Umpqua River

The Umpqua River (/ˈʌmpkwə/ UMP-kwə) on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately 111 miles (179 km) long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west of the Cascade Range and south of the Willamette Valley, from which it is separated by the Calapooya Mountains. From its source northeast of Roseburg, the Umpqua flows northwest through the Oregon Coast Range and empties into the Pacific at Winchester Bay. The river and its tributaries flow entirely within Douglas County, which encompasses most of the watershed of the river from the Cascades to the coast. The "Hundred Valleys of the Umpqua" form the heart of the timber industry of southern Oregon, generally centered on Roseburg.

The Native Americans in the Umpqua's watershed consist of several tribes, such as the Umpqua (a band of the Coquille for which the river is named), and the Kalapuya. These tribes witnessed much of the Great Flood of 1862, during which the Umpqua and other rivers rose to levels so high that even the oldest Indians had never seen a greater flood.

Umpqua Valley AVA

Part of the larger Southern Oregon AVA, which was established recently, the Umpqua Valley American Viticultural Area is one of the first AVA's in Oregon and is located entirely within Douglas County, Oregon. The official boundaries of the AVA are detailed in the United States of America Code of Federal Regulations Title 27 Chapter I Part 9 section 89(C). Grapes grown here include Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and more. The first post-prohibition estate winery in Oregon was established at HillCrest Vineyards in 1961, where the first Pinot Noir vines in Oregon were planted. The first commercial Grüner Veltliner in the U.S. was produced in the Umpqua Valley AVA by Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards.

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