Cle Elum River

{{Infobox river | name = Cle Elum River | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology =  | image = Cle Elum River.jpg | image_caption = Cle Elum River north of Cle Elum Lake | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption=  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Washington | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = Kittitas County | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = City | subdivision_name5 = Cle Elum  | length_mi = 28 | length_ref = <ref name="gazetteer">[http://www.bartleby.com/69/67/C08367.html Cle Elum River] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050420145943/http://bartleby.com/69/67/C08367.html |date=2005-04-20 }}, The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000.</ref> | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= Roslyn, Washington | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = 945 cuft/s <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/dv?referred_module=sw&site_no=12479000|title = USGS Current Conditions for USGS 12479000 CLE ELUM RIVER NEAR ROSLYN, WA}}</ref> | discharge1_max =  | source1 = Cascade Range | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= {{coord|47|35|19|N|121|10|1|W|display=inline}}<ref name="GNIS">{{Gnis|1517823|Cle Elum River}}, USGS, GNIS.</ref> | source1_elevation = {{convert|6115|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="GE">Google Earth elevation for GNIS coordinates.</ref> | mouth = Yakima River | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|47|10|37|N|120|59|49|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name="GNIS"/> | mouth_elevation = {{convert|1990|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="GE"/> | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = Waptus River, Cooper River | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }} The '''Cle Elum River''' is a tributary of the Yakima River, approximately 28 miles (45 km) long in the U.S. state of Washington. A Northern Pacific Railway station at the future site of the city of Cle Elum, Washington was named Clealum after the Kittitas name Tie-el-Lum, meaning "swift water", referring to the Cle Elum River. In 1908, Clealum was altered to Cle Elum. This spelling came to be used for the river as well.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cle Elum |work=Washington Place Names database |publisher=Tacoma Public Library |url=http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/ |accessdate=2009-03-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309023858/http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/ |archivedate=2009-03-09 }}</ref> Some maps in the 1850s also have the river labeled as ''Samahma'' River.<ref name=meany>{{cite book |last=Meany |first= Edmond S. |author-link=Edmond S. Meany |date= 1923|title= Origin of Washington Geographic Names|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Ct4BAAAAMAAJ|location= |publisher= University of Washington Press|page=50 |isbn=9780598974808}} </ref>

==Course== The river originates in the Cascade Range near Mount Daniel and flows generally south, through Hyas Lake. The river is joined by many tributary streams including Waptus River and Cooper River draining from Cooper Lake, after which it enters Cle Elum Lake. Although a natural lake, Cle Elum Lake's water level and discharge is controlled by Cle Elum Dam, a 165-foot (50 m) high earthfill structure built in 1933. The dam and lake are managed for irrigation purposes by the United States Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Yakima Project.<ref>[http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/yakima.html Yakima Project] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430182621/http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/yakima.html |date=2007-04-30 }}, United States Bureau of Reclamation.</ref> Below the dam, Cle Elum River continues south to join the Yakima River on the west side of the city of Cle Elum.

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Rivers of Washington (state) Category:Rivers of Kittitas County, Washington Category:Tributaries of the Yakima River