Nowitna River

{{Short description|Tributary of the Yukon River in the Alaska, USA}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Nowitna River

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| image = Nowitna river, gravel bar.jpg

| image_caption = Gravel bar in the Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge

| 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 the Nowitna River 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|250|mi|km|abbr=on}}

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| source1 = Kuskokwim Mountains

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| source1_coordinates= {{coord|63|30|28|N|155|32|34|W|display=inline}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|1688|ft|abbr=on}}Derived by entering source coordinates in Google Earth.

| mouth = Yukon River{{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|publisher=University of Alaska Fairbanks|year=1971|orig-year=1967|page=705|access-date=October 12, 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}}

| mouth_location = {{convert|38|mi|km}} northeast of Ruby

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|64|55|38|N|154|16|11|W|display=inline,title}}{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System| publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = January 1, 2000| url = {{gnis3|1407276}} | title = Nowitna River| access-date = October 19, 2013}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|154|ft|abbr=on}}

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| extra = {{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = nwsr

| designation1_type = Wild {{convert|223.0|mi|km}}

| designation1_date = December 2, 1980{{cite web |url=https://www.rivers.gov/ |title=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System |website=rivers.gov |publisher=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System |access-date=2023-01-05}}

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The Nowitna River is a {{convert|250|mi|km|adj=on}} tributary of the Yukon River in the U.S. state of Alaska. The river flows northeast from the Kuskokwim Mountains through Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge and enters the larger river {{convert|38|mi|km}} northeast of Ruby and southwest of Tanana.{{cite book|title=Alaska Atlas & Gazetteer|publisher=DeLorme|location=Yarmouth, Maine|pages=130 and 110–11|edition=7th|year=2010|isbn=978-0-89933-289-5}} Major tributaries include the Titna, Big Mud, Little Mud, Lost, and Sulatna rivers.

In 1980, the {{convert|225|mi|km}} of the river within the wildlife refuge were designated "wild" and added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.{{cite web|title=Nowitna River, Alaska|publisher=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System|url=http://www.rivers.gov/rivers/nowitna.php|access-date=October 19, 2013}} The designation means that most of the Nowitna is unpolluted, free-flowing, and generally inaccessible except by trail.{{cite web|title=About the WSR Act|publisher=National Wild and Scenic Rivers System|url=http://www.rivers.gov/wsr-act.php|access-date=October 19, 2013}}