Current River (Ozarks)
Current | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | Missouri, Arkansas |
Region | Ozark Plateau, Mississippi Alluvial Plain |
Cities | Van Buren, Doniphan, Missouri |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Pigeon Creek Montauk Spring |
• location | Montauk State Park, Dent County, Ozark Plateau, Missouri |
• coordinates | 37°27′36″N 91°41′00″W / 37.46000°N 91.68333°W[1] |
• elevation | 935 ft (285 m)[2] |
Black River | |
• location | Pocahontas, Arkansas, Randolph County, Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Arkansas |
• coordinates | 36°15′11″N 90°54′45″W / 36.25306°N 90.91250°W[1] |
• elevation | 243 ft (74 m)[1] |
Length | 184 mi (296 km) |
Basin size | 2,641 sq mi (6,840 km2) |
Discharge | |
• location | Doniphan, Missouri[3] |
• average | 2,772 cu ft/s (78.5 m3/s)[3] |
• maximum | 130,000 cu ft/s (3,700 m3/s) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Sinking Creek, Little Black River, Welch Spring |
• right | Big Creek, Jacks Fork, Big Spring |
The Current River forms in the southeastern portion of the
Source and tributaries
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, farther downstream the riffles continue but get farther apart. Hardwood trees, rock ledges, caves, springs, gravel bars, and towering dolomite 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
Recreational activities
Canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, and camping are popular activities along the Current River. The river is fairly gentle and is considered to have mostly class 1 rapids and a few rated class 2.
Some of the points of interest along the course of the river include Montauk State Park, Welch Spring and its abandoned tuberculosis 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.
See also
- List of Missouri rivers
- List of Arkansas rivers
- List of Ozark springs
References
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Current River (Ozarks)
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Montauk Spring
- ^ a b USGS 07068000 Current River at Doniphan, MO
- ^ a b c d Inventory and Assessment for Current River Watershed, Missouri Department of Conservation
- ^ http://www.nps.gov/ozar/ National Park Service
- ^ Vineyard and Feder, Springs of Missouri, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Land Survey in cooperation with U.S. Geological Survey and Missouri Department of Conservation, 1982
- ^ USGS Surface Water data for US – Big Spring 1981-2009
Further reading
- Stars Upstream: Life Along an Ozark River, Leonard Hall, ISBN 0-8262-0074-5
- Missouri Ozark Waterways, Oz Hawksley, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 1965, Revised 1989 Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri