Roe River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roe River |
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Roe River flowing from Giant Springs
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Cascade County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Giant Springs 47°32′01″N 111°13′46″W / 47.53361°N 111.22944°W |
| River mouth | Missouri River 3,245 feet (989 m) 47°32′05″N 111°13′49″W / 47.53472°N 111.23028°W |
| Length | 201 feet (61 m) |
The Roe River is a very short river located in Montana, United States. It starts at Giant Springs and flows into the Missouri River near Great Falls, Montana. The Roe River is only about 201 feet (61 m) (61 meters) long. For some time, it was recognized as the shortest river in the world by the Guinness World Records.
Contents
How the Roe River Became Famous
In 1987, a group of fifth-grade students from Lincoln Elementary School in Great Falls helped make the Roe River famous. Their teacher, Susie Nardlinger, led the project. At that time, the river did not have a name.
Naming the River
First, the students had to ask the United States Board on Geographic Names to accept their chosen name: Roe River. Once the name was approved, they sent their idea to Guinness World Records. They wanted the Roe River to be named the shortest river in the world.
Appearing on TV
To help their cause, a student named Dallas Neil appeared on The Tonight Show in 1988. Dallas later became a professional football player in the NFL. His appearance helped bring attention to the students' efforts.
The Shortest River Debate
Before the Roe River, Oregon's D River was listed in Guinness World Records as the world's shortest river. It was said to be about 440 feet (130 m) (134 meters) long.
A New Champion
In 1989, Guinness officially named the Roe River as the world's shortest. This made the people of Lincoln City, Oregon, where the D River is located, unhappy. They sent new measurements to Guinness. They claimed the D River was only about 120 feet (37 m) (37 meters) long at high tide.
Friendly Competition
The Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce even called the Roe River a "drainage ditch." But Susie Nardlinger, the teacher, disagreed. She said the D River was just "ocean water backup." She also pointed out that another part of the Roe River was even shorter, only 30 feet (9.1 m) (9 meters) long.
Guinness World Records never officially decided who was right. Instead, they stopped listing a "shortest river" category altogether. This might have been because of the ongoing disagreement.
Images for kids
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Roe River at its mouth, flowing into the Missouri River
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Interpretive sign at Roe River
See also
In Spanish: Río Roe para niños
