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thumb|Little Kanawha River at [[Glenville Truss Bridge]]

The Little Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 169&nbsp;mi (269&nbsp;km) long, in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Ohio, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 2,320&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup> (6,009&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau. It served as an important commercial water route in the early history of West Virginia, particularly in the logging and petroleum industries.

Course

The Little Kanawha rises in southern Upshur County, approximately 20&nbsp;mi (32&nbsp;km) south of Buckhannon. It follows a meandering course generally west-northwestwardly, through Lewis, Braxton, Gilmer, Calhoun, Wirt and Wood Counties, past the communities of Burnsville, Stouts Mills, Sand Fork, Glenville, Grantsville, Bigbend, Creston, Burning Springs, Palestine, Elizabeth, and Newark, to its mouth at the Ohio River in Parkersburg.

About 3&nbsp;mi (5&nbsp;km) upstream of Burnsville, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam causes the river to form Burnsville Lake, which was completed in 1976 at a cost of $56.2 million.

Tributaries

Along its course the Little Kanawha River collects the Right Fork Little Kanawha River on the boundary of Lewis and Braxton counties; Saltlick Creek, England Run and Oil Creek in Braxton County; Sand Fork, Cedar Creek and Leading Creek in Gilmer County; Steer Creek in Calhoun County; the West Fork Little Kanawha River, Spring Creek, Reedy Creek, and the Hughes River (its largest tributary)

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Little Kanawha River has also been known as:

  • Fishing Creek
  • Little Canawha River
  • Little Canhawa River
  • Little Conaway River
  • Little Cunnaway River
  • Little Kanahaway River
  • Little Kanahwa River
  • Little Kanahway River
  • Little Kanawah River
  • Little Kanhaway River
  • Little Kanhawey River
  • Little Kawahwa River
  • Little Kenawah
  • Little Kenhawa
  • Little Kenhaway
  • Little Kennaway River
  • Nau-mis-sip-pia
  • Newmissipi
  • O-mom-go-how-ce-pe
  • O-nim-go-how

Recreation

Fishing

Multiple West Virginia state record fish have been caught along the Little Kanawha River.

See also

  • Kanawha River
  • List of rivers of West Virginia
  • Burnsville Bridge
  • Duck Run Cable Suspension Bridge
  • Glenville Truss Bridge
  • Stouts Mill Bridge

References

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency, watershed profile for Little Kanawha River
  • Local Little Kanawha River history on rootsweb.com