Dan River

The Dan River flows 214 miles (344 km)[5] in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It rises in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it back into Virginia through only Pittsylvania County before reentering North Carolina near the border between Caswell County and Rockingham County. It flows into northern Caswell County and then back into southern Virginia (briefly Pittsylvania County, then into Halifax County) and finally into Kerr Reservoir on the Roanoke River.

Dan River
Tributary to Roanoke River
View of the Dan River, Danville, Virginia
Location of the mouth of Dan River
Dan River (the United States)
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesVirginia
North Carolina
Counties (Virginia)Floyd
Halifax
Mecklenburg
Patrick
Pittsylvania
Counties (North Carolina)Caswell
Rockingham
Stokes
Physical characteristics
Sourcedivide between Dan River, Smith River and New River
  locationabout 2 miles northeast of Rock Castle Gap[1]
  coordinates36°46′41″N 080°21′54″W[2]
  elevation3,170 ft (970 m)
MouthJohn H. Kerr Reservoir (Roanoke River)
  location
Stanton River State Park
  coordinates
36°39′22″N 078°35′55″W[2]
  elevation
300 ft (91 m)
Length214 mi (344 km)[3]
Basin size3,300 square miles (8,500 km2)[3]
Discharge 
  locationStanton River State Park (John H. Kerr Reservoir)
  average4,136.06 cu ft/s (117.120 m3/s) at John H. Kerr Reservoir[4]
Basin features
Progressiongenerally east
River systemRoanoke River
Tributaries 
  leftIvy Creek
Roaring Creek
Coxes Branch
Lickskillet Branch
Little Dan River
Peters Creek
Bonds Branch
Newman Branch
Seven Island Creek
Snow Creek
Blackies Branch
Reed Creek
Beaver Island Creek
Mayo River
Buffalo Creek
Matrimony Creek
Smith River
Covenant Branch
Cascade Creek
Trotters Creek
Childress Creek
Sandy River
Fall Creek
Barkers Branch
Hances Branch
Coy Creek
Cane Creek
Mineral Springs Branch
Sandy Creek
Wolfe Creek
Barker Creek
Double Creek
Byrds Branch
Toby Creek
Little Toby Creek
Birch Creek
Miry Creek
Pond Branch
Poplar Creek
Reedy Creek
Banister River
Peter Creek
  rightQuaker Field Branch
Toggle Creek
Mill Creek
Round Meadow
Squall Creek
Squirrel Creek
Fall Creek
Big Branch
Big Creek
Double Creek
Cascade Creek
Indian Creek
Scott Branch
Town Fork Creek
Belews Creek
Hogans Creek
Jacobs Creek
Massy Creek
Roach Creek
Fishing Creek
Town Creek
Rock Creek
White Oak Creek
Williamson Creek
Wolf Island Creek
Jackson Branch
Pumpkin Creek
Hogans Creek
Moon Creek
Rattlesnake Creek
Little Rattlesnake Creek
Country Line Creek
Winns Creek
Powells Creek
Chalmers Creek
Locust Creek
Lawsons Creek
Perrin Creek
Grassy Creek
Hyco River
Aarons Creek
WaterbodiesCockrum Millpond
John H. Kerr Reservoir

The name of the river was first recorded by William Byrd II in 1728, during an expedition to survey the Virginia border, though Byrd did not explain the reason for the name.[6] A variant name is "South Branch Roanoke River".[7]

In 2014, a large amount of coal ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, spilled into the river, prompting a cleanup process costing an estimated $300 million.[8]

Dan River is also the name of the southeastern political district of Pittsylvania County, where a small section of the river serves as the boundary between Pittsylvania County and the city of Danville.

See also

References

  1. "Danville Historic District Topo Map, Danville (city) County VA (Danville Area)". TopoZone. Locality, LLC. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  2. "GNIS Detail - Dan River". geonames.usgs.gov. US Geological Survey. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  3. "General Info - Dan River Basin Association - Dan River Basin Association". www.danriver.org. Dan River Basin Association. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  4. "Dan River Watershed Report". Waters Geoviewer. US EPA. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  5. "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved Feb 14, 2011.
  6. "Early Danville History". Danville Historical Society. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  7. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dan River
  8. Jarvis, Craig (November 26, 2014). "Dan River coal ash spill damage could top $300 million". News & Observer. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014.
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