What are the Major Geographic Regions of Washington? Geographic Regions of Washington Okanogan Highlands Puget Basin Columbia Plateau The Rivers of WA & the 5 Geographic Regions Okanogan Highlands Columbia Puget Basin Plateau Direction of flow for WA rivers? Direction of flow for WA the rivers: Okanogan Highlands Puget Basin Columbia Plateau Where does the water end up? All water in WA eventually makes it into the Pacific, but there are 5 main drainage points in WA. The 5 Drainage Points Puget Columbia Pacific Ocean Pacific Sound River Snake River Columbia River Describe: 5 Drainage Points of Washington 1. Snake River -drains rivers in SE WA before it empties into Columbia 2. Columbia River -drains rivers E of Cascades and in S WA, and flows to the Pacific 3. Pacific Ocean - drains rivers W of Coast Range 4. Strait of Juan de Fuca – drains rivers N of Coast Range 5. Puget Sound - drains rivers E of Coast Range & W of Cascade Crest Where does the water end up? Puget Columbia Pacific Ocean Pacific Sound River Snake River Columbia River 5 Regions Descriptions Okanogan Highlands • Forested hills, grassy lowlands – Dry, inland forest. • Climate: Moderately hot, dry summers; cold winters with measurable snowfall • Elevation: 1,000‘ – 6,000’. – Cities: Spokane, Okanogan, Colville – Rivers: Okanogan, Kettle River, Okanogan Spokane, Pend Oreille, Highlands Upper Columbia Okanogan Highlands Okanogan Highlands Columbia Plateau • Semi-desert – Shrub & grasslands. Trees along some stretches of local rivers • Climate: Hot, dry summers; cold winters with occasional snowfall. – Rivers: Columbia, Snake, Yakima, Wenatchee, Palouse – Cities: Yakima, Wenatchee, Tri-Cities, Moses Lake, Ephrata – Hanford Nuclear Reservation Columbia Plateau Columbia Plateau Columbia Plateau Coast Range Olympic Mtns Black Hills Willapa Hills Coast Range • Olympic Mountains, Black Hills, & Willapa Hills – Rain forest on western side of range. • Elev: Sea level to 7,900’ Mt Olympus is tallest peak. • Climate: Wet, mild winters (snow in mountains); moderately cool summers. Lots of rain! • Rivers: Chehalis, Quinault, Hoh, Quileute, Dungeness • Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay • Cities: Ilwaco; Longview; Aberdeen; Port Angeles; Forks Coast Range – Mtns & Water Coast Range - Towns Cascade Range • Climate: – West Side: cool summers with more than occasional rain. Wet, cold winters with heavy snow above 3,000’ – East Side: dry, moderately warm summers (frequent thunderstorms). Cold, snowy winters. • Elevation: 1,000’ – 14,410’ • Heavily forested. Treeline at 6,500 – 7,000’ • Glaciated peaks: Mt Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt Adams. • Low points for ease of travel: – Stevens Pass, Snoqualmie Pass, White Pass Cascade Range – Mtns & Towns Cascade Range – Rivers Puget Sound Lowlands • Puget Sound, inland forests & lowland river valleys. • Elev: Sea level to 1000’. – Rivers: Cowlitz, Nisqually, Puyallup, Green, Cedar, Snoqualmie, Skykomish, Skagit – Cities: Bellingham, Anacortes, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Bremerton, Port Townsend, Chehalis/Centralia, Longview, Vancouver, WA Puget Lowlands Puget Lowlands .