Dudidontu River

The Dudidontu River is a tributary of the Nahlin River in northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada.^[3] It joins the Nahlin River, which forms the Inklin River, one of the main tributaries of the Taku River.^[6] The Dudidontu River's watershed covers 964 km² (372 sq mi),^[5] and its mean annual discharge is 15.4 m³/s (540 cu ft/s).^[5] Almost half of the Dudidontu's flow comes from its main tributary, Kakuchuya Creek, and Kakuchuya Creek's main tributary, Matsatu Creek.^[5] The mouth of the Dudidontu River is located about 150 km (93 mi) northeast of Juneau, Alaska and about 110 km (68 mi) northwest of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia.

Dudidontu River
Mouth of Dudidontu River
Location
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
District	Cassiar Land District
Physical characteristics
Source	Level Mountain Range
• location	Nahlin Plateau
• coordinates	58°24′12″N 131°26′54″W[1]
• elevation	1,710 m (5,610 ft)[2]
Mouth	Nahlin River
• coordinates	58°47′22″N 131°59′5″W[3]
• elevation	387 m (1,270 ft)[2]
Length	112 km (70 mi)[4]
Basin size	964 km2 (372 sq mi),[5]
Discharge
• average	15.4 m3/s (540 cu ft/s)[5]
Basin features
Topo maps	NTS 104J5 Ketchum Lake NTS 104J6 Beatty Creek NTS 104J13 Prairie Lake NTS 104J12 Dudidontu River

The Dudidontu River is in the traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation, part of the Tlingit people.^[7]

Geography

The Dudidontu River originates near the headwaters of the Little Tahltan River and Egnell Creek, in the Level Mountain Range on the Nahlin Plateau.^[8] From its source the river flows west in a U-shaped valley of Level Mountain,^[8][9] then south, then by Ketchum Lake,^[10] where the Dudidontu turns and flows generally north for the rest of its length, about 112 km (70 mi) in total.^[4] It flows by Camp Island Lake and between Level Mountain and the Heart Peaks.^[11] It is joined by its main tributary, Kakuchuya Creek, and Kakuchuya Creek's main tributary Matsatu Creek, both of which flow from Level Mountain.^[12][13]

The middle Dudidontu River, from Camp Island Lake to 6.4 km (4.0 mi) below Kakuchuya Creek, meanders through a wide floodplain, providing excellent spawning habitat for Chinook salmon. Below this section the lower Dudidontu flows through a 19.2 km (11.9 mi) long canyon with steep slopes of mud, boulders, and shale, with no vegetation. This section of the river is a series of almost continuous heavy rapids.^[14]

The Dudidontu River's watershed's land cover is classified as 37.9% shrubland, 25.3% conifer forest, 22.6% barren, and small amounts of other cover.^[5]

See also

• List of rivers of British Columbia

References

1. Derived using BCGNIS, topographic maps and TopoQuest.
2. Elevation derived from ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, using GeoLocator, BCGNIS coordinates, and topographic maps.
3. "Dudidontu River". BC Geographical Names.
4. Length measured using Google Maps path tool, BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, and TopoQuest.
5. "Northwest Water Tool". BC Water Tool. GeoBC, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Government of British Columbia. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
6. "Nahlin River". BC Geographical Names.
7. "T'akhu  Tlèn Conservancy". Taku Conservancy. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
8. "Dudidontu River". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
9. Fenger, M.A.; Eastman, D.S.; Clement, C.J.; Page, R.E. (1986). Caribou habitat use on the Level Mountain and Horseranch Ranges, British Columbia. Wildlife Working Report (Report). Ministry of Environment and Parks. p. 11. ISSN 0831-4330.
10. "Ketchum Lake". BC Geographical Names.
11. "Camp Island Lake". BC Geographical Names.
12. "Kakuchuya Creek". BC Geographical Names.
13. "Matsatu Creek". BC Geographical Names.
14. Kissner, Paul. "A Study of Chinook Salmon in Southeast Alaska" (PDF). Alaska Department of Fish and Game. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 12 August 2021.

External links

• "Atlin-Taku Planning Area: Sensitive Wildlife Areas" (PDF). Taku River Tlingit First Nation.
• "Taku River Tlingit First Nation". Taku River Tlingit First Nation.