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North Fork Sun River

Sun River
Medicine River, Pointed Rock River
River
SunRiver.JPG
The headwaters of the Sun River in the Rockies, near Gibson Reservoir
Country United States
State Montana
Part of Missouri River watershed
Tributaries
 - left North Fork Sun River, Muddy Creek
 - right South Fork Sun River, Willow Creek
Cities Fairfield, Sun River, Vaughn, Great Falls
Primary source North Fork Sun River
 - location Confluence of Open Creek and McDonald Creek, Lewis and Clark County
 - elevation 5,781 ft (1,762 m)
 - coordinates 47°54′43″N 112°58′23″W / 47.91194°N 112.97306°W / 47.91194; -112.97306 
Secondary source South Fork Sun River
 - location Sun Lake, Lewis and Clark County
 - elevation 6,988 ft (2,130 m)
 - coordinates 47°20′07″N 112°53′29″W / 47.33528°N 112.89139°W / 47.33528; -112.89139 
Source confluence
 - location Near Gibson Reservoir, Lewis and Clark County
 - elevation 4,728 ft (1,441 m)
 - coordinates 47°37′47″N 112°51′25″W / 47.62972°N 112.85694°W / 47.62972; -112.85694 
Mouth Missouri River
 - location Great Falls, Cascade County
 - elevation 3,314 ft (1,010 m)
 - coordinates 47°29′42″N 111°18′43″W / 47.49500°N 111.31194°W / 47.49500; -111.31194Coordinates: 47°29′42″N 111°18′43″W / 47.49500°N 111.31194°W / 47.49500; -111.31194 
Length 130 mi (209 km)
Basin 1,875 sq mi (4,856 km2)
Discharge for Vaughn
 - average 669 cu ft/s (19 m3/s)
 - max 53,500 cu ft/s (1,515 m3/s)
 - min 20 cu ft/s (1 m3/s)
Location of the mouth of the Sun River in Montana

The Sun River (also called the Medicine River) is a tributary of the Missouri River in the Great Plains, approximately 130 mi (209 km) long, in Montana in the United States.

It rises in the Rocky Mountains in two forks, the North Fork and South Fork, which join in the Flathead National Forest above Gibson Reservoir along the county line between Teton and Lewis and Clark counties. It flows E, SE, and E away from the mountains, past Simms, Sun River, and Vaughn and joins the Missouri at Great Falls.

The water of the river is used extensively for irrigation, through the Sun River Project of the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The irrigation area covers approximately 92,000 acres (372 km²).

The North Fork of the Sun River begins high up in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and flows generally Southward for about 20 miles (32 km) until it meets up with the South Fork of the Sun River. Almost immediately the two forks flow into Gibson Reservoir, impounded by Gibson Dam. From when the water leaves the reservoir until it meets the Missouri River in Great Falls, the flowage is known as the Sun River.

The Sun is a Class I river from Gibson Dam to its confluence with the Missouri River for public access for recreational purposes.


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Wikipedia

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