The Verdigris River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. It is about 280 mi (451 km) long. Via the Arkansas, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. A tributary (or affluent or confluent) is a contributory stream, a river that does not reach the sea, but joins another major river (a parent river), to which it contributes its waters, swelling its discharge. ... Lower Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a tributary of the Mississippi which flows east and southeast through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and the state of Arkansas. ... State nickname: The Sunflower State Other U.S. States Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) Official languages None Area 82,277 mi²; 213,096 km² (15th)  - Land 81,815 mi²; 211,900 km²  - Water 462 mi²; 1,196 km² (0. ... Oklahoma is a South Central state of the United States (with strong Southern, Western, and Midwestern influences) and its U.S. postal abbreviation is OK; others abbreviate the states name Okla. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint Louis¹: 5,500 m³/s Vicksburg²: 16,800 m³/s Baton Rouge³: 12,800 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin  Lake Itasca Mouth  Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... A watershed is either (1) a region of land where water flows into a specified body of water, such as a river, lake, sea, or ocean or (2) a topographical boundary between catchment basins. ...

Course

The Verdigris is formed near Madison, Kansas by the convergence of two short headwaters streams, its North and South Forks, and flows generally southward throughout its course. South of Coffeyville, the river enters Oklahoma. It joins the Arkansas River near Muskogee, about a mile upstream of the mouth of the Neosho River. Madison is a city located in Greenwood County, Kansas. ... Coffeyville is a city located in Montgomery County, Kansas. ... Muskogee is a city located in Muskogee County, Oklahoma. ...

Dams and transportation

Dams built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cause the Verdigris to form Toronto Lake near Toronto, Kansas and Oologah Lake near Oologah, Oklahoma. Scrivener Dam, Canberra Australia, was engineered to withstand a once-in-5000-years flood event A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment. ... United States Army Corps of Engineers logo The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military men and women. ... Toronto is a city located in Woodson County, Kansas. ... Oologah is a town located in Rogers County, Oklahoma. ...

From just north of Catoosa, Oklahoma to its confluence with the Arkansas, barge traffic is maintained on the river as part of the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System, which consists of a series of locks and dams on both streams and allows commercial navigation between the Tulsa area and the Mississippi River. Catoosa is a city located in Oklahoma. ... Self propelled barge carrying bulk crushed stone A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. ... Canal locks in England. ... Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma, USA. As of the revised 2004 census report, the city had a total population of 387,807, with 930,842 in the greater metro area. ...

Tributaries

In Kansas, the Verdigris collects the Fall River at the town of Neodesha and the Elk River at the town of Independence. In Oklahoma it collects the Caney River in Rogers County. Neodesha is a city located in Wilson County, Kansas. ... Rogers County is a county located in the state of Oklahoma. ...

Cities and towns along the river

• Altoona, Kansas
• Benedict, Kansas
• Coffeyville, Kansas
• Independence, Kansas
• Madison, Kansas
• Neodesha, Kansas
• Okay, Oklahoma
• Toronto, Kansas

Altoona is a city located in Wilson County, Kansas. ... Benedict is a city located in Wilson County, Kansas. ... Coffeyville is a city located in Montgomery County, Kansas. ... Independence is a city located in Montgomery County, Kansas. ... Madison is a city located in Greenwood County, Kansas. ... Neodesha is a city located in Wilson County, Kansas. ... Okay is a town located in Wagoner County, Oklahoma. ... Toronto is a city located in Woodson County, Kansas. ...

See also

• List of Kansas rivers
• List of Oklahoma rivers