Chena River

The Chena River (/ˈtʃiːnə/; Lower Tanana: Ch'eno' "river of something (game)") is a tributary of the Tanana River in the Interior of Alaska. It flows west from the White Mountains to the Tanana River near Fairbanks. The Tanana River then flows into the Yukon River.

Named tributaries of the Chena River include the North Fork, South Fork, West Fork, Middle (East) Fork and the Little Chena River. The Chena River State Recreation Area surrounds much of the upper half of the main stem. People use the Chena River for fishing and boating. In winter, it is also used for travel by snowmachines and sled dogs.

The Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project dam is upstream from Fairbanks. The dam was built after a big flood in 1967. When closed, the dam holds back water and can divert it to the Tanana River, protecting Fairbanks.

Fish

The Chena River has many kinds of fish. You can find Arctic grayling, burbot, chum salmon, humpback whitefish, king salmon, least cisco, longnose suckers, northern pike, round whitefish, and sheefish there. Many people like to fish in the Chena River because it is near Fairbanks.

In the past, too many fish were caught and this lowered the number of Arctic grayling. Now, people can only catch and let go these fish in some parts of the river.

Boating

The Chena River is a good place for boating. It is easy to get to from roads, parks, and bridges. Most of the river is simple to navigate, rated as Class I (easy). But near Chena Hot Springs, the water moves fast and can be harder, rated Class II (medium). When the water level is high, it can become even more difficult.

Boaters should watch for narrow parts of the river, fallen trees blocking the water, and low areas where the water is shallow. In June, there might also be pieces of ice blocking the river.