The Blue River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed June 3, 2011

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the Red River in southern Oklahoma in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. Via the Red River, it is part of the watershed of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

. According to the

Geographic Names Information System The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...

, the river has also been known as Blue Creek. The

Board on Geographic Names The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a federal body operating under the United States Secretary of the Interior. The purpose of the board is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geographic names throughout the federal govern ...

settled on "Blue River" as the stream's official name in 1977. A clear water stream in its upper course, the Blue River is important for recreation, especially fishing. Several areas along the river are owned by the state of Oklahoma and the

Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US. Founded in 1951, The Nat ...

Course

The Blue River originates in southeastern Murray County, southwest of Roff. It flows east into Pontotoc County and turns southeast through Johnston and Bryan counties, past the town of Milburn and within of Durant. It joins the Red River in southeastern Bryan County. The river basin is long and narrow, draining an area of (670 sq. mi). In contrast to the upper river, clear (except after rains), spring-fed, and fast-flowing, the lower river is "deep and muddy." The Blue River is one of the last free flowing streams in Oklahoma; water flows from its source to its mouth without dams or other man-made structures controlling the flow of water. Fish include smallmouth, spotted, and largemouth bass, crappie,

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...

, and a varied community of panfish including the long ear, redbreast, redear, and

green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combi ...

sunfish. Trout are stocked in the river at the Blue River Fishing Area north of Tishomingo, making it a designated Oklahoma trout stream from November 1 till March 31. This brings anglers to fish for rainbow and brown trout during the winter when the river waters are at their coldest.

Conservation

The upper one-half of the Blue River transverses the Arbuckle Plains, a limestone area with many springs and caves. Underlying the region is the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer, a source of drinking water for nearby cities and towns. The Blue River receives its water from both precipitation runoff and springs, the spring water accounting for the clarity of the water of the upper Blue River in a region in which most rivers are muddy. The upper Blue has many gentle rapids and low waterfalls as it cuts through limestone outcrops and flows over

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties. It is formed by a p ...

ledges. The shallow rocky soil has inhibited cultivation and most of the watershed of the upper Blue is unplowed. Vegetation mostly consists of prairie and

Cross Timbers The term Cross Timbers, also known as Ecoregion 29, Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains, is used to describe a strip of land in the United States that runs from southeastern Kansas across Central Oklahoma to Central Texas. Made up of a mix of prairie ...

oak forest with an oak/elm/hickory/pecan bottomland forest adjacent to the river. The Blue River is home to the endangered seaside alder found only in coastal

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, and the Blue River in Oklahoma. The uniqueness of the Blue River has led to conservation efforts. along of the river north and south of State Highway 7 are owned by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation with fishing, hunting, and hiking permitted. Canoeing and kayaking is popular along 9.5 miles of the river which has class II and III rapids, dropping over about 50 ledges and waterfalls from 2 to 12 feet high. Floating is best in the winter and spring as the river is too low in the summer except after rains. The greatest threat to the Blue River is the withdrawal of water for human use from the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer. Withdrawal exceeds recharge which reduces the flow of the river. In 2011, to help protect the aquifer and the land, the

purchased 490 acres of land along the river near Connerville. The preserve was named the ''Oka' Yanahli'', which in the

Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Their traditional territory was in the Southeastern United States of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee as well in southwestern Kentucky. Their language is classif ...

language means "water flowing." This area belonged to the Chickasaw Indians during the 19th century."Nature Conservancy Unveils Name of Nature Preserve along Blue River."
accessed 20 June 2012 Another threat to the river is the fact that, over the last 200 years, native trees were cut down along its banks to provide for hay meadows, which in turn opens the door to erosion problems. The Nature Conservancy and other groups are cooperating to plant a variety of trees along the river’s route, and helping other private landowners do the same.

Sources

External links

Blue River
- Video footage of the area and a list of local activities and resources. *
"Oklahoma:Oka' Yanahli Preserve."
{{authority control Rivers of Oklahoma Rivers of Bryan County, Oklahoma Rivers of Johnston County, Oklahoma Rivers of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma Rivers of Murray County, Oklahoma Tributaries of the Red River of the South

Course

Conservation

See also

Sources

External links