Editing Chilkat River

{{Infobox river
| name               = Chilkat River
| name_native        = 
| name_native_lang   = 
| name_other         = 
| name_etymology     = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = ChilkatRiver1.jpg
| image_caption      = A view up the Chilkat River valley from the [[Takshanuk Mountains]]
| image_size         = 300
| map                = 
| map_size           = 300
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = USA Alaska
| pushpin_map_size   = 300
| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of the Chilkat River in Alaska
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Countries
| subdivision_name1  = Canada, United States
| subdivision_type2  = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[British Columbia]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Alaska]]
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| subdivision_type5  = 
| subdivision_name5  = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length             = {{convert|52|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="gnis"/> 
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          = 
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= 
| discharge1_min     = 
| discharge1_avg     = 
| discharge1_max     = 
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = 
| source1_location   = Chilkat Glacier, [[Coast Mountains]]
| source1_coordinates= <ref name="gnis"/>
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = [[Chilkat Inlet]]
| mouth_location     = {{convert|1|mi|km}} southwest of [[Haines, Alaska|Haines]], [[Saint Elias Mountains]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|59|12|15|N|135|28|47|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name="gnis">{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System|  publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = January 1, 2000|url={{gnis3|1421032}}
| title =Chilkat River | accessdate = December 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mouth_elevation    = {{convert|0|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="gnis"/>
| progression        = 
| river_system       = 
| basin_size         = 
| tributaries_left   = 
| tributaries_right  = 
| custom_label       = 
| custom_data        = 
| extra              = 
}}
The '''Chilkat River'''{{Pronunciation-needed}} is a [[river]] in [[British Columbia]] and southeastern [[Alaska]] that flows southward from the [[Coast Mountains|Coast Range]] to the [[Chilkat Inlet]] and ultimately [[Lynn Canal]]. It is {{convert|84|km|mi}} long. It begins at [[Chilkat Glacier]], in Alaska, flows west and south in British Columbia for {{convert|27|km|mi}}, enters Alaska and continues southwest for another {{convert|60|km|mi}}.<ref name=bcgnis>{{cite bcgnis|7996|Chilkat River}}</ref> It reaches the ocean at the abandoned area of Wells, Alaska and deposits into a long delta area.

The river was named by the Russians for the Chilkat group of [[Tlingit people|Tlingit]], called /t͡ʃiɬqut/ in their own language,<ref name="Bright2004">{{cite book|last=Bright|first=William|authorlink=William Bright|title=Native American placenames of the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5XfxzCm1qa4C&pg=PA100|accessdate=11 April 2011|year=2004|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|isbn=978-0-8061-3598-4|page=100}}</ref> who lived in the region. The name means "salmon storehouse".<ref name=bcgnis/>

Near the Chilkat River is the [[Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve]], where thousands of [[bald eagle]]s appear between October and February, to take advantage of late salmon runs. Nearby [[Haines, Alaska|Haines]], the nearest town, is the most common organization spot for birdwatchers.

==Threats==

The Chilkat was listed as one of [[America's Most Endangered Rivers]] in 2019<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stremple |first1=Claire |title=Conservation group: Chilkat and Stikine among 10 most endangered rivers in US |url=https://www.ktoo.org/2019/04/18/conservation-group-chilkat-and-stikine-among-10-most-endangered-rivers-in-us/ |access-date=8 August 2023 |work=KTOO |date=18 April 2019}}</ref> and again in 2023 due to threats from the [[Palmer Project]], a proposed underground copper and zinc mine sited upstream from the [[Tlingit]] village of [[Klukwan, Alaska|Klukwan]]. If built, the project is feared to result in pollution from acidic wastewater laced with heavy metals and hydrocarbons.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosen |first1=Yereth |title=Looming mine development puts Southeast’s Chilkat-Klehini system on list of endangered rivers |url=https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/looming-mine-development-puts-southeasts-chilkat-klehini-system-on-list-of-endangered-rivers/ |access-date=8 August 2023 |work=Alaska Beacon |date=19 April 2023}}</ref>

==Tributaries==
*[[Klehini River]]
*[[Tsirku River]]

==See also==
*[[Chilkat Peninsula]]
*[[List of rivers of Alaska]]
*[[List of rivers of British Columbia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Haines Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Rivers of Alaska]]
[[Category:Rivers of the Boundary Ranges]]
[[Category:Rivers of British Columbia]]
[[Category:International rivers of North America]]
[[Category:Tlingit]]