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re: Missouri has the best canoeing of any state. Heck, it's known as the Canoe State
Posted on 5/28/14 at 12:01 pm to mizzoukills
Posted on 5/28/14 at 12:01 pm to mizzoukills
BLACK RIVER
The Black River rises in Missouri as three streams:
The East Fork Black River rises in Iron County and flows generally southwardly, through Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park where the Taum Sauk pumped storage plant Upper Reservoir dam breach caused severe damage to the Park. A dam on the East Fork forms the Taum Sauk Lower Reservoir which was used to pump water to the Upper Reservoir.
The Middle Fork Black River is formed by a confluence of creeks in the Mark Twain National Forest in northern Reynolds County and flows generally southeastwardly.
The West Fork Black River is formed by a confluence of creeks in the Mark Twain National Forest in western Reynolds County and flows generally westwardly, past the town of Centerville.
The headwaters forks converge near Lesterville, and the Black River flows generally southwardly through Reynolds, Wayne and Butler Counties in Missouri; and Clay, Randolph and Lawrence Counties in Arkansas. In its lowermost course the river is used to define the boundary between Independence and Jackson Counties. It flows past the towns of Mill Spring, Williamsville and Poplar Bluff (the largest city along its course) in Missouri; and Pocahontas, Black Rock, and Powhatan in Arkansas. It joins the White River at Jacksonport, Arkansas.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam in Wayne County, Missouri, causes the river to form Clearwater Lake.
BOURBEUSE RIVER
The Bourbeuse River (French for 'muddy') is a river located in east-central Missouri, in the Ozarks region, and is one of two major tributaries of the Meramec River, the other being the Big River. The Bourbeuse flows to the northeast from its source near the locale of Dillon in Phelps County, through Maries County, Gasconade County, Crawford County, and Franklin County, where it discharges into the Meramec River near Moselle. The elevation of the river at its source is approximately 1,120 feet (340 m) above sea level and at its mouth about 446 feet (136 m). The total length of the river is 154 miles (248 km), while the airline distance between source and mouth is 53 miles (85 km). The watershed area is 842.9 square miles (2,183 sq. km).
Tributaries of the Bourbeuse River include Spring Creek, Boone Creek, Brush Creek, Red Oak Creek, Dry Fork, Little Bourbeuse River, and Lower Bourbeuse River.
The river's lower 132 miles (212 km) has permanent flow, but unlike many other Ozark streams of its size, it has a low base flow, due to a paucity of springs feeding it. The river is also low-gradient and tends to be more muddy than other Ozark streams. Usually only the lower 108 miles (174 km) are navigable in summer.
The river is highly crooked: one section, near Noser Mill, has 11 miles (18 km) of river between points less than a half mile apart. 107 miles (172 km) of the river are in Franklin County, and only 27 airline miles. Unusual for a river of its size, a number of river bends are named. Like many other Ozark streams, the Bourbeuse River has entrenched meanders.
There are a large number of named fords on this river, compared to the rest of the state. The gravel riverbeds, low average river flow, and lack of sufficient bridges both allow and necessitate the use of natural river crossings.
The USGS stream gauge in Union, near the mouth of the river, measures an average flow of 681 cubic feet (19.3 m3) per second.
BRYANT CREEK
Bryant Creek is a relatively wild stream, provides only slightly less paddling mileage than the North Fork, and is highly fishable. Less spring fed, it has less volume than the North Fork and is more difficult to float because it is narrower and has more obstacles, but it also has some fast riffles. Local inquiry or examination should be made to determine whether the sections above Hodgson Mill Spring are floatable in summer without wading riffles.*
The Black River rises in Missouri as three streams:
The East Fork Black River rises in Iron County and flows generally southwardly, through Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park where the Taum Sauk pumped storage plant Upper Reservoir dam breach caused severe damage to the Park. A dam on the East Fork forms the Taum Sauk Lower Reservoir which was used to pump water to the Upper Reservoir.
The Middle Fork Black River is formed by a confluence of creeks in the Mark Twain National Forest in northern Reynolds County and flows generally southeastwardly.
The West Fork Black River is formed by a confluence of creeks in the Mark Twain National Forest in western Reynolds County and flows generally westwardly, past the town of Centerville.
The headwaters forks converge near Lesterville, and the Black River flows generally southwardly through Reynolds, Wayne and Butler Counties in Missouri; and Clay, Randolph and Lawrence Counties in Arkansas. In its lowermost course the river is used to define the boundary between Independence and Jackson Counties. It flows past the towns of Mill Spring, Williamsville and Poplar Bluff (the largest city along its course) in Missouri; and Pocahontas, Black Rock, and Powhatan in Arkansas. It joins the White River at Jacksonport, Arkansas.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam in Wayne County, Missouri, causes the river to form Clearwater Lake.
BOURBEUSE RIVER
The Bourbeuse River (French for 'muddy') is a river located in east-central Missouri, in the Ozarks region, and is one of two major tributaries of the Meramec River, the other being the Big River. The Bourbeuse flows to the northeast from its source near the locale of Dillon in Phelps County, through Maries County, Gasconade County, Crawford County, and Franklin County, where it discharges into the Meramec River near Moselle. The elevation of the river at its source is approximately 1,120 feet (340 m) above sea level and at its mouth about 446 feet (136 m). The total length of the river is 154 miles (248 km), while the airline distance between source and mouth is 53 miles (85 km). The watershed area is 842.9 square miles (2,183 sq. km).
Tributaries of the Bourbeuse River include Spring Creek, Boone Creek, Brush Creek, Red Oak Creek, Dry Fork, Little Bourbeuse River, and Lower Bourbeuse River.
The river's lower 132 miles (212 km) has permanent flow, but unlike many other Ozark streams of its size, it has a low base flow, due to a paucity of springs feeding it. The river is also low-gradient and tends to be more muddy than other Ozark streams. Usually only the lower 108 miles (174 km) are navigable in summer.
The river is highly crooked: one section, near Noser Mill, has 11 miles (18 km) of river between points less than a half mile apart. 107 miles (172 km) of the river are in Franklin County, and only 27 airline miles. Unusual for a river of its size, a number of river bends are named. Like many other Ozark streams, the Bourbeuse River has entrenched meanders.
There are a large number of named fords on this river, compared to the rest of the state. The gravel riverbeds, low average river flow, and lack of sufficient bridges both allow and necessitate the use of natural river crossings.
The USGS stream gauge in Union, near the mouth of the river, measures an average flow of 681 cubic feet (19.3 m3) per second.
BRYANT CREEK
Bryant Creek is a relatively wild stream, provides only slightly less paddling mileage than the North Fork, and is highly fishable. Less spring fed, it has less volume than the North Fork and is more difficult to float because it is narrower and has more obstacles, but it also has some fast riffles. Local inquiry or examination should be made to determine whether the sections above Hodgson Mill Spring are floatable in summer without wading riffles.*
This post was edited on 5/28/14 at 4:34 pm
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Posted on 5/28/14 at 12:02 pm to mizzoukills
CASTOR RIVER
The Castor River rises in southeastern Missouri near Fredericktown. The river flows south to Bollinger County and empties into the Headwater Diversion Channel, which flows into the Mississippi River just south of Cape Girardeau. The river below the Diversion Channel flows south until it reaches Saint George Bayou where both streams combine to form the Little River.
COURTOIS CREEK
Courtois Creek (local pronunciation: "court-away") is a 38.6-mile-long (62.1 km) stream in southern Missouri, U.S.A. It shares its name with the nearby town of Courtois. According to the information in the Ramsay Place Names File at the University of Missouri, the creek was "doubtless named for some French settler, but his identity has not been ascertained".
The stream arises in the Mark Twain National Forest in northern Iron County and flows through the Missouri Ozarks, roughly paralleling the course of Huzzah Creek to its west. It flows into Huzzah Creek just before the latter's confluence with the Meramec River near the Crawford County Highway E bridge.
The creek is popular year-round for canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. It is surrounded by dense stands of trees and native vegetation, has abundant fish, turtles and waterfowl, and is the best-protected stream in the area against erosion. The St. Louis Riverfront Times cited the creek as the best local float trip in 2007.
CURRENT RIVER
The Current River forms in the southeastern portion of the Ozarks of Missouri and becomes a 7th order stream as it flows southeasterly out of the Ozarks into northeastern Arkansas where it becomes a tributary of the Black River, which is a tributary of the White River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Current River is approximately 184 miles (296 km) long and drains about 2,641 square miles (6,840 sq. km) of land mostly in Missouri and a small portion of land in northeastern Arkansas. The headwaters of the Current River are nearly 900 feet (270 m) above sea level, while the mouth of the river lies around 280 feet (85 m) above sea level. The basin drains a rural area that is dominated by karst topography, underlain by limestone bedrock with a small area of igneous rock southeast of Eminence, Missouri. The annual daily mean discharge of the river near Doniphan, Missouri is 2,815 cubic feet (79.7 m3) per second. In 1964, over 134 mi (160 km) of the upper course of the river and its tributaries were federally protected as the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the first national park in America to protect a river system.
The Current River begins in Montauk State Park located in the southwestern corner of Dent County in southeastern Missouri. The confluence of Pigeon Creek and Montauk Spring form the headwaters of the river. Montauk Spring makes up most of the consistent flow of the headwaters, providing ideal conditions for trout fishing. After leaving Montauk State Park the river enters the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The uppermost reaches of the river are swift with numerous riffles broken by deep pools of crystal clear water, further downstream the riffles continue but get further apart. Hardwood trees, rock ledges, caves, springs, gravel bars, and towering limestone bluffs line the banks of the river. Welch Spring, a first magnitude spring, enters the river approximately 14 miles (23 km) downstream from the headwaters, nearly doubling the flow of the river. Other notable springs to add to the river include Cave Spring, Pulltite Spring, and Round Spring. Downstream from the headwaters approximately 52 miles (84 km) the Current River receives its largest tributary the Jacks Fork from the west near the small town of Eminence, Missouri. Blue Spring, another first magnitude spring, empties into the river, 9 miles (14 km) downstream from the confluence with the Jacks Fork. The Current River is approximately 86 miles (138 km) long when it passes by the town of Van Buren, Missouri and under U.S. Highway 60. South of Van Buren a few miles the Current River receives its second biggest tributary, the largest spring in the Ozarks and one of the largest single spring outlets known in the world. Big Spring empties into the river providing nearly 470 cubic feet (13 m3) of water per second. From Big Spring the river continues southeasterly leaving the Ozark National Scenic Riverways 105 miles (169 km) from the headwaters. The river then flows through Mark Twain National Forest until reaching Doniphan, Missouri and passes under U.S. Highway 160. From here the river slows as it exits the Ozark Highlands, the river continues its slow silt laden path into Arkansas where it receives the Little Black River from the northeast before it joins the Black River near Pocahontas, Arkansas.
Canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, and camping are very popular activities along the Current River. The river is fairly gentle and is considered to have mostly class 1 rapids, and a couple class 2.
Some of the points of interest along the course of the river include Montauk State Park (trout park), Welch Spring and abandon hospital, Aker's Ferry, Cave Spring, Devil's Well, Deer Leap, Rock House Cave, Pulltite Spring, Round Spring, Jacks Fork, Blue Spring, Rocky Falls (on a small tributary), and Big Spring.
The Castor River rises in southeastern Missouri near Fredericktown. The river flows south to Bollinger County and empties into the Headwater Diversion Channel, which flows into the Mississippi River just south of Cape Girardeau. The river below the Diversion Channel flows south until it reaches Saint George Bayou where both streams combine to form the Little River.
COURTOIS CREEK
Courtois Creek (local pronunciation: "court-away") is a 38.6-mile-long (62.1 km) stream in southern Missouri, U.S.A. It shares its name with the nearby town of Courtois. According to the information in the Ramsay Place Names File at the University of Missouri, the creek was "doubtless named for some French settler, but his identity has not been ascertained".
The stream arises in the Mark Twain National Forest in northern Iron County and flows through the Missouri Ozarks, roughly paralleling the course of Huzzah Creek to its west. It flows into Huzzah Creek just before the latter's confluence with the Meramec River near the Crawford County Highway E bridge.
The creek is popular year-round for canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. It is surrounded by dense stands of trees and native vegetation, has abundant fish, turtles and waterfowl, and is the best-protected stream in the area against erosion. The St. Louis Riverfront Times cited the creek as the best local float trip in 2007.
CURRENT RIVER
The Current River forms in the southeastern portion of the Ozarks of Missouri and becomes a 7th order stream as it flows southeasterly out of the Ozarks into northeastern Arkansas where it becomes a tributary of the Black River, which is a tributary of the White River, a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Current River is approximately 184 miles (296 km) long and drains about 2,641 square miles (6,840 sq. km) of land mostly in Missouri and a small portion of land in northeastern Arkansas. The headwaters of the Current River are nearly 900 feet (270 m) above sea level, while the mouth of the river lies around 280 feet (85 m) above sea level. The basin drains a rural area that is dominated by karst topography, underlain by limestone bedrock with a small area of igneous rock southeast of Eminence, Missouri. The annual daily mean discharge of the river near Doniphan, Missouri is 2,815 cubic feet (79.7 m3) per second. In 1964, over 134 mi (160 km) of the upper course of the river and its tributaries were federally protected as the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the first national park in America to protect a river system.
The Current River begins in Montauk State Park located in the southwestern corner of Dent County in southeastern Missouri. The confluence of Pigeon Creek and Montauk Spring form the headwaters of the river. Montauk Spring makes up most of the consistent flow of the headwaters, providing ideal conditions for trout fishing. After leaving Montauk State Park the river enters the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The uppermost reaches of the river are swift with numerous riffles broken by deep pools of crystal clear water, further downstream the riffles continue but get further apart. Hardwood trees, rock ledges, caves, springs, gravel bars, and towering limestone bluffs line the banks of the river. Welch Spring, a first magnitude spring, enters the river approximately 14 miles (23 km) downstream from the headwaters, nearly doubling the flow of the river. Other notable springs to add to the river include Cave Spring, Pulltite Spring, and Round Spring. Downstream from the headwaters approximately 52 miles (84 km) the Current River receives its largest tributary the Jacks Fork from the west near the small town of Eminence, Missouri. Blue Spring, another first magnitude spring, empties into the river, 9 miles (14 km) downstream from the confluence with the Jacks Fork. The Current River is approximately 86 miles (138 km) long when it passes by the town of Van Buren, Missouri and under U.S. Highway 60. South of Van Buren a few miles the Current River receives its second biggest tributary, the largest spring in the Ozarks and one of the largest single spring outlets known in the world. Big Spring empties into the river providing nearly 470 cubic feet (13 m3) of water per second. From Big Spring the river continues southeasterly leaving the Ozark National Scenic Riverways 105 miles (169 km) from the headwaters. The river then flows through Mark Twain National Forest until reaching Doniphan, Missouri and passes under U.S. Highway 160. From here the river slows as it exits the Ozark Highlands, the river continues its slow silt laden path into Arkansas where it receives the Little Black River from the northeast before it joins the Black River near Pocahontas, Arkansas.
Canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, and camping are very popular activities along the Current River. The river is fairly gentle and is considered to have mostly class 1 rapids, and a couple class 2.
Some of the points of interest along the course of the river include Montauk State Park (trout park), Welch Spring and abandon hospital, Aker's Ferry, Cave Spring, Devil's Well, Deer Leap, Rock House Cave, Pulltite Spring, Round Spring, Jacks Fork, Blue Spring, Rocky Falls (on a small tributary), and Big Spring.
This post was edited on 5/28/14 at 4:34 pm
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