Willamette, << wih LAM iht, >> River rises in the Cascade Mountains and Coast Range of west-central Oregon. It flows northward for about 190 miles (306 kilometers) and empties into the Columbia River. The Willamette Valley is the richest farming area in Oregon. Oceangoing ships can sail up the river for 12 miles (19 kilometers) to Portland, Oregon’s largest city. Locks at Willamette Falls allow small boats to travel upstream as far as Eugene.
