Garoutte Creek

Garoutte Creek is a tributary of the Little River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Rising along the Calapooya Divide near the border between Lane and Douglas counties, it flows generally northeast to meet the larger stream near Black Butte.[2] The butte is a dark-colored mountain, the site of a former mine, and the site of a former post office.[1] Little River joins Big River a few miles downstream to form the Coast Fork Willamette River.[4]

Garoutte Creek
Location of the mouth of Garoutte Creek in Oregon
EtymologyFor S. P. Garoutte, who found cinnabar on Black Butte in the 1890s[1]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOregon
CountyLane
Physical characteristics
SourceCalapooya Mountains
 • locationnear the border with Douglas County
 • coordinates43°32′47″N 123°06′20″W[2]
 • elevation1,743 ft (531 m)[3]
MouthLittle River
 • location
near Black Butte
 • coordinates
43°34′03″N 123°04′34″W[2]
 • elevation
1,138 ft (347 m)[2]

On older maps, Little River appears as a tributary of Garoutte Creek, also known as Saroutte Creek.[5] However, in 1988 the United States Board on Geographic Names renamed the lower reach of Garoutte Creek so that it became part of Little River. The change rendered the upper reach of Garoutte Creek a tributary of Little River.[4]

The only named tributary of Garoutte Creek is Carlson Creek, which enters from the left.[5]

Post office

The Black Butte Mine, developed by S. P. Garoutte in the 1890s, led to the establishment of a post office at Black Butte. William Harris was the first postmaster, and the office, established in 1898, was known by his last name, Harris. The name was changed in 1901 to Blackbutte. It operated under that name until permanently closing in 1957.[1]

Pollution

In the 21st century, the former mine and the area around it have become a Superfund site. The Environmental Protection Agency is concerned about methylmercury contamination of streams including Garoutte Creek, the Little River, and the Coast Fork, as well as the Cottage Grove Reservoir on the Coast Fork. During its heyday, the mine was the second-largest mercury producer in Oregon.[6] From 1900 to 1957, it yielded a total of 16,904 flasks of elemental mercury; equivalent to about 13 million pounds (5,900,000 kg).[6]

See also

References
  1. McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. pp. 86, 393. ISBN 0-87595-277-1.
  2. "Garoutte Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey (USGS). November 28, 1980. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  3. Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.
  4. "Little River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey (USGS). November 28, 1980. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  5. "United States Topographic Map". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved November 28, 2015 – via ACME Mapper.
  6. "Optimization Review: Black Butte Mine Superfund Site, Lane County, Oregon" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. July 13, 2012. pp. 6–7. Retrieved November 28, 2015.


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