Alsea River

Alsea River
Upper Alsea Bay
Name origin: Alsea tribe of Native Americans
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Benton County, Lincoln County
Source
- elevation	278 ft (85 m)
- coordinates	44°22′34″N 123°36′09″W / 44.37611°N 123.60250°W / 44.37611; -123.60250
Mouth	Alsea Bay, Pacific Ocean
- location	Waldport, Lincoln County, Oregon
- elevation	0 ft (0 m)
- coordinates	44°25′21″N 124°04′51″W / 44.42250°N 124.08083°W / 44.42250; -124.08083Coordinates: 44°25′21″N 124°04′51″W / 44.42250°N 124.08083°W / 44.42250; -124.08083
Length	48.5 mi (78 km)
Basin	466 sq mi (1,207 km2)
Discharge	for near Tidewater, Oregon, 21 miles (34 km) from mouth
- average	1,459 cu ft/s (41 m3/s)
- max	41,800 cu ft/s (1,184 m3/s)
- min	45 cu ft/s (1 m3/s)
Location of the mouth of the Alsea River in Oregon

The Alsea River flows 48.5 miles (78.1 km) from Alsea, an unincorporated community in the coastal mountains of the U.S. state of Oregon, to the Pacific Ocean near the city of Waldport. It begins at the confluence of the North Fork Alsea River and the South Fork Alsea River and ends in Alsea Bay, a wide estuary at Waldport. The river flows generally west-northwest in a winding course through the mountains of southern Benton and Lincoln counties, passing near the unincorporated community of Tidewater and through the Siuslaw National Forest. Its drainage basin extends into Lane County, along the headwaters of the South Fork Alsea River.

The Alsea River supports runs of chinook and coho salmon, as well as steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout. The Alsea River Fish Hatchery is along one of its tributaries, the North Fork Alsea River.

The Alsea River begins in the Central Oregon Coast Range near the unincorporated community of Alsea, and flows generally west about 48.5 miles (78.1 km) to the Pacific Ocean at Waldport, on the west coast of the United States. Formed by the confluence of the South Fork Alsea River and the North Fork Alsea River, the stream meanders through the Siuslaw National Forest for all but the last 6 miles (9.7 km) of its course. Oregon Route 34 follows the river closely, crossing it once about 8 miles (13 km) from the mouth.