The Little Osage River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 31, 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

Osage River The Osage River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 tributary of the Missouri River in central Missouri in the United States. The eighth-largest river ...

in eastern

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

and western

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

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 Osage and

rivers, 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 ...

. The name was derived from the Osage Nation, whose traditional territory encompassed this area.

Course

The Little Osage rises in Kansas in northeastern Allen County at the confluence of the North and Middle Forks. The stream flows southeast into Bourbon County where the South Fork joins the stream and the stream turns and flows to the east. The stream turns sharply south. It is crossed by Kansas 65 to the east of Xenia. The stream meanders eastward passing north of

Fulton Fulton may refer to: People * Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship * Fulton (surname) Given name * Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer * Fult ...

, and under U.S. Route 69, where it enters northwestern

Vernon County, Missouri Vernon County is located in the western region of the U.S. state of Missouri, on the border with Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,159. Its county seat is Nevada. The county was organized on February 27, 1855, considerably l ...

. In Vernon County the stream passes just north of Stotesbury and on to pass under

U.S. Route 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...

north of Horton and through the Four Rivers Conservation Area and is joined by the

Marmaton River The Marmaton River (''MAR-muh-tuhn'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 tributary of the Little Osage River in southeastern Kansas and western Missouri in ...

. On the boundary of Vernon and

Bates Bates may refer to: Places * Bates, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Bates, Illinois. an unincorporated community in Sangamon County * Bates, Michigan, a community in Grand Traverse County * Bates, New York, a hamlet in the town of Ell ...

counties, the Little Osage joins the

Marais des Cygnes River The Marais des Cygnes River ( , ) is a principal tributary of the Osage River, about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 in eastern Kansas and western Miss ...

to form the Osage River, west of Schell City. The areas to the east of the Marmaton River confluence are within what is now the flooded area of the

Harry S Truman Reservoir The Harry S Truman Reservoir, also known as Truman Lake, is located in the state of Missouri, United States. It is located between Clinton and Warsaw, on the Osage River and extends south to Osceola. The dam is located in Benton County, but t ...

. ''Nevada, MO-KS'' (1991) and ''Butler, MO-KS'' (1981), 1:100,000 scale Topographic Maps. USGS

References

External links

* Rivers of Kansas Rivers of Missouri Rivers of Allen County, Kansas Rivers of Anderson County, Kansas Rivers of Bourbon County, Kansas Rivers of Bates County, Missouri Rivers of Vernon County, Missouri Tributaries of the Missouri River {{Missouri-river-stub

Course

See also

References

External links