Muddy Boggy Creek facts for kids

Muddy Boggy Creek, also known as the Muddy Boggy River, is a long river in south central Oklahoma. It flows for about 175 miles (282 km). This river starts near Ada in Pontotoc County. It is a big branch of the Red River. Another important stream, Clear Boggy Creek, joins it in Choctaw County. More than 100 kinds of fish live in Muddy Boggy Creek!

Exploring Muddy Boggy Creek's Path

Muddy Boggy Creek flows through several counties in Oklahoma. These include Pontotoc, Hughes, Coal, Atoka, and Choctaw counties.

The creek begins on the eastern side of Ada. It flows very close to the Canadian River before turning southeast. It then passes through the Arkoma Basin and the western part of the Ouachita Mountains. This area was once called the Cross Timbers. The creek finally joins the Red River southwest of Hugo. This meeting point is close to where Highway 271 crosses the Red River near Arthur City, Texas.

Lakes and Waterways Along the Creek

Lake Atoka is the only lake found on Muddy Boggy Creek. It is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of the city of Atoka.

Smaller Streams Joining the Creek

Many smaller streams flow into Muddy Boggy Creek. These are called tributaries. Some of them are Sand, Caney Boggy, Rock, East Fork, Coal, Caney (Coon), North Boggy, McGee, Cold Spring, Lick, and Crowder creeks.

Clear Boggy Creek also has its own tributaries. These include Jackfork, Coal, Goose, Leader, Delaware, Sandy, Caney, Fronterhouse, Cowpen, Bois d'Arc, and Mayhew creeks. Near where the creeks start, they are often short and deep. In the lower areas, they are short, shallow, and can have many fallen trees.

How the Land Changes Along the Creek

Near its beginning, Muddy Boggy Creek flows through the Arbuckle Mountains. Here, the land drops quickly, about 100 feet per mile (19 meters per km). As it moves into the Cretaceous area, the slope becomes much gentler, only about 5 feet per mile (0.9 meters per km). After that, it flows through the Ouachita Mountains.

Clear Boggy Creek also changes its slope. Near its start, it drops about 15 feet per mile (2.8 meters per km). Closer to where it joins Muddy Boggy Creek, it drops only about 1.5 feet per mile (0.28 meters per km).

The Creek's Drainage Area

The area of land that drains water into Muddy Boggy Creek is quite large. It is about 80 miles (129 km) long and 40 miles (64 km) wide. The total drainage area is about 2,429 square miles (6,291 square km). This area includes parts of Coal, Pontotoc, Hughes, Pittsburg, Atoka, Johnson, Bryan, Pushmataha, and Choctaw counties.

The Story of Muddy Boggy Creek

Where the Name "Muddy Boggy" Comes From

A historian named Muriel H. Wright wrote about the creek's name. She said that in 1805, a doctor named Jonathan Sibley reported that French explorers called this stream Vazzures. This French word came from vaseaux, which means "boggy" or "miry." It described the deep mud found at the bottom of the creek. Later, English-speaking traders used an English translation, giving the creek its current name, Muddy Boggy.

Why the Creek Was Important in the Past

In the past, Muddy Boggy Creek was a very important landmark. There were no bridges, and its sandy banks made it hard to cross. It was a natural boundary.

The Pushmataha District was one of the main areas of the Choctaw Nation in the Indian Territory. Muddy Boggy Creek and its smaller streams helped form the borders between different counties within this district. These counties included Atoka County, Jack's Fork County, Jackson County, and Kiamitia County. The main town of the district, Mayhew, was said to be located "between the forks of the Boggies." This phrase was often used to describe the lower parts of the river.