Humboldt
Humboldt is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Coordinates
- 40.68°, -116.78°
About Humboldt
The Humboldt River is the longest river in the northern and central part of Nevada. It extends in a general east-to-west direction from its headwaters in northern Nevada's Jarbidge, Independence, and Ruby Mountains in Elko County to its terminus in the Humboldt Sink, approximately 225 miles (362 km) away in northwest Churchill County.
Most estimates put the Humboldt River at 300 to 330 miles (480 to 530 km) long; however, due to the extensive meandering nature of the river, its length may be more closely estimated at 380 miles (610 km).
The Humboldt is the third-longest river within the Great Basin watershed, behind the Bear River at 355 miles (571 km) and the Sevier River at 325 miles (523 km). The Humboldt River Basin is the largest sub-basin of the Great Basin, encompassing an area of 16,840 square miles (43,600 km2). It is the only major river system wholly contained within the state of Nevada.
It is the only natural transportation artery across the Great Basin and has historically provided a route for westward migration. Additionally, a major railroad mainline loosely follows its path. Interstate 80 follows the river's course from its source to its mouth.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Humboldt River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Humboldt in Depth
Watershed and course
The Humboldt River can be divided geographically into the upper, middle, and lower divisions based on Palisade Canyon and Emigrant Canyon being the major constriction points along the Humboldt River Valley. The upper basin begins in northeastern Nevada and drains about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2) upstream from Palisade. The middle basin has a drainage area of about 7,800 square miles (20,000 km2) and lies between Palisade and Emigrant Canyons, a narrow gap located just downstream from Comus. The lower basin is an area encompassing some 4,100 square miles (11,000 km2) from below Emigrant Canyon and extending through the Humboldt Sink in northwestern Nevada.
History
The northern Nevada region where the river flows was sparsely inhabited by Numic-speaking people at the time of the arrival of European American settlers. The region was little known by non-indigenous peoples until the arrival of fur trappers in the early 19th century.
The first recorded sighting of the river was on November 9, 1828, by Peter Skene Ogden of the Hudson's Bay Company during his fifth expedition to the Snake Country. Odgen came southward along the Little Humboldt, encountering the main river at the confluence near Winnemucca. Ogden explored the river for several hundred miles, blazing a trail along it and making the first known map of the region.
Ecology
The Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus henshawi) is an inland subspecies of cutthroat trout endemic to northern Nevada, eastern California, and southern Oregon. In 1970, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) as endangered. In 1975 it reclassified LCT as “threatened” to facilitate management and to allow regulated fishing. Genetic and meristic studies of LCT indicate that the Humboldt River Basin LCT is a unique subspecies: Humboldt cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus henshawi humboldtensis).
North American beavers (Castor canadensis) seem to have been making a comeback in Elko County, possibly due to less fur trapping combined with reduced consumption of riparian willow and other vegetation by cattle.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Humboldt River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Humboldt: Key Facts
| Length | 531 km |
|---|---|
| Average discharge | 11 m³/s |
| Drainage basin | 42,994 km² |
| Source | Great Basin |
| Mouth | Humboldt Sink |
| Tributaries | North Fork Humboldt River, Reese River |
Facts from Wikidata Q1361278 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Humboldt: Quick Answers
- Where is Humboldt?
- Humboldt is located in United States, at 40.6828° N, 116.7761° W.
- Are there dams on the Humboldt?
- No dam on the Humboldt is recorded in the YearMaps dam index, which covers major structures only.