Middle Fork River
title: "Middle Fork River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-west-virginia", "tributaries-of-the-tygart-valley-river", "rivers-of-randolph-county,-west-virginia", "rivers-of-upshur-county,-west-virginia", "rivers-of-barbour-county,-west-virginia", "allegheny-mountains", "allegheny-plateau"] topic_path: "general/rivers-of-west-virginia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Fork_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Middle Fork River |
| image | Middle Fork River Audra.jpg |
| image_size | 300 |
| image_caption | The Middle Fork River in Audra State Park in 2005 |
| map | Monon MiddleForkRiver.png |
| map_size | 300 |
| map_caption | Map of the Monongahela River basin, with the Middle Fork River highlighted |
| pushpin_map_size | 300 |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | United States |
| subdivision_type2 | State |
| subdivision_name2 | West Virginia |
| length | 35 mi |
| discharge1_location | Audra State Park |
| discharge1_min | 0.2 ft3/s |
| discharge1_avg | 356 ft3/s |
| discharge1_max | 16700 ft3/s |
| source1 | Kittle Creek |
| source1_location | Rich Mountain, Randolph County |
| source1_coordinates | |
| source1_elevation | 3639 ft |
| source2 | Birch Fork |
| source2_location | Rocky Ridge, Randolph County |
| source2_coordinates | |
| source2_elevation | 3493 ft |
| source_confluence_location | Adolph, West Virginia, Randolph County |
| source_confluence_coordinates | |
| source_confluence_elevation | 2303 ft |
| mouth | Tygart Valley River |
| mouth_location | Barbour County |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| mouth_elevation | 1483 ft |
| basin_size | 152 mi2 |
| :: |
| name = Middle Fork River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Middle Fork River Audra.jpg | image_size = 300 | image_caption = The Middle Fork River in Audra State Park in 2005 | map = Monon MiddleForkRiver.png | map_size = 300 | map_caption = Map of the Monongahela River basin, with the Middle Fork River highlighted | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = 300 | pushpin_map_caption = | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = West Virginia | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = 35 mi | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location = Audra State Park | discharge1_min = 0.2 ft3/s | discharge1_avg = 356 ft3/s | discharge1_max = 16700 ft3/s | source1 = Kittle Creek | source1_location = Rich Mountain, Randolph County | source1_coordinates = | source1_elevation = 3639 ft | source2 = Birch Fork | source2_location = Rocky Ridge, Randolph County | source2_coordinates = | source2_elevation = 3493 ft | source_confluence = | source_confluence_location = Adolph, West Virginia, Randolph County | source_confluence_coordinates= | source_confluence_elevation = 2303 ft | mouth = Tygart Valley River | mouth_location = Barbour County | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 1483 ft | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 152 mi2 | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra =
The Middle Fork River is a 35.4 mi tributary of the Tygart Valley River in north-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 152 mi2 on the easternmost part of the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau. According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Middle Fork River has also been known simply as "Middle Fork" and as "Middlefork."
Geography
The Middle Fork River is formed at the community of Adolph in western Randolph County by the confluence of the headwaters tributaries Kittle Creek and Birch Fork, each approximately 6.5 mi in length, which rise just north of Kumbrabow State Forest and flow northwardly. Kittle Creek rises on the western slope of Rich Mountain, considered to be part of the westernmost ridge of the Allegheny Mountains and the eastern boundary of the Allegheny Plateau.
From Adolph, the Middle Fork River flows generally northwardly, roughly in parallel to Rich Mountain. The river's course defines part of the boundary between Randolph and Upshur counties, and then between Upshur and Barbour counties, before flowing into southern Barbour County, where it joins the Tygart Valley River, approximately 5 mi south of Philippi and a few miles upstream of the mouth of the Buckhannon River. In Upshur County it collects a tributary known as the Right Fork Middle Fork River, which rises in southwestern Randolph County and flows northwardly into eastern Upshur County.
For most of its course, the Middle Fork forms whitewater rapids of Class I to Class IV on the International Scale of River Difficulty. From Audra State Park downstream to its mouth, it forms Class IV rapids. According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 94% of the Middle Fork River's watershed is forested, mostly deciduous, and approximately 4% is used for agriculture and pasture.
Flow rate
At the United States Geological Survey's stream gauge in Audra State Park, the annual mean flow of the river between 1942 and 2005 was 356 ft3/s. The highest recorded flow during the period was 16,700 ft3/s on May 17, 1996. The lowest recorded flow was 0.2 ft3/s on several days in October 1953.
References
References
- Ward, S. M.. "Water Resources Data, West Virginia, Water Year 2005". [[United States Geological Survey]].
- Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Kittle Creek (Feature ID #1551657)".
- [[Google Earth]] elevation for [[GNIS]] source coordinates. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
- Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Birch Fork (Feature ID #1550360)".
- Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Middle Fork River (Feature ID #1552064)".
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. "Watershed Atlas Project.".
- U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive. link. (2012-03-29 , accessed August 15, 2011)
- (1997). "West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer". [[DeLorme]].
- Adkins, Howard G.. (2006). "The West Virginia Encyclopedia". West Virginia Humanities Council.
- (2006). "The West Virginia Encyclopedia". West Virginia Humanities Council.
- Geographic Names Information System. "Geographic Names Information System entry for Right Fork Middle Fork River (Feature ID #1552662)".
- Davidson, Paul. (1995). "Wildwater West Virginia". Menasha Ridge Press.
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