Coldwater River (Mississippi) facts for kids
The Coldwater River is a long river located in the state of Mississippi, in the United States. It flows for about 220 miles (354 kilometers) through the northwestern part of the state. This river is a tributary, which means it's a smaller river that flows into a larger one. The Coldwater River flows into the Tallahatchie River.
All the water from the Coldwater River eventually makes its way to the huge Mississippi River. It does this by first joining the Tallahatchie River, which then flows into the Yazoo River, and finally into the Mississippi River. The entire area where water collects and flows into a river system is called a watershed or drainage basin.
For a long time, people called the Coldwater River by different names. Some old names were Okalopasaw, Copasaw, or even "Cold Water River" (two words). But in 1891, everyone officially agreed to call it simply "Coldwater River" as one word.
The River's Journey
The Coldwater River begins its journey in Marshall County, Mississippi. You can find its starting point near Mississippi Highway 4, close to the border of Benton County.
From there, the river flows towards the northwest. It passes through a small part of Benton County and then crosses all the way through Marshall County. Just south of a small community called Barton, the river changes direction. It turns southwest as it enters DeSoto County.
Arkabutla Lake
As the Coldwater River flows along the border between DeSoto County and Tate County, it is stopped by a large dam. This dam was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. When the river is blocked by the dam, it forms a big lake called Arkabutla Lake.
Flowing South
After Arkabutla Lake, the Coldwater River mostly flows south. It runs almost side-by-side with the much larger Mississippi River. The Coldwater River forms the border between Tate County and Tunica County.
Then, the river continues its path through Quitman County. Finally, it meets and joins the Tallahatchie River south of the town of Marks.
Near a place called Savage, the Coldwater River moves a lot of water. On average, about 1,368 cubic feet of water flow past that point every second. That's like more than 10,000 gallons of water flowing by in just one second!
