chitina River meets the Copper River. To the southwest, the river flows through a glacier area in the Chugach Mountains east of Cordova Peak . The Copper River flows into the Gulf of Alaska about 80 kilometers southeast of Cordova .
The river takes its name from its abundant copper deposits, which were used by Alaska's natives , the early Russian settlers of the Russian Empire and the pioneers of the United States. The construction of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway from Cordova through the valley area of the upper river from 1908-1911 had a more extensive use of resources, according to, especially for the Kennicott , which was discovered in 1898 -Mine. The mine was closed in 1938 and is now a tourist attraction as a ghost town . The Highway Tok Cut-Off crosses the Copper River Valley on the northern side of the Chugach Mountains .
The high number and quality of salmon in the Copper River results from the large catchment area of the river. Together with the rich soil, it favors egg spawning and raises the number of salmon to over two million a year. The large numbers also result in a large number of different species and unique variations. The Copper River Delta, which stretches over 2,800 km², is the largest contiguous wetland on the Pacific coast of North America. It is also home to 16 million shorebirds.
Web links
- Copper River Watershed Project (English)