Glady Fork
Encyclopedia
Glady Fork is a 31.9 miles (51.3 km) river
in eastern West Virginia
in the United States
. It is considered one of the five principal headwaters tributaries of the Cheat River
.
of the Dry Fork
; via the Dry Fork, the Black Fork
, and the Cheat
, Monongahela
and Ohio
rivers, it is part of the watershed
of the Mississippi River
, draining an area of 64 square miles (165.8 km²) in the Allegheny Mountains
. With the Dry Fork, the Laurel Fork
, the Shavers Fork and the Blackwater River
, it is considered one of the five principal headwaters
tributaries of the Cheat. The stream was named for the presence of glades
along the river.
The Glady Fork is formed at the community of Glady in Randolph County
by the confluence of two short northward-flowing streams known as East Fork Glady Fork and West Fork Glady Fork; the forks flow from a ridge known as Lynn Divide which separates the Cheat River watershed in Randolph County from the Greenbrier River
watershed in Pocahontas County
. From the confluence the Glady Fork flows north-northeastwardly in a meander
ing course between Middle Mountain and Shavers Mountain in the Monongahela National Forest
, through eastern Randolph County into southern Tucker County
, where it joins the Dry Fork at the community of Gladwin
.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, nearly 94% of the Glady Fork's watershed is forest
ed, mostly deciduous
. The lower half of the river's course is characterized by continuous Class 2
rapids, with Class 3 whitewater in the lowermost three-to-four miles (5–6 km).
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in eastern West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is considered one of the five principal headwaters tributaries of the Cheat River
Cheat River
The Cheat River is a tributary of the Monongahela River in eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Via the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed, ultimately draining into the Gulf of Mexico.-Geography:The Cheat is formed at...
.
Geography
The Glady Fork is a tributaryTributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Dry Fork
Dry Fork (Cheat River)
The Dry Fork is a tributary of the Black Fork of the Cheat River in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia in the United States. Via the Black Fork, the Cheat, and the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. The Dry Fork flows for much of its...
; via the Dry Fork, the Black Fork
Black Fork (Cheat River)
The Black Fork is a principal tributary of the Cheat River in eastern West Virginia in the United States. It is a short stream, about four miles in length,The American Rivers Outstanding Rivers List, Second Edition, May 1991. Compiled and edited by Matthew H. Huntington and John D. Echeverria. ...
, and the Cheat
Cheat River
The Cheat River is a tributary of the Monongahela River in eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Via the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed, ultimately draining into the Gulf of Mexico.-Geography:The Cheat is formed at...
, Monongahela
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
and Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
rivers, it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, draining an area of 64 square miles (165.8 km²) in the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
. With the Dry Fork, the Laurel Fork
Laurel Fork (Cheat River)
Laurel Fork is a river in eastern West Virginia, USA. It is a tributary of the Dry Fork; via the Dry Fork, the Black Fork, and the Cheat, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in the Allegheny Mountains...
, the Shavers Fork and the Blackwater River
Blackwater River (West Virginia)
The Blackwater River is a river in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. Via the Black Fork, it is a principal tributary of the Cheat River. Via the Cheat, the Monongahela and the Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River and drains an area of...
, it is considered one of the five principal headwaters
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
tributaries of the Cheat. The stream was named for the presence of glades
Glade (geography)
A glade or clearing is an open area within a woodland. Glades are often grassy meadows under the canopy of deciduous trees such as red alder or quaking aspen in western North America. They also represent openings in forests where local conditions such as avalanches, poor soils, or fire damage have...
along the river.
The Glady Fork is formed at the community of Glady in Randolph County
Randolph County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,262 people, 11,072 households, and 7,661 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 13,478 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
by the confluence of two short northward-flowing streams known as East Fork Glady Fork and West Fork Glady Fork; the forks flow from a ridge known as Lynn Divide which separates the Cheat River watershed in Randolph County from the Greenbrier River
Greenbrier River
The Greenbrier River is a tributary of the New River, long, in southeastern West Virginia, USA. Via the New, Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of...
watershed in Pocahontas County
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,131 people, 835 households, and 527 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,594 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
. From the confluence the Glady Fork flows north-northeastwardly in a meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
ing course between Middle Mountain and Shavers Mountain in the Monongahela National Forest
Monongahela National Forest
The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally-owned land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Region and portions of 10 counties.The MNF includes some...
, through eastern Randolph County into southern Tucker County
Tucker County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,321 people, 3,052 households, and 2,121 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 4,634 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, where it joins the Dry Fork at the community of Gladwin
Gladwin, West Virginia
Gladwin is an unincorporated community in Tucker County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is situated at the point where Glady Fork discharges into Dry Fork of Cheat River....
.
According to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, nearly 94% of the Glady Fork's watershed is forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed, mostly deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
. The lower half of the river's course is characterized by continuous Class 2
International Scale of River Difficulty
The International Scale of River Difficulty is a standardized scale used to rate the safety of a stretch of river, or a single rapid. The grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required associated with the section of river...
rapids, with Class 3 whitewater in the lowermost three-to-four miles (5–6 km).