Mouth of the Toutle River in flood near Castle Rock, Washington. Photo taken prior to the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. North Fork Toutle River valley filled with sediment Dredging the Toutle River of volcanic ash The sediment retention structure on the North Fork of the Toutle River

The Toutle River is a river in southwestern Washington State, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It rises in two forks on the flanks of Mount St. Helens and joins the Cowlitz River near Castle Rock.

[edit] Eruption of Mount St. Helens

The May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and subsequent lahars poured vast amounts of sediment into the Toutle, which was formerly navigable. The US Army Corps of Engineers dredged 85 million m³ (110 million yd³) of sediment from the river and built the US$65 million Sediment Retention Structure on the North Fork of the Toutle to keep it clear in the future. Part of the same engineering works is a tunnel to drain Spirit Lake whose natural outlet was blocked by the eruption.

[edit] See also

• List of rivers of Washington
• List of tributaries of the Columbia River

[edit] External links

• USGS GNIS: Toutle River
• Taming the Toutle River Seattle Times, October 25, 2004
• Sediment Retention Structure – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Mouth or other endpoint at the Cowlitz River is at coordinates 46°18′37″N 122°54′59″W / 46.310389°N 122.916455°W / 46.310389; -122.916455
• Source on Mt. St. Helens is at coordinates 46°12′43″N 122°11′38″W / 46.21195°N 122.193895°W / 46.21195; -122.193895

Coordinates: 46°18′39″N 122°55′6″W / 46.31083°N 122.91833°W / 46.31083; -122.91833

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