Owyhee River

River in northern Nevada, southwestern Idaho, and southeastern Oregon; length 300 mi/480 km. On its course, the artificially created Lake Owyhee (length 77 km/48 mi) forms a vital resource for an extensive area of irrigated farming.

The Owyhee begins as a number of forks flowing from the northern slopes of the Independence Mountains in Nevada. From here, the river flows northwest to pass briefly through the far southwestern corner of Idaho before entering Oregon. In Idaho and Oregon, it is joined by a number of forks, including Lake Creek, the Little Owyhee River, and Antelope Creek. After leaving Lake Owyhee, the river flows north-northeast for a short distance and meets the Snake River 29 km/18 mi southwest of the city of Ontario.