Lostine River

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Lostine River

| native_name =

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| image = Lostine River at Lostine.jpg

| image_caption = Looking upstream from Route 82 bridge at Lostine

| image_size = 300

| map =

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| pushpin_map = USA Oregon

| pushpin_map_size = 300

| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of Lostine River in Oregon

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = United States

| subdivision_type2 = State

| subdivision_name2 = Oregon

| subdivision_type3 =

| subdivision_name3 =

| subdivision_type4 = County

| subdivision_name4 = Wallowa

| subdivision_type5 =

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| length = {{convert|31.4|mi|km|abbr=on}}

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| discharge1_location= {{convert|10|mi|km}} from the mouth{{cite web|title=Water-Data Report 2011: USGS 13330000 Lostine River near Lostine, OR| publisher = United States Geological Survey|url = http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/wy2011/pdfs/13330000.2011.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate = December 12, 2012}}

| discharge1_min = {{convert|10|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}

| discharge1_avg = {{convert|193|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}{{cite web|title=Water-Data Report 2011: USGS 13330000 Lostine River near Lostine, OR| publisher = United States Geological Survey|url = http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/wy2011/pdfs/13330000.2011.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate = December 12, 2012}}

| discharge1_max = {{convert|2550|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}

| source1 = Minam Lake

| source1_location = Eagle Cap Wilderness, Wallowa Mountains, Wallowa–Whitman National Forest

| source1_coordinates= {{coord|45|11|08|N|117|21|05|W|display=inline}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|7383|ft|abbr=on}}Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.

| mouth = Wallowa River

| mouth_location = Lostine

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|45|33|07|N|117|29|26|W|display=inline,title}}{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System| publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = November 28, 1980 | url ={{Gnis3|1145571}}| title = Lostine River | accessdate =December 12, 2012}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|3008|ft|abbr=on}}

| progression =

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| extra = {{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = nwsr

| designation1_type = Wild, Recreational

| designation1_date = October 28, 1988

| designation1_number =

}}

}}

The Lostine River is a {{convert|31.4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed May 3, 2011 tributary of the Wallowa River in northeastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a portion of the Eagle Cap Wilderness of the Wallowa Mountains in the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest and joins the Wallowa River at Wallowa.

In 1988, the upper {{convert|16|mi|km}} of the Lostine River were listed as Wild and Scenic. A {{convert|5|mi|km|0|adj=on}} segment in the wilderness below the river's source at Minam Lake were classified "wild". The next {{convert|11|mi|km}} were designated "recreational".{{cite web |url=https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/lostine.php|title=Lostine River, Oregon|publisher=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System|accessdate=December 12, 2012}}

The main stem rises at Minam Lake at an elevation of nearly {{convert|7400|ft|m}} above sea level, about {{convert|15|mi}} south of the city of Lostine and {{convert|10|mi}} west-southwest of Joseph. The river flows generally north following a glaciated U-shaped canyon. It exits the national forest at an elevation of {{convert|3930|ft}} and gradually changes character as it reaches more level terrain which slopes gradually down to {{convert|3000|ft}}, where it meets the Wallowa River. The river's flow varies seasonally from about {{convert|50|to|1000|cuft/s|m3/s}}.

Irrigation diversions, which play a significant role in the river, contributed to the extinction of the local run of Coho salmon in the 1960s and reduced the population of the run of spring Chinook salmon to a low of 13 fish in 1999.{{cite news |url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=OR&p_theme=or&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Salmon,%20AND%20Ranchers%20AND%20Win%20AND%20in%20AND%20Deal&s_dispstring=Salmon,%20Ranchers%20Win%20in%20Deal%20AND%20date(2005)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=2005&xcal_numdocs=50&p_perpage=25&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no|last=Rojas-Burke|first=Joe|title=Salmon, Ranchers Win in Deal|newspaper= The Oregonian |location=Portland, Oregon|date=October 23, 2005|page=B01|url-access=subscription |accessdate= April 22, 2018}}{{closed access}} Both runs had been an historic source of food for the Nez Perce people. The Nez Perce began restoration efforts in the 1990s, and by 2005, the Chinook salmon run had risen to 800 fish. An agreement that year among farmers, the Nez Perce, and the Oregon Water Trust led to efforts to preserve the stream flow during summer, helping the salmon to survive. By 2009, the run had increased to more than 2,000 Chinook salmon.{{cite news|url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=OR&p_theme=or&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=This%20AND%20Land%20AND%20Was%20AND%20My%20AND%20Land%20AND%20Cockle&s_dispstring=This%20Land%20Was%20My%20Land%20Cockle%20AND%20date(02/22/2009%20to%2002/22/2009)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=02/22/2009%20to%2002/22/2009)&xcal_numdocs=50&p_perpage=25&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no|last=Cockle|first=Richard|title=This Land Was My Land|work=The Oregonian|location=Portland, Oregon|date=February 22, 2009|format=Sunrise Edition, Regional News|url-access=subscription |accessdate= April 22, 2018}}{{closed access}}