New River (Kanawha River tributary)

New River
The New River within the New River Gorge as viewed from Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia
Map of the Kanawha River watershed, with the New River (dark blue) and its watershed (light yellow) highlighted.
Location
Country	United States
State	North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
Counties	Ashe NC, Alleghany NC, Watauga NC, Grayson VA, Carroll VA, Wythe VA, Pulaski VA, Montgomery VA, Giles VA, Mercer County, West Virginia, Summers County, West Virginia, Raleigh County, West Virginia, Fayette County, West Virginia
Physical characteristics
Source	South Fork New River
• location	Boone, NC
• coordinates	36°12′16″N 81°38′59″W / 36.20444°N 81.64972°W / 36.20444; -81.64972
• elevation	3,104 ft (946 m)
2nd source	North Fork New River
• location	Elk Knob, Watauga County, NC
• coordinates	36°19′59″N 81°41′04″W / 36.33306°N 81.68444°W / 36.33306; -81.68444
• elevation	4,446 ft (1,355 m)
Source confluence
• location	Ashe County, NC
• coordinates	36°32′45″N 81°21′09″W / 36.54583°N 81.35250°W / 36.54583; -81.35250
• elevation	2,546 ft (776 m)
Mouth	Kanawha River[1]
• location	Gauley Bridge, West Virginia
• coordinates	38°09′42″N 81°11′47″W / 38.16167°N 81.19639°W / 38.16167; -81.19639
• elevation	653 ft (199 m)
Length	320 mi (510 km)
Discharge
• location	Thurmond, WV, max and min at Glen Lyn, VA[2][3][4]
• average	8,730 cu ft/s (247 m3/s)
• minimum	538 cu ft/s (15.2 m3/s)
• maximum	226,000 cu ft/s (6,400 m3/s)
Basin features
Progression	New River → Kanawha River → Ohio River → Mississippi River → Gulf of Mexico
Tributaries
• left	Bluestone River, East River
• right	Little River, Indian Creek, Greenbrier River
National Wild and Scenic River
Type	Scenic
Designated	April 13, 1976

The New River is a river which flows through the U.S. states of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia before joining with the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River at the town of Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. Part of the Ohio River watershed, it is about 360 miles (580 km) long.^[1]

The origins of the name are unclear. Possibilities include being a new river that was not on the Fry-Jefferson map of Virginia, an Indian name meaning "new waters", or the surname of an early settler.^[5] It was once called Wood's River for Colonel Abraham Wood, an English explorer from Virginia, who explored the river in the mid-17th century. Despite its name, the New River is one of the five oldest rivers in the world geologically.^[6] However, a claim that the river is the second oldest in the world is disputed by the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey and the National Park Service.^[7][8]

This low-level crossing of the Appalachians, many millions of years old, has long been a biogeographical corridor allowing numerous species of plants and animals to spread between the lowlands of the American East Coast and those of the Midwest. Unusual kinds of plants occur on the gorge's cliffs or rim-top ledges.^[9] Portions of this corridor are now also used by various railroads and highways, and some segments of the river have been dammed for hydroelectric power production.

The New River Gorge is not only quite scenic, but also offers numerous opportunities for white-water recreation such as rafting and kayaking. Many open ledges along the rim of the gorge offer popular views, with favorites including Hawks Nest State Park and various overlooks on lands of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

The New River Gorge and the U.S. 19 bridge crossing it are shown on the West Virginia State Quarter, minted in 2005.