STREAMS, MOUNTAINS, AND TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE COLUMBIA RIVER WATERSHED

Waterbodies influence travel corridors, and record changes in trails and culture groups throughout the Columbia River watershed. Travelers traverse rivers, lakes, and marshes in boats, or journey alongside them by other means to be close to water. Prehistorically and protohistorically, people traveled to specific features of streams, such as Kettle Falls or The Dalles, for fishing, trading, and numerous other activities. The archaeological, particularly the geoarchaeological, record at Kettle Falls and other nearby features documents several phases of use by numerous cultures. Lithic artifacts of this record detail locations of inhabitants prior to visiting the region. These artifacts provide evidence of changing phases of use and travel within and near to the Columbia River watershed. Both cultural and geological influences, such as volcanic eruptions, mining, mode change, and river geomorphology, impact travel routes, altering cultures further.