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{{Short description|Tributary of the Skykomish River, northwest Washington, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Sultan River
| name_native =
| name_native_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology = [[Snohomish people|Snohomish]] Chief Tsul-tad

| image = SultanRiverWA.jpg
| image_caption = The Sultan River a few miles downstream of Culmback Dam near a USGS stream gauge and a diversion dam
| image_size = 300
| map = Sultanmap.png
| map_size = 300
| map_caption = The Sultan River highlighted on a map of the [[Snohomish River]] watershed
| pushpin_map = Washington#USA
| pushpin_map_size = 300
| pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of the Sultan in Washington

| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| subdivision_type4 = County
| subdivision_name4 = [[Snohomish County, Washington|Snohomish]]
| subdivision_type5 =
| subdivision_name5 =

| length = {{convert|30|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref>Calculated in [[Google Earth]]</ref>
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location= USGS gage 12138160, Sultan River below Powerplant, near Sultan, WA, [[river mile]] 4.5<ref name=wdr>{{cite web |title= Water Resources Data-Washington Water Year 2005; Snohomish River Basin |publisher= [[USGS]] |url= http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-wa-05-1/pdf/wa00103ADR2005_Figure34.pdf |accessdate= 5 August 2009}}</ref>
| discharge1_min = {{convert|157|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|735|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=wdr>{{cite web |title= Water Resources Data-Washington Water Year 2005; Snohomish River Basin |publisher= [[USGS]] |url= http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-wa-05-1/pdf/wa00103ADR2005_Figure34.pdf |accessdate= 5 August 2009}}</ref>
| discharge1_max = {{convert|20100|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}

| source1 = [[Cascade Range]]
| source1_location =
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|47|56|53|N|121|28|4|W|display=inline}}<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1526702|Sultan River}}</ref>
| source1_elevation =
| mouth = [[Skykomish River]]
| mouth_location = [[Sultan, Washington|Sultan]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|47|51|28|N|121|49|13|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| mouth_elevation =
| progression =
| river_system =
| basin_size = {{convert|80|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left =
| tributaries_right =
| custom_label =
| custom_data =
| extra =
}}

The '''Sultan River''' is a river in [[Snohomish County, Washington|Snohomish County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. It is a tributary of the [[Skykomish River]], which it joins at the town of [[Sultan, Washington]]. The river is dammed in its upper third by [[Culmback Dam]] to form [[Spada Lake]].

Both the Sultan River and the town of Sultan were named by prospectors for the chief of a [[Snohomish people|Snohomish]] sub-tribe who lived on the Skykomish River in the 1870s. His name was Tsul-tad or Tseul-tud, which was [[Anglicisation|anglicized]] by the miners into Sultan.<ref>{{cite web
|title = Sultan
|work = Washington Place Names database
|publisher = Tacoma Public Library
|url = http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/
|access-date = 2009-03-05
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090309023858/http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/wanames/
|archive-date = 2009-03-09
|df =
}}</ref>

The Sultan River's [[drainage basin]] was subjected to intense glaciation during the [[Pleistocene]] era. The river flows through a well-defined glacially carved trench. The upper South Fork Sultan River flows through a classic [[U-shaped valley]] cut by a glacier through [[Quartz diorite]]. The Sultan's river main tributaries—the North Fork, South Fork, Elk Creek, and Williamson Creek— flow through narrow valleys to converge in the lower Sultan basin where the valley floor is relatively broad. The Sultan River exits this basin by plunging abruptly into and through a narrow canyon.<ref name=beckey>{{cite book |last= Beckey |first= Fred |authorlink= Fred Beckey |title= [[Cascade Alpine Guide]]: Climbing and High Routes: Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass |edition= 3rd |year= 2003 |publisher= [[The Mountaineers (club)|The Mountaineers]] |isbn= 0-89886-423-2 |pages= 25–26, 30}}</ref>

Pleistocene glaciers spread down the valleys of the Sultan River and its tributaries, merging in the lower basin. From there the ice pushed west through what is now the [[Pilchuck River]] valley. Today the two rivers are separated by the terminal [[moraine]] of an ice front that spread up the Pilchuck valley and impounded the Sultan River, creating a lake. This [[glacial lake]] eventually drained westward, creating a delta moraine. The postglacial Sultan River cut through the delta moraine, establishing its present course out of the lower Sultan basin.<ref name=beckey/>

==Course==
The Sultan River originates at Crested Buttes. It flows northwest, then southwest into Spada Lake. Spada Lake, held back by the [[Culmback Dam]], is the main source of drinking water for people in [[Everett, Washington|Everett]]. The South Fork Sultan River joins the main river by flowing into a large arm of the lake’s south shore. The Sultan River exits the lake and flows west, then south to its confluence with the Skykomish River. The river’s largest tributaries are Elk Creek, which joins just above where the river flows into Spada Lake, and Williamson Creek, which flows from remote Copper Lake and enters the lake just below where the river enters it.

==South Fork==
Formed at the confluence of the North Fork South Fork and Middle Fork South Fork, the South Fork Sultan River flows northwest and empties into the southern arm of Spada Lake.<ref>{{GNIS|1526262|South Fork Sultan River}}</ref>

===North Fork South Fork===
The North Fork South Fork Sultan River originates at the divide between it and Salmon Creek and flows west. It joins the Middle Fork South Fork to form the South Fork Sultan River.<ref>{{GNIS|1523848|North Fork South Fork Sultan River}}</ref>

===Middle Fork South Fork===
The Middle Fork South Fork Sultan River originates on the east slope of Mount Stickney. It flows north for about {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} and joins the North Fork South Fork, forming the South Fork Sultan River.<ref>{{GNIS|1523090|Middle Fork South Fork Sultan River}}</ref>

===South Fork South Fork===
The South Fork South Fork Sultan River begins at the outlet of One Acre Lake, flows north and joins the South Fork just above its mouth on Spada Lake.<ref>{{GNIS|1526257|South Fork South Fork Sultan River}}</ref>

==History==
[[Prospecting]] began in the Sultan basin around 1870. Gold deposits were recovered from gravels along the lower river with small-scaler [[Placer mining|placer operations]] as early as 1869. Rich deposits were found in the basin some years later. In 1891 a major discovery was made—the so-called "45 vein", worked by the 45 Mine. Development depended on transportation, which came slowly. In 1896 the 45 Mine became the Sultan basin's first producer. A rough {{convert|20|mi|km|adj=on}} long wagon road was built from the mine to the railroad at Sultan on the Skykomish River. A trail was built over Marble Pass to Silverton.<ref name=beckey/>

The Sultan River has provided municipal tap water for [[Everett, Washington|Everett]] since the construction of an [[earthen dam]] in 1916, initially for industrial use and later drinking water.<ref name="Times-1993">{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=Diane |date=January 7, 1993 |title=Managing a liquid asset |page=F1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19930107&slug=1678663 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |accessdate=May 25, 2024}}</ref> A [[diversion dam]] on the river was constructed in 1929 by the Everett city government to fill Chaplain Reservoir to the west.<ref name="PUD-History">{{cite web |date=July 2022 |title=Henry M. Jackson Hydroelectric Project |url=https://www.snopud.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/JHP_722_web.pdf |publisher=[[Snohomish County Public Utility District]] |accessdate=May 25, 2024}}</ref> The [[Culmback Dam]] was constructed by Everett and the [[Snohomish County Public Utility District]] in 1965 to supply more water to the city and other areas of [[Snohomish County, Washington|Snohomish County]] and later expanded in 1984. The dam also feeds a tunnel for the [[Jackson Hydroelectric Project]] that generates [[hydroelectric power]].<ref name="Herald-Salmon">{{cite news |last=Winters |first=Chris |date=February 13, 2017 |title=After 90 years, salmon are returning to upper Sultan River |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/after-90-years-salmon-are-returning-to-upper-sultan-river/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=May 25, 2024}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of rivers in Washington]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Rivers of Snohomish County, Washington]]

Sultan River - Revision history

imported>Panamitsu: add {{Use American English}} template