Matanuska River
| Matanuska River | |
|---|---|
Silt-laden waters of the Chickaloon River (right center) enter the Matanuska River at mile 76 (km 123) of the Glenn Highway (upper right), a major highway connecting Anchorage to the rest of the state. The valley is forested with black cottonwood, balsam poplar, white spruce and paper birch. | |
South-central Alaska, near Anchorage | |
| Native name | Ch'atanhtnu (Tanaina) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Matanuska-Susitna |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | confluence of the river's east and south forks |
| • coordinates | 61°47′27″N 147°29′07″W / 61.79083°N 147.48528°W |
| • elevation | 2,033 ft (620 m) |
| Mouth | Knik Arm, Cook Inlet |
• location | 9.5 miles (15.3 km) southwest of Palmer |
• coordinates | 61°29′49″N 149°16′11″W / 61.49694°N 149.26972°W |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Length | 75 mi (121 km) |
| Basin size | 2,100 sq mi (5,400 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Palmer |
| • average | 3,875 cu ft/s (109.7 m3/s) |
| • minimum | 234 cu ft/s (6.6 m3/s) |
| • maximum | 82,100 cu ft/s (2,320 m3/s) |
The Matanuska River (Dena'ina: Ch'atanhtnu; Ahtna: Ts'itonhna’) is a 75-mile (121 km) long river in Southcentral Alaska, United States. The river drains a broad valley south of the Alaska Range eponymously known as the Matanuska Valley.