- Wakarusa River
The
Wakarusa River is a tributary of theKansas River , approximately 50 mi (80 km) long, in easternKansas in theUnited States . It drains an agricultural area of rollinglimestone hills south of Topeka and Lawrence.Description
It rises in several branches located southwest of Topeka. The main branch rises on the Wabaunsee-Shawnee county line, approximately 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Topeka and flows east. The South Branch rises in eastern Wabaunsee County, approximately 15 mi (24 km) southwest of Topeka and flows ENE, joining the main branch south of Topeka.
The main branch flows generally east, flowing south of Lawrence. It joins the Kansas in Douglas County at Eudora, approximately 8 mi (13 km) east of Lawrence. It is impounded by Clinton Dam approximately 3 mi (5 km) southwest of Lawrence to form Clinton Lake.
The river is known for its gentle current that winds through river-level outcropping rocks, primary of
Pennsylvanian limestone. This reach of the river was inhabited by different Native American tribes, including theKansa andOsage Nation in the 18th century.During 1819-1820, Major
Stephen H. Long referred to thistributary as "Warreruza" (ISBN 0-7006-0393-X p. 203). The name "Wakarusa" is derived from thePotawatomi language for "knee deep in mud."After the U.S. acquired this region, the Shawnee people were relocated to this region during the early 19th century.
Ridge lines of this historic watershed definedwagon train routes first used bySanta Fe Trail pioneers andOregon Trail emigrants.During the "Great Migration of 1843", the fords used for crossing this meandering river were among the many topographic challenges emigrant wagon trains had to master along the "Fremont-Westport Trail" (1843-1848) named after
John C. Frémont . This Freedom's Frontier route also was called theCalifornia Road during the 1849 gold rush.Also, during the days of the
Kansas Territory , the limestone outcroppings of the river presented great challenges to early white emigrants attempting to ford the stream in their wagons. Oregon Trail wagons were often dismantled, lowered down the limestone beds, towed across, then lifted by rope to the opposing bank.Several Shawnee created
ferry operations at river crossings in the 1850s, includingBlue Jacket 's Ferry near Coal Creek at Sebastian. The river's gentle current and scenic banks made it an early recreation spot for citizens of Lawrence (which was originally called "Wacharusa"). See (1820-1840) The river once had extensivewetland riparian habitat, much of which has been reclaimed over the last century for cultivation and other uses. Clinton Dam, finished in 1977 to reduce seasonal spring flooding, greatly reduced the replenishment of wetlands below the dam. A remaining tract of 600 acres (2.4 km²), theHaskell-Baker Wetlands , is located south of Lawrence nearHaskell Indian Nations University .Though the wetlands below the dam are mostly dry now, along the Wakarusa above
Clinton Lake , former cropland has been converted into a new wetland area. By pumping water into shallow ditches, 3 major manmade wetlands have formed, including the East and West Coblentz marshes, and the more recent Elk Creek wetland add more than convert|500|acre|km2 of wetlands along the Wakarusa River. The East and West Coblentz complexes are more accessible than the Elk Creek complex, and boast a large variety of waterfowl and reptiles. Due to the wetlands lying within the low Clinton Lake floodpool, access is very limited during the wet spring months.Tributaries and Other Landmarks
(This list follows Wakarusa River flow downstream)
* Middle Branch Wakarusa
* South Branch Wakarusa
* North Branch Wakarusa
* Six Mile Creek
* Towhead Creek
* Bury's Creek
* Lynn Creek
* Camp Creek
* Elk-Horn Creek
* Dry Creek
* Deer Creek
* Coon Creek
* Clinton Lake - Elev: convert|876|ft|m|abbr=on
* South Rock Creek
* Washington Creek
* Yankee Tank Creek
*USGS [http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata/?site_no=06891500& Gaging Station] - Elev: convert|799|ft|m|abbr=on
* [http://www.vlib.us/old_west/trails/othist.html Black Jack Creek (COAL CREEK)] , trib. of Wakarusa River; Douglas Co. USGS: Lawrence E.
* Spring Creek
* Little Wakarusa CreekCities along the Wakarusa River
* Wakarusa - Elev: convert|955|ft|m|abbr=on
* Richland - Elev: convert|925|ft|m|abbr=on
* Eudora - Elev: convert|785|ft|m|abbr=onee also
*
Bleeding Kansas Heritage Area
**California Road - Branch of the Oregon Trail toLawrence, Kansas from Westport Landing.
**Clinton State Park - Provides recreational access to Clinton Lake.
*List of Kansas rivers
**Lakes, reservoirs, and dams in Kansas External links
Human geography
* [http://shawnee-bluejacket.com/bj_sculpture.htm Bluejacket Crossing]
* [http://www.vlib.us/old_west/trails.html Old West Kansas Historic Trails]
* [http://rs6.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/lhbtn:@field(DOCID+@lit(lhbtnth014div13)): Part I of James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819--1820] (p.184)Physical geography
*Fresh water supplies: " [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/out_of_the_tap/ Out of the tap] " (Series)
** [http://www.wakarusawatershed.org/ Upper Wakarusa Watershed]
** [http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=10270104 Lower Kaw Valley Watershed Profile]
*KWO: [http://www.kwo.org/bacs/klr/klr.htm Kansas-Lower Republican Basin]
** [http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/student/schmidt2/wetland.html Emporia State University: Wakarusa Land Cover]
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