Kakuchuya Creek

Kakuchuya Creek, historically called the Kakuchuya River, is a tributary of the Dudidontu River and part of the Taku River watershed in northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada.[3][6]

Kakuchuya Creek
Kakuchuya Creek is located in British Columbia
Kakuchuya Creek
Mouth of Kakuchuya Creek
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
DistrictCassiar Land District
Physical characteristics
SourceLevel Mountain
 • locationNahlin Plateau
 • coordinates58°24′45″N 131°25′17″W[1]
 • elevation1,805 m (5,922 ft)[2]
MouthDudidontu River
 • coordinates
58°35′18″N 131°46′55″W[3][2]
 • elevation
933 m (3,061 ft)[2]
Length56 km (35 mi)[4]
Basin size362 km2 (140 sq mi)[5]
Discharge 
 • average6.94 m3/s (245 cu ft/s)[5]
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • rightMatsatu Creek
Topo mapNTS 104J12 Dudidontu River
NTS 104J5 Ketchum Lake
NTS 104J6 Beatty Creek

From its source at Level Mountain, where the creek has cut a large gorge into its western escarpment, Kakuchuya Creek flows generally west then north for roughly 56 km (35 mi)[4] to join the Dudidontu River, the main tributary of the Nahlin River, which in turn is a tributary of the Inklin River, which joins the Nakina River to form the Taku River.[7][5]

Kakuchuya Creek's mean annual discharge is estimated at 6.94 m3/s (245 cu ft/s).[5] Its watershed covers 362 km2 (140 sq mi).[5] The watershed's land cover is classified as 41.6% shrubland, 32.5% barren, 17.3% conifer forest, 3.8% herbaceous, and small amounts of other cover.[5]

The mouth of Kakuchuya Creek is located about 85 km (53 mi) south of the community of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, about 105 km (65 mi) west of Dease Lake, British Columbia, and about 155 km (96 mi) east of Juneau, Alaska.

Kakuchuya Creek's watershed is within the traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation, of the Tahltan people,[8][9] as well as the Tlingit Taku River Tlingit First Nation.[10][11]

Geography

Kakuchuya Creek originates in the Level Mountain Range, a cluster of bare peaks on the summit of the massive Level Mountain shield volcano, which forms the most voluminous and most persistent eruptive centre in the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province. The source of Kakuchuya Creek is about 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Meszah Peak,[12] the highest peak of the Level Mountain Range, and is close to the sources of the Dudidontu River, the Little Tuya River,[13] Beatty Creek,[14] and Megatushon Creek.[15][2][16][17][3]

From its source Kakuchuya Creek flows west through a large U-shaped valley glacial valley carved into Level Mountain's high and relatively barren lava plateau, then through the high the western escarpment of Level Mountain. As the creek continues flowing west through the Nahlin Plateau, it collects numerous unnamed tributary streams. About halfway along its total length, Kakuchuya Creek turns north. This portion of the creek's watershed is largely coniferous forests and contains a series of small lakes.[18] After collecting several more unnamed tributaries, Kakuchuya Creek receives Matsatu Creek, which also flows from Level Mountain. From its confluence with Matsatu Creek, Kakuchuya Creek flows west for about 1 km (0.62 mi) to empty into the Dudidontu River, about 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of Hatin Lake on the Koshin River, near the locality of Callison Ranch.[19][20] The mouth of Kakuchuya Creek is about 10 km (6.2 mi) east of the summit of Heart Peaks.[2][16][17][5]

The Dudidontu River flows north to the Nahlin River,[21] which flows west for about 8 km (5.0 mi) to meet the Sheslay River,[22] forming there the commencement of the Inklin River,[23] the main southeast fork of the Taku River, which flows through the Taku Plateau before entering Alaska and emptying into the sea at Taku Inlet near Juneau.[24][2][16][17]

The historic Yukon Telegraph Trail follows the lower, northern portion of Kakuchuya Creek. The trail and route of the old telegraph line leaves Kakuchuya Creek near Matsatu Creek and heads north to Callison Ranch, then north along the Koshin River and on to Atlin, British Columbia.[16][17]

See also

References
  1. Derived from BCGNIS, topographic maps, and Toporama
  2. "Toporama (on-line map and search)". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  3. "Kakuchuya Creek". BC Geographical Names.
  4. Length measured using BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, and Toporama
  5. "Northwest Water Tool". BC Water Tool. GeoBC, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Government of British Columbia. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  6. "Kakuchuya Creek". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  7. Annual Report of the Department of the Interior for the Year 1896 (Report). Ottawa, Ontario: Department of the Interior. 1897. p. 109.
  8. "Our Territory". Tahltan Central Government. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  9. "Dah Ki Mi — "Our House"". Tahltan Band Council. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  10. "Wóoshtin yan too.aat Land and Resource Management and Shared Decision Making Agreement ('G2G Agreement')" (PDF). Taku River Tlingit First Nation. 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  11. "Wooshtin Wudidaa Atlin-Taku Land Use Plan" (PDF). Taku River Tlingit First Nation. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  12. "Meszah Peak". BC Geographical Names.
  13. "Little Tuya River". BC Geographical Names.
  14. "Beatty Creek". BC Geographical Names.
  15. "Megatushon Creek". BC Geographical Names.
  16. Mussio, Russell; Mussio, Wesley (2018). Northern BC Backroad Mapbook. Mussio Ventures. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-926806-87-7. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  17. Dease Lake, Cassiar District, British Columbia (Topographic map) (2 ed.). 1:250,000. A502 (in English and French). Ottawa, Ontario: Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. 1977. Archived from the original on 2021-05-02. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  18. Fenger, M.A.; Eastman, D.S.; Clement, C.J.; Page, R.E. (1986). "Caribou habitat use on the Level Mountain and Horseranch Ranges, British Columbia". Wildlife Working Report. Ministry of Environment and Parks: 11. ISSN 0831-4330.
  19. "Hatin Lake". BC Geographical Names.
  20. "Callison Ranch". BC Geographical Names.
  21. "Nahlin River". BC Geographical Names.
  22. "Sheslay River". BC Geographical Names.
  23. "Inklin River". BC Geographical Names.
  24. "Taku River". BC Geographical Names.
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