Middle Fork River
{{other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Middle Fork River
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| image = Middle Fork River Audra.jpg
| image_size = 300
| image_caption = The Middle Fork River in Audra State Park in 2005
| map = Monon MiddleForkRiver.png
| map_size = 300
| map_caption = Map of the Monongahela River basin, with the Middle Fork River highlighted
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_map_size = 300
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| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = United States
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = West Virginia
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| length = {{convert|35|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
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| discharge1_location = Audra State Park{{cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-wv-05-1/ |pages = [http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-wv-05-1/pdf/monongahela.pdf Monongahela River Basin] |title=Water Resources Data, West Virginia, Water Year 2005 |first= S. M. |last=Ward |author2=G. R. Crosby |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=2007-05-20}}
| discharge1_min = {{convert|0.2|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|356|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-wv-05-1/ |pages = [http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-wv-05-1/pdf/monongahela.pdf Monongahela River Basin] |title=Water Resources Data, West Virginia, Water Year 2005 |first= S. M. |last=Ward |author2=G. R. Crosby |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=2007-05-20}}
| discharge1_max = {{convert|16700|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| source1 = Kittle Creek
| source1_location = Rich Mountain, Randolph County
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|38|40|03|N|80|04|45|W|display=inline}}{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|1551657}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for Kittle Creek (Feature ID #1551657) |author=Geographic Names Information System |authorlink=Geographic Names Information System|accessdate=2007-03-26}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|3639|ft|abbr=on}}Google Earth elevation for GNIS source coordinates. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
| source2 = Birch Fork
| source2_location = Rocky Ridge, Randolph County
| source2_coordinates = {{coord|38|40|47|N|80|05|58|W|display=inline}}{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|1550360}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for Birch Fork (Feature ID #1550360) |author=Geographic Names Information System |authorlink=Geographic Names Information System|accessdate=2007-03-26}}
| source2_elevation = {{convert|3493|ft|abbr=on}}
| source_confluence =
| source_confluence_location = Adolph, West Virginia, Randolph County
| source_confluence_coordinates= {{coord|38|44|44|N|80|02|47|W|display=inline}}{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|1552064}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for Middle Fork River (Feature ID #1552064) |author=Geographic Names Information System |authorlink=Geographic Names Information System|accessdate=2007-03-26}}
| source_confluence_elevation = {{convert|2303|ft|abbr=on}}
| mouth = Tygart Valley River
| mouth_location = Barbour County
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|39|03|41|N|80|02|51|W|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|1483|ft|abbr=on}}
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The Middle Fork River is a {{convert|35.4|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 August 15, 2011 tributary of the Tygart Valley River in north-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of {{convert|152|sqmi}} on the easternmost part of the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau. According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Middle Fork River has also been known simply as "Middle Fork" and as "Middlefork."
Geography
The Middle Fork River is formed at the community of Adolph in western Randolph County by the confluence of the headwaters tributaries Kittle Creek and Birch Fork, each approximately {{convert|6.5|mi}} in length, which rise just north of Kumbrabow State Forest and flow northwardly. Kittle Creek rises on the western slope of Rich Mountain, considered to be part of the westernmost ridge of the Allegheny Mountains and the eastern boundary of the Allegheny Plateau.{{cite book| title= West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer |year=1997 |publisher= DeLorme |location=Yarmouth, Me. |isbn= 0-89933-246-3 |pages= 36–37, 46–47}}{{cite book| last= Adkins |first= Howard G. |editor= Ken Sullivan| title= The West Virginia Encyclopedia |year= 2006 |publisher= West Virginia Humanities Council |location=Charleston, W.Va. |isbn= 0-9778498-0-5 |pages= 10 |chapter=Allegheny Mountains}}
From Adolph, the Middle Fork River flows generally northwardly, roughly in parallel to Rich Mountain. The river's course defines part of the boundary between Randolph and Upshur counties, and then between Upshur and Barbour counties, before flowing into southern Barbour County, where it joins the Tygart Valley River, approximately {{convert|5|mi|0}} south of Philippi and a few miles upstream of the mouth of the Buckhannon River. Near its mouth it passes through Audra State Park, which was established in the mid-20th century and provides campsites and a swimming beach along the river.{{cite book |editor= Ken Sullivan| title= The West Virginia Encyclopedia |year= 2006 |publisher= West Virginia Humanities Council |location=Charleston, W.Va. |isbn= 0-9778498-0-5 |pages= 31 |chapter=Audra State Park}} In Upshur County it collects a tributary known as the Right Fork Middle Fork River,{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|1552662}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for Right Fork Middle Fork River (Feature ID #1552662) |author=Geographic Names Information System |authorlink=Geographic Names Information System|accessdate=2007-03-26}} which rises in southwestern Randolph County and flows northwardly into eastern Upshur County.
For most of its course, the Middle Fork forms whitewater rapids of Class I to Class IV on the International Scale of River Difficulty. From Audra State Park downstream to its mouth, it forms Class IV rapids.{{cite book |last= Davidson |first= Paul |author2= Ward Eister |author3= Dirk Davidson |author4= Charlie Walbridge |title= Wildwater West Virginia |edition= 4th |publisher= Menasha Ridge Press |location= Birmingham, Ala. |year= 1995 |isbn= 0-89732-156-1 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/wildwaterwestvir00paul/page/133 133–136] |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/wildwaterwestvir00paul/page/133 }} According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 94% of the Middle Fork River's watershed is forested, mostly deciduous, and approximately 4% is used for agriculture and pasture.
Flow rate
At the United States Geological Survey's stream gauge in Audra State Park, the annual mean flow of the river between 1942 and 2005 was {{convert|356|ft3/s|m3/s|lk=on|sp=us}}. The highest recorded flow during the period was {{convert|16,700|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}} on May 17, 1996. The lowest recorded flow was {{convert|0.2|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}} on several days in October 1953.