Moclips River

{{short description|River in the United States of America}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox river | name = Moclips River | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology =  | image = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = 300 | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Washington#USA | pushpin_map_size = 300 | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of the Moclips River in Washington  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Washington | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = County | subdivision_name4 = Grays Harbor | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 =  | length = {{convert|12|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name=NHD/> | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max =  | source1 = Macafee Hill | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= {{coord|47|16|27|N|124|2|33|W|display=inline}}<ref name="gnis">{{GNIS|1523301|Moclips River}}</ref> | source1_elevation = | mouth = Pacific Ocean | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|47|14|52|N|124|13|10|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/> | mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|ft|abbr=on}} | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = {{convert|22|sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref name=WBD/> | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }}

The '''Moclips River''' is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It is about {{convert|12|mi|km}} long. Its main tributary, the North Fork Moclips River, is longer than the main stem. The length of the North Fork, along with the lower main stem below the North Fork's confluence, is {{convert|17|mi|km}}.<ref name="NHD">{{Cite web |url=https://nhd.usgs.gov/index.html |title=National Hydrography Dataset |publisher=United States Geological Survey |access-date=4 September 2010}} ArcExplorer GIS data viewer.</ref> The drainage basin of the Moclips River is {{convert|22.4|sqmi|km2}} in area.<ref name="WBD">{{Cite web |url=https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/watershed-boundary-dataset-wbd-usgs-national-map-downloadable-data-collection |title=Watershed Boundary Dataset |publisher=USDA, NRCS, National Cartography & Geospatial Center|access-date=4 September 2010 }} ArcExplorer GIS data viewer.</ref>

==Course== Both the Moclips River and its main tributary, the North Fork Moclips River, originate on the slopes of Macafee Hill. Both flow generally west. The North Fork joins the main river about {{convert|2|mi|km}} from the Pacific Ocean. The Moclips River empties into the Pacific near Moclips.

==History== According to Edmond S. Meany the word ''moclips'' comes from a Quinault word meaning a place where girls were sent as they were approaching puberty.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Meany |first=Edmond S. |author-link=Edmond S. Meany |year=1920 |title=Origin of Washington Geographic Names |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dbsUAAAAYAAJ |journal=The Washington Historical Quarterly |publisher=Washington University State Historical Society |volume=XI |page=207 |access-date=11 June 2009}}</ref> However, according to William Bright, the name comes from the Quinault word meaning, simply, "large stream".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bright |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5XfxzCm1qa4C |title=Native American placenames of the United States |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8061-3598-4 |page=292}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{GNIS|1523807|North Fork Moclips River}}

Category:Rivers of Washington (state) Category:Rivers of Grays Harbor County, Washington