Mahoning River

Mahoning River
Mahoning river in Warren, Ohio
Country	United States
Basin features
Main source	Columbiana County, Ohio 367 m (1,204 ft) above sea level
River mouth	Beaver River 232 m (761 ft) above sea level
Basin size	2,932 km2 (1,132 sq mi)
Physical characteristics
Length	182 km (113 mi)
Discharge	Average rate: 54 m3/s (1,900 cu ft/s)

The Mahoning River is a river located in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It joins the Shenango River to form the Beaver River and is part of the Ohio River watershed.

It is formed near Winona in Columbiana County, Ohio, and extends for a length of approximately 113 miles (182 km) with a watershed area of approximately 1,132 square miles (2,932 km²). It joins the Shenango River near New Castle, Pennsylvania to form the Beaver River. The river traverses five Ohio counties, Columbiana, Stark, Portage, Trumbull, and Mahoning, and as well as Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The watershed area also includes parts of Ashtabula and Geauga Counties in Ohio.

The three main tributaries are Mosquito Creek, West Branch, and Eagle Creek, all in Ohio. There are 15 dams on the river course. The river has a course of 97.1 miles (156.3 km) in Ohio with the remainder in Pennsylvania.

The river supports over 72 species of fish and 15 species of freshwater mussels.

The river is roughly divided into two sections. The “upper elevation” extends roughly from Winona to Leavittsburg and is generally rural in nature. The mainstem (lower elevation) extends roughly from Leavittsburg to the river’s mouth near New Castle, Pennsylvania and is heavily populated and is heavily industrialized. The mainstem area has a population of over 500,000 and has a long history of steel making, coke production, and other industries.