Marais des Cygnes River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marais des Cygnes River |
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| Big Osage River, Brush Creek, Grand River, Old Aunt Mary River | |
.jpg) Mussel beds on the bank of the Marais des Cygnes River
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Kansas, Missouri |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | 110 Mile Creek, Bull Creek |
| - right | Pottawatomie Creek |
| Source confluence | |
| - location | Lyon County, Kansas |
| - elevation | 1,112 ft (339 m) |
| - coordinates | ACoordinates: Unknown argument format {{#coordinates:}}: invalid longitude |
| Mouth | Osage River |
| - location | Vernon County, Missouri |
| - elevation | 722 ft (220 m) |
| - coordinates | 38°01′39″N 94°14′39″W / 38.02750°N 94.24417°W |
| Length | 217 mi (349 km) |
| Discharge | for USGS 06916600 near Kansas-Missouri state line |
| - average | 2,189 cu ft/s (62 m³/s) |
| - max | 129,000 cu ft/s (3,653 m³/s) |
| - min | 0 cu ft/s (0 m³/s) |
| Watersheds | Marais des Cygnes-Osage-Missouri-Mississippi |
| Reservoirs | Melvern Lake |
The Marais des Cygnes River is a river in the central United States. It flows for about 217 miles (349 km). This river travels through eastern Kansas and western Missouri. It is a main branch, or tributary, of the Osage River. The Osage River then flows into the Missouri River, which then joins the Mississippi River. This means the Marais des Cygnes River is part of the huge watershed of the Mississippi River.
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About the Marais des Cygnes River
The Marais des Cygnes River is an important waterway. It helps carry water from a large area. This area is called its watershed. The river starts in Lyon County, Kansas. It then flows southeast. Finally, it joins the Osage River in Vernon County, Missouri.
What's in a Name?
The name Marais des Cygnes comes from the French words for "Marsh of the Swans." However, the name actually came from the Osage people. They called it “Mixa-ckau-tse.” This means "where white swans are plentiful."
Long ago, many trumpeter and tundra swans lived near this river. They were common before the late 1800s. The river was likely named for these beautiful birds.
River Challenges: Flooding
The Marais des Cygnes River is known for flash flooding. This means the water level can rise very quickly. Heavy rains can cause the river to overflow its banks. This can happen suddenly and cause problems for nearby areas.
The River in Culture
The Marais des Cygnes River has even been mentioned in music. The country singer Chely Wright has a song called "The River." It refers to this very river.
