Great Kanawha River

Kanawha River
River
Kanawha River at St. Albans, West Virginia
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
Counties	Fayette, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam
Tributaries
- left	Coal River
- right	Elk River, Pocatalico River
Source	New River
- location	Ashe County, NC
- elevation	2,546 ft (776 m)
- coordinates	36°32′45″N 81°21′09″W / 36.54583°N 81.35250°W / 36.54583; -81.35250
Secondary source	Gauley River
- location	Three Forks of Gauley, Pocahontas County, WV
- elevation	2,917 ft (889 m)
- coordinates	38°24′33″N 80°14′17″W / 38.40917°N 80.23806°W / 38.40917; -80.23806
Source confluence
- location	Gauley Bridge, WV
- elevation	653 ft (199 m)
- coordinates	38°09′42″N 81°11′47″W / 38.16167°N 81.19639°W / 38.16167; -81.19639
Mouth	Ohio River
- location	Point Pleasant, WV
- elevation	538 ft (164 m)
- coordinates	38°50′16″N 82°08′34″W / 38.83778°N 82.14278°W / 38.83778; -82.14278Coordinates: 38°50′16″N 82°08′34″W / 38.83778°N 82.14278°W / 38.83778; -82.14278
Length	97 mi (156 km)
Basin	12,236 sq mi (31,691 km2)
Discharge	for Charleston, 56.8 mi (91.4 km) from the mouth
- average	15,240 cu ft/s (432 m3/s)
- max	216,000 cu ft/s (6,116 m3/s)
- min	1,100 cu ft/s (31 m3/s)
Map of the Kanawha River and its tributary the New River, with the Kanawha River highlighted in darker blue.

The Kanawha River (/kəˈnɔː/ kə-NAW or /kəˈnɔːə/ kə-NAW-ə) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi (156 km) long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.

It is formed at the town of Gauley Bridge in northwestern Fayette County, approximately 35 mi (56 km) SE of Charleston, by the confluence of the New and Gauley rivers. It flows generally northwest, in a winding course on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, through Fayette, Kanawha, Putnam, and Mason counties, past the cities of Charleston and St. Albans, and numerous smaller communities. It joins the Ohio at Point Pleasant.