River in Wyoming, United States
Laramie River The Laramie River, as it flows past the site of old
Fort Laramie Map highlighting the Laramie River (in bright blue, below and slightly left of center)
Etymology Named for Jacques La Ramie , French Canadian fur trapper[1] Country United States State Colorado , Wyoming Cities Laramie , Wheatland , Fort Laramie Source Chambers Lake (Colorado) • location Larimer County, Colorado • coordinates 40°36′56″N 105°51′29″W / 40.61556°N 105.85806°W / 40.61556; -105.85806 • elevation 9,192 ft (2,802 m)[2]
Mouth North Platte River • location
Goshen County, Wyoming • coordinates
42°11′59″N 104°31′47″W / 42.19972°N 104.52972°W / 42.19972; -104.52972 [3] • elevation
4,213 ft (1,284 m)[3] Length 280 mi (450 km) Basin size 4,564 sq mi (11,820 km2 )[4] Discharge • location near Fort Laramie, 0.6 miles (1.0 km) from mouth [4] • average 129 cu ft/s (3.7 m3 /s)[4] • minimum 0 cu ft/s (0 m3 /s) • maximum 6,260 cu ft/s (177 m3 /s)
Tributaries • left North Laramie River • right Chugwater Creek
The Laramie River is a tributary of the North Platte River , approximately 280 miles (450 km) long,[5] U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming . The river was named for Jacques La Ramie , a fur trapper who visited the area in the early 19th century. Laramie County, Wyoming , the city of Laramie , and other geographical entities in the region have "Laramie" in their names.[1]
Course
The river rises in northern Colorado, in the Roosevelt National Forest in the Front Range , in western Larimer County . It flows north-northwest into Wyoming, along the east side of the Medicine Bow Mountains , past Jelm and Woods Landing , then northeast emerging from the mountains 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Laramie. The river then flows north through Laramie. In the Laramie Plains it is joined by the Little Laramie River . The Laramie River then continues north through the Laramie Plains and through Wheatland Reservoir . It flows northeast through the Laramie Mountains . Emerging from the mountains, it receives the North Laramie River 5 miles (8 km) north of Wheatland and Chugwater Creek 7 mi (11 km) northeast of Wheatland. It joins the North Platte opposite the town Fort Laramie .[6]
In its upper reaches in Colorado, the river supplies water to the Cache La Poudre River via the Laramie–Poudre Tunnel . The tunnel, which is approximately 2 miles (3 km) long, was finished in 1911 as part of a larger irrigation project for northern Colorado.[7]
Discharge
Statistic
Location
Time period
Discharge
Yearly mean discharge
Near Woods Landing
year
173 cu ft/s (4.9 m3 /s)
Near Bosler
year
150 cu ft/s (4.2 m3 /s)
Near Fort Laramie
year
129 cu ft/s (3.7 m3 /s)[4]
Month with highest mean discharge
Near Woods Landing
June
782 cu ft/s (22.1 m3 /s)
Near Bosler
June
726 cu ft/s (20.6 m3 /s)[8]
Near Fort Laramie
May
363 cu ft/s (10.3 m3 /s)[4]
Month with lowest mean discharge
Near Woods Landing
January
38.5 cu ft/s (1.09 m3 /s)
Near Bosler
September
31 cu ft/s (0.88 m3 /s)[8]
Near Fort Laramie
September
59.4 cu ft/s (1.68 m3 /s)[4]
