Donner und Blitzen River
| Donner und Blitzen River | |
 Donner und Blitzen River near Page Springs campground
|
|
| Name origin: German for thunder and lightning. Given in 1864 by soldiers who crossed the river during a thunderstorm. | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Oregon |
| County | Harney |
| Source | southwest of Steens Mountain |
| - elevation | 6,527 ft (1,989 m) |
| - coordinates | 42°32′02″N 118°43′52″W / 42.53389°N 118.73111°W |
| Mouth | Malheur Lake |
| - elevation | 4,101 ft (1,250 m) |
| - coordinates | 43°17′30″N 118°49′12″W / 43.29167°N 118.82000°WCoordinates: 43°17′30″N 118°49′12″W / 43.29167°N 118.82000°W |
| Length | 60 mi (97 km) |
| Basin | 791 sq mi (2,049 km2) |
| Discharge | for 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southeast of Frenchglen |
| - average | 126 cu ft/s (4 m3/s) |
| - max | 4,270 cu ft/s (121 m3/s) |
| - min | 4.2 cu ft/s (0 m3/s) |
  Location of the mouth of the Donner und Blitzen River in Oregon
|
|
The Donner und Blitzen River is a river on the eastern Oregon high desert which drains a relatively arid basin, the southern portion of Harney Basin, from roughly 20 to 80 miles (30 to 130 km) south-southeast of Burns including Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Though much of its course is marsh, it offers scenic glaciated canyons, unique ecosystems, and exceptional wild trout fisheries. Named by soldiers of German origin, the Donner und Blitzen River translates as "thunder and lightning". The name brings to mind two of Santa Claus's reindeer, but the river is named for a thunderstorm the soldiers experienced as they crossed the river;dry lightning is an almost daily occurrence in the region during certain times of the year.
The Donner und Blitzen River arises as an intermittent stream on the lower slopes west of Steens Mountain at the 6,500-foot (2,000 m) level at 42°32′02″N 118°43′52″W / 42.533779°N 118.731023°W, roughly 80 miles (130 km) south-southeast of Burns and 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Alvord Lake and empties at 43°17′30″N 118°49′12″W / 43.291542°N 118.8199273°W into Malheur Lake. Numerous nearby springs create its tributaries including South Fork Blitzen River,Little Blitzen River, Big Indian Creek, Little Indian Creek, Fish Creek, Mud Creek, and Ankle Creek. It collects these and runs north or northwest descending rapidly to the plateau floor then turns northward to Malheur Lake which has no outlet. It does not pass through any cities, though it comes within 2 miles (3.2 km) of Frenchglen.
...
Wikipedia