Big River (Missouri)

Location

The Big River is a tributary of the Meramec River in east-central Missouri. The river rises in western Iron County, near the summit of Johnson Mountain and the locale of Enough; it flows through Washington County, Saint Francois County, and Jefferson County. It forms part of the boundary between Jefferson County and Saint Francois County and also part of the boundary between Jefferson County and Washington County. It empties into the Meramec River, opposite Eureka, where the Meramec forms the border between Jefferson County and Saint Louis County. The river flows through Washington State Park, St. Francois State Park, and the Lead Belt mining district. The elevation of the river at its source is approximately convert|1300|ft|m above sea level and at its mouth about convert|400|ft|m. The length of the river is approximately convert|142|mi|km, while the airline distance between source and mouth is about convert|56|mi|km. Its watershed area is convert|955|sqmi|km2.

The river flows though the communities of Belgrade, Caledonia, Irondale, Park Hills, Bonne Terre, Morse Mill, Cedar Hill, Byrnesville, and Byrnes Mill.

Tributaries of Big River include Flat River, Belew Creek, Turkey Creek, Mill Creek, Mineral Fork, Calico Creek, Dulin Creek, and Jones Creek.

Character of the river

Like many other Ozark streams, the Big River has entrenched meanders; its valley is typically about half a mile wide, sometimes much narrower, and the valley is usually between 150 and convert|400|ft|m deep. This indicates that this river formed on a plain near sea level, which give the river is meandering nature, and then was subsequently uplifted, causing entrenchment.

About convert|83|mi|km are navigable; however, the remains of five small mill dams makes portage necessary, due to drops of several feet or high turbulence. Otherwise, the river is gentle for canoeing, with a Class I difficulty rating. Public parks are adjacent to most of these dams, and are popular fishing spots. Due to steady infeed of springwater, this river is navigable in all seasons.

Major pollution sources near Park Hills are due to historic mining activities, which including erosion from mine tailings piles and leaking mine dams.

Major gamefish commonly found in the river include Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Spotted bass, Rock bass, Longear sunfish, Bluegill, Channel catfish, Flathead catfish, and Redhorse suckers.

Miscellaneous

*This river is the namesake of Big River Township in Jefferson County.
*According to the National Weather Service, the maximum flood stage of the Big River at Byrnesville occurred on August 21, 1915, and was convert|30.20|ft|m, with a flow of roughly convert|80000|cuft|m3 per second. Flood stage at Byrnesville is convert|16|ft|m. The lowest flow measured, convert|25|cuft|m3 per second, was recorded on August 30, 1936. The average annual discharge here is convert|862|cuft|m3 per second. August is the month with the lowest average flow, while April has the highest average flow.
*The river is also the namesake of Big River Fire Protection Incorporated, a rural fire department in St. Francois county.

ee also

*Big River (disambiguation)
*List of Missouri rivers
*Iron County, Missouri
*Washington County, Missouri
*St. Francois County, Missouri
*Jefferson County, Missouri

External links

* [http://www.missouricanoe.org/big.html Big River canoeing information]
* [http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/meramec3.html More Big River canoeing information]
* [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ahps.cgi?lsx&byrm7&hydrograph Big River flood stage information]
* [http://www.mdcnatureshop.com/mdc.cgi/01-0052.html A Paddlers Guide to Missouri]
* [http://www.mdc.state.mo.us/fish/watershed/big/contents/20cotxt.htm Big River watershed inventory and assement, from the Missouri Department of Conservation]