The Chena River (Tanana Athabascan: Ch'eno' meaning "river of wildlife") is a 100-mile (160 km) tributary of the Tanana River in the Interior region of Alaska. It flows westward from the White Mountains to the Tanana River near Fairbanks. The Tanana empties into the 2,300-mile (3,700 km) long Yukon River.

Named tributaries of the Chena River include the North Fork, South Fork, West Fork, Middle (East) Fork, and the Little Chena River. The Chena River State Recreation Area surrounds much of the upper half of the main stem. The Chena River is a popular recreational area for fishing and boating. It is also traveled by snowmachines and mushers (sled dogs) during the winter months.

The Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project dam is about 40 miles (64 km) up the Chena River from Fairbanks. In 1967, Fairbanks flooded, inundating much of the city, and a dam was constructed in response. When closed, the dam impounds water and, when the inflow is high enough, diverts it about 8 miles (13 km) to the Tanana River near North Pole city, upstream of Fairbanks and the natural mouth of the Chena.

Fish

The Chena River supports populations of many fish species, including Arctic grayling, burbot, chum salmon, humpback whitefish, king salmon, least cisco, longnose suckers, northern pike, round whitefish, and sheefish. Easily accessible from Fairbanks, the Chena is interior Alaska's most popular sport-fishing river.

Overfishing for grayling reduced their number in the Chena to "dangerous levels" by the mid-1980s. In the 21st century, sport fishing for grayling, which grows to 18 inches (46 cm) in the upper river, is limited to catch-and-release.

Recreation

Access to the river from Chena Hot Springs Road, the Chena River Recreation Area, four bridges, and elsewhere makes various float trips possible. Most of the river is rated Class I (easy) on the International Scale of River Difficulty; however, the upper reaches along the North Fork near Chena Hot Springs are "extremely swift" with few safe eddies and are rated Class II (medium). High water increases these difficulty ratings.

Dangers on the North Fork include a much narrower channel than the main stem, possible logjams, overhanging vegetation, and shallows, which may require a portage. The dangers below include possible overhangs, logjams, and channel braiding. In the early season (June), boaters may encounter ice jams anywhere along the river.

Threats to Chena’s Watershed

The Chena River and its watershed are relatively pristine but are still affected in several ways. As the river flows through greater Fairbanks, it picks up pollutants like motor oil from parking lots, plastic grocery bags, pesticides, fertilizers, detergents, and sediments. If left untreated, runoff from rain and snowmelt directly into waterways carries these pollutants. These contaminants can infiltrate groundwater, accumulate in streams and rivers, and eventually flow down the watershed into the ocean.