Mulchatna River
| Mulchatna River | |
|---|---|
Mulchatna River | |
| Native name | Vałts'atnaq' (Tanaina) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Dillingham |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Turquoise Lake |
| • location | west of the Chigmit Mountains, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve |
| • coordinates | 60°46′56″N 154°00′30″W / 60.78222°N 154.00833°W |
| • elevation | 2,506 ft (764 m) |
| Mouth | Nushagak River |
• location | 65 miles (105 km) northeast of Dillingham |
• coordinates | 59°38′40″N 157°06′55″W / 59.64444°N 157.11528°W |
• elevation | 151 ft (46 m) |
| Length | 160 mi (260 km) |
| Type | Wild |
| Designated | December 2, 1980 |
The Mulchatna River (Dena'ina: Vałts'atnaq') is a 160-mile (260 km) tributary of the Nushagak River in the U.S. state of Alaska. Beginning at Turquoise Lake, it flows generally southwest to meet the larger river 65 miles (105 km) northeast of Dillingham. The Mulchatna's mouth is slightly south (downstream) of the village of Koliganek on the Nushagak, which continues southwest to Nushagak Bay, an arm of Bristol Bay.
The upper 24 miles (39 km) of the river, which flow through Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, became part of the National Wild and Scenic River System in 1980. Aside from scattered cabins, the Mulchatna River is undeveloped. However, there is a proposal to build a large copper/gold mine, the Pebble Mine, in the watershed of one of the Mulchatna tributaries, the Koktuli River.