Birch Creek (Yukon River tributary)
{{Infobox river
| name = Birch Creek
| name_native =
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| image = Rain on Birch Creek.JPG
| image_caption = Rain along Birch Creek
| image_size = 300
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| map_size = 300
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| pushpin_map = USA Alaska
| pushpin_map_size = 300
| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of Birch Creek in Alaska
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = United States
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = Alaska
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| subdivision_type4 = Census Area
| subdivision_name4 = Yukon–Koyukuk
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| length = {{convert|150|mi|km|abbr=on}}Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, p. 136
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| source1 = confluence of Ptarmigan and Eagle creeks
| source1_location = near Porcupine Dome
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|65|26|19|N|145|31|36|W|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|2275|ft|abbr=on}}Derived by entering source coordinates in Google Earth.
| mouth = beginning of distributaries, Upper Mouth Birch Creek and Lower Mouth Birch Creek
| mouth_location = upstream on Birch Creek from distributaries' mouths on the Yukon River, Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|66|16|13|N|145|30|15|W|display=inline,title}}{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System| publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = March 31, 1981| url = {{gnis3|1399058}} | title =Birch Creek| access-date = October 29, 2013}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|453|ft|abbr=on}}
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| extra = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = nwsrs
| designation1_type = Wild {{convert|126.0|mi|km}}
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Birch Creek is a {{convert|150|mi|km|adj=on}} tributary of the Yukon River in the U.S. state of Alaska. Beginning at the confluence of Ptarmigan and Eagle creeks near Porcupine Dome, it flows southwest, then south under the Steese Highway and into the Steese National Conservation Area. It then turns east, then north, again passing under the Steese Highway and entering the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Turning northwest, it ends where it splits into two distributaries, Lower Mouth Birch Creek and Upper Mouth Birch Creek, near Birch Creek, Alaska. The distributaries flow into the Yukon River at separate locations downstream of Fort Yukon.{{cite book|title=Alaska Atlas & Gazetteer|publisher=DeLorme|location=Yarmouth, Maine|pages=126–27, 137|edition=7th|year=2010|isbn=978-0-89933-289-5}}
History
The first human inhabitants of the region were probably Gwich'in people who hunted and fished along the creek. Gold was found along the creek in 1893. Circle City sprang up as the Alaska Interior's first gold town, governed democratically by traditional miners' meetings.{{cite book|last=Haycox|first=Stephen|author-link=Stephen Haycox|title=Alaska: An American Colony|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|year=2002|pages=201–02|isbn=0-295-98249-7}} Old mining and trapping cabins are part of the Birch Creek landscape, and mining continues in the 21st century.{{cite web|title=History and Natural Setting|url=http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/nlcs/birchcrk_nwr/history_and_natural.html|publisher=Bureau of Land Management|date=November 11, 2010|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101104623/http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/nlcs/birchcrk_nwr/history_and_natural.html|archive-date=November 1, 2013|url-status=dead}}
Distributaries
Upper Mouth Birch Creek flows {{convert|35|mi|km}} northwest from Birch Creek to enter the Yukon River {{convert|25|mi|km}} southwest (downstream) of Fort Yukon.Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, p. 1012 The coordinates of the mouth of the Upper Mouth are {{coord|66|31|15|N|146|09|09|W|globe:earth_type:waterbody_region:US-AK_source:gnis|name=Upper Mouth Birch Creek}}.{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System| publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = March 31, 1981| url = {{gnis3|1411569}} | title =Upper Mouth Birch Creek| access-date = October 31, 2013}}
Lower Mouth Birch Creek flows {{convert|50|mi|km}} southwest from Birch Creek to enter Lower Birch Creek Slough {{convert|39|mi|km}} southwest of Fort Yukon.Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, p. 600 An anabranch of the Yukon River, the slough flows southwest roughly parallel to the main stem for {{convert|15|mi|km}}. The coordinates for the mouth of Lower Mouth Birch Creek are {{coord|66|26|46|N|146|38|18|W|globe:earth_type:waterbody_region:US-AK_source:gnis|name=Lower Mouth Birch Creek}}.{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System| publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = March 31, 1981| url = {{gnis3|1405768}} | title =Lower Mouth Birch Creek| access-date = October 31, 2013}}
Recreation
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees {{convert|126|mi|km}} of Birch Creek declared "wild" in 1980 as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.{{cite web|title=Birch Creek, Alaska|url=http://www.rivers.gov/rivers/birch.php|publisher=National Wild and Scenic Rivers|access-date=October 29, 2013}} People floating the stream in canoes, kayaks, or rafts can put in at a BLM wayside and take out at another BLM wayside {{convert|110|mi|km}} further downstream. Both are along the Steese Highway. Between these two points, the creek is rated mostly Class I on the International Scale of River Difficulty, but some segments are rated Class II (medium) or III (difficult).{{cite web|title=Plan Your Visit|url=http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/nlcs/birchcrk_nwr/plan_your_visit.html|publisher=Bureau of Land Management|date=November 11, 2010|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101100414/http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/nlcs/birchcrk_nwr/plan_your_visit.html|archive-date=November 1, 2013|url-status=dead}}
Sports fishing for northern pike and Arctic grayling along Birch Creek can be "outstanding", according to Alaska Fishing. The larger pike frequent the lower reaches of the creek as well as sloughs, ponds, and oxbow lakes in the Yukon Flats. Grayling prefer the headwaters.{{cite book|last=Limeres|first=Rene|author2=Pedersen, Gunnar|title=Alaska Fishing: The Ultimate Angler's Guide|edition=3rd|publisher=Publishers Design Group|location=Roseville, California|year=2005|page=285|isbn=1-929170-11-4|display-authors=etal}}
The stream corridor has no developed camping sites. Gravel bars in the creek are sometimes used for camping.
In February, the creek serves as a part of the trail for the Yukon Quest {{convert|1000|mi|km|adj=on}} sled dog race.{{cite web|title=Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River|url=http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/nlcs/birchcrk_nwr.html|publisher=Bureau of Land Management|date=July 8, 2013|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101100416/http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/nlcs/birchcrk_nwr.html|archive-date=November 1, 2013|url-status=dead}} Other winter activities along the stream include dog mushing, trapping, and cross-country skiing.
See also
References
- {{cite book|last=Orth|first=Donald J.|author2=United States Geological Survey|title=Dictionary of Alaska Place Names: Geological Survey Professional Paper 567|url=http://137.229.113.112/webpubs/usgs/p/text/p0567.pdf|format=PDF|via=United States Government Printing Office|publisher=University of Alaska Fairbanks|year=1971|orig-year=1967|access-date=October 31, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017165933/http://137.229.113.112/webpubs/usgs/p/text/p0567.pdf|archive-date=October 17, 2013}}
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External links
- [https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/alaska/birch-creek-wsr Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River] - BLM page
{{Protected areas of Alaska}}
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Category:Rivers of Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska
Category:Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States