Castle Creek is a tributary of the North Fork Toutle River on the flank of Mount St. Helens in Washington state. It rises about two miles (three kilometers) northwest of the crater rim (46°13′01″N 122°14′22″W / 46.21690°N 122.23934°W)[1] and flows generally to the northwest. The outflow of Castle Lake joins the creek at the lake's north end (46°15′29″N 122°16′19″W / 46.258°N 122.272°W) after traveling a few hundred meters on the South Fork Castle Creek.[2] It joins the North Fork Toutle River at 46°16′59″N 122°17′37″W / 46.28302°N 122.29359°W, elevation 2,200 feet.[1][2]
| Castle Creek | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Castle Creek and Castle Lake. Part of Mount St. Helens is visible in the upper left corner of the image. | |
  | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| U.S. State | Washington |
| County | Cowlitz |
| County | Skamania |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | West flank of Mount St. Helens |
| • coordinates | 46°13′01″N 122°14′22″W / 46.21690°N 122.23934°W[1] |
| • elevation | 4,275 feet[2] |
| Mouth | North Fork Toutle River |
• coordinates | 46°16′59″N 122°17′37″W / 46.28302°N 122.29359°W[1] |
• elevation | 2,200 feet[2] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | South Fork Castle Creek |
| Waterbodies | Castle Lake (South Fork) |
Castle Lake was created by an avalanche subsequent to the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens which blocked South Fork Castle Creek.[3] Pre-1980 maps show this area as "Castle Creek Marsh".[4][5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Castle Creek
- ^ a b c d The National Map, United States Geological Survey, accessed 2018-07-13
- ^ "Lakes and Drainages Around Mount St. Helens". U.S. Geological Survey. February 7, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ United States Geological Survey topographic "Elk Rock" 15-minute quadrangle, 1964 ed.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Castle Creek Marsh marked historical with comment "Feature is now part of Castle Lake, formed by a dam created resulting from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980."