Kiskiminetas River

Geobox | River
name = Kiskiminetas River
category = River


image_size = 300
image_caption = View across the Kiskiminetas River, looking down stream. From the shoreline along Leechburg, PA
etymology =
country = United States
country_

state = Pennsylvania
region_type = County
region =
district =
parent =
tributary_left =
tributary_right =
source = Confluence of Conemaugh River and Loyalhanna Creek
source_location = Saltsburg
source_region =
source_state = Pennsylvania
source_elevation_imperial =
source_elevation_note =
source_length_imperial =
source_lat_d = 40
source_lat_m = 29
source_lat_s = 8
source_lat_NS = N
source_long_d = 79
source_long_m = 27
source_long_s = 14
source_long_EW = W
source_coordinates_note = GNIS|1192712|Kiskiminetas River]
mouth = Allegheny River
mouth_location = Schenley
mouth_district =
mouth_region =
mouth_state = Pennsylvania
mouth_country =
mouth_note =
mouth_lat_d = 40
mouth_lat_m = 40
mouth_lat_s = 46
mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 79
mouth_long_m = 40
mouth_long_s = 1
mouth_long_EW = W
mouth_coordinates_note =
mouth_elevation_imperial = 745
mouth_elevation_note =
length_imperial = 27
length_note =
watershed_imperial =
watershed_note =
discharge_location =
discharge_round =
discharge_imperial =
discharge_note =
discharge_min_imperial =
discharge_max_imperial =
discharge1_location =
discharge1_imperial =
discharge1_note =


map_size =
map_caption =
map1 = Pennsylvania Locator Map.png map1_size = 300
map1_caption = Location of the mouth of the Kiskiminetas River in Pennsylvania
map1_locator = Pennsylvania
commons = The Kiskiminetas River (called the Kiski for short) is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately convert|27|mi|km long, in western Pennsylvania in the United States.

Description

It is formed at Saltsburg, on the border between Westmoreland and Indiana counties, by the confluence of the Conemaugh River and Loyalhanna Creek. It flows northwest in a meandering course, past Avonmore, Apollo, and Leechburg. It joins the Allegheny near Freeport at Schenley, approximately convert|25|mi|km northeast of Pittsburgh.

The Kiski-Conemaugh watershed includes much of the historic coal-producing region of western Pennsylvania. The water quality is considered degraded by numerous abandoned mine drainages in its upper reaches and tributaries, leading to on-going efforts by federal, state, and private agencies to improve the water quality of the river. The Kittanning Path, a major trail in the region used by Native Americans and early European settlers, crossed the river at a ford near present-day Leechburg.

Origin of name

There is no definite interpretation of the origin of the name. It may come from a Native American phrase "Kithanne", meaning "Place of the largest stream." According to regional historians in the area, the name has historically had several other possible meanings, including: "river of the big fish" and "plenty of walnuts." Robert Walker Smith in his "History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania" (Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883) reported that John Heckewelder (a Moravian writer, explorer, and historian who wrote about the Lenape and other tribes in Western Pennsylvania in the 1700s) claimed that the name is "corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight. In this case, the etymology is: Gisch-gu---day; gisch-que---today; gieschapen---it is daybreak; manitoon---to make. It was probably the word of command, given by a warrior to his comrades at night to break up camp and resume the journey, or war-path." Smith also described another possible meaning from another source: "It is said in McCullough's Narrative, that the Indians called this river Kee-ak-ksheman-nit-toos, signifying 'cut spirit'." Smith noted that he preferred Heckewelder's definition. It is also possible that "Kiskiminetas" means "clear, clean stream of many bends."

=

ee also

*List of Pennsylvania rivers

References

External links

* [http://www.the-rivers-edge.com The River's Edge Canoe and Kayak]
* [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations]
* [http://www.pa-roots.com/~armstrong/smithproject/history/chap10a.html Kiskiminetas meaning]
* [http://www.rivtrail.com/directions.htm Saltsburg River & Trail]
* [http://www.rivtrail.com/directions.htm Ford at Kiskiminetas] (Kittanning Path)