mining district; both Mineral City and Galena former mining towns). Salmon Creek: Joins North Fork just below Galena. Trout Creek: Upstream of the town of Index, just downstream of the Index-Galena Road washout. Trout Creek road is currently blocked (as of 2015). South Fork The South Fork Skykomish River begins at the confluence of the Tye River and the Beckler River, to the east of Skykomish. From the confluence the South Fork flows northwest. Near the eastern boundary of the city of Skykomish, the Beckler River joins it. To the west of the city of Skykomish, the Miller River joins it. Shortly before converging with the North Fork the river drops over Eagle Falls, followed by Canyon Falls and then, finally, Sunset Falls before its confluence with the North Fork. Beckler River: Joins just below the river's source. Rapid River Miller River: Joins at Miller River. Money Creek: Joins the South Fork near Grotto. Index Creek: Joins South Fork near Baring. Barclay Creek Discharge According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the South Fork is about twice the size of the North Fork in terms of both discharge and watershed area above their confluence at Index, making it the true hydrologic source of the Skykomish River. The South Fork average flow of is sourced from a drainage area of , compared to the North Fork which has an average flow of from a drainage area of . In turn the source of the South Fork – in terms of streamflow – is the Rapid River, a tributary of the Beckler River, which in turn is a tributary of the South Fork Skykomish. Glacial loss in the higher portion of the watershed in the Cascades has led to declining streamflow, especually during the late summer. In 2022, researchers determined that Hinman Glacier, which as recently as 1971 was the largest glacier in the river's watershed, had completely retreated as a result of climate change. As a whole, the area of the Skykomish watershed that was covered by glacial ice decreased from in 1958 to in 2022 - a 55% loss. Consequently, days with streamflow below the threshold necessary to maintain short-term survival of fish in the river has increased. Annual precipitation values had not been observed as declining. History In the 1890s the Great Northern Railway was built along the Skykomish, South Fork Skykomish, and Tye Rivers, crossing the crest of the