stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
. It is a tributary 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 i ...
.
The stream
headwaters
The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source.
Definition
The ...
arise just southwest of Eldon (at ). The stream flows east-southeast passing under
Missouri Route 52
Route 52 is an east/west highway running from its eastern terminus at Route 133 east of St. Elizabeth to the Kansas state line where it continues as K-52 (this road continues for 23 additional miles). Highway 52 comprises of primarily two-l ...
and
U.S. Route 54
U.S. Route 54 (US 54) is an east–west United States Highway that runs northeast–southwest for from El Paso, Texas, to Griggsville, Illinois. The Union Pacific Railroad's Tucumcari Line (former Southern Pacific and Rock Island Lines "Golden S ...
. The stream parallels
Missouri Route M
A supplemental route is a state secondary road in the U.S. state of Missouri, designated with letters. Supplemental routes were various roads within the state which the Missouri Department of Transportation was given in 1952 to maintain in additi ...
as it enters the Saline Valley Conservation Area. The stream remains within the conservation area for about six miles and crosses under
Missouri Route 17
Route 17 is a highway in central and southern Missouri. Its northern terminus is at U.S. Route 54 in Eugene, which is six miles (10 km) northeast of Eldon; its southern terminus is at the Arkansas state line where it continues into Arkan ...
just prior to its
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
with the Osage (at ) about three miles northeast (downstream) of Tuscumbia. The confluence is adjacent to Coon Creek Island within the Osage and across the Osage from the confluence of Coon Creek to the south.
Saline Creek most likely was so named on account of
mineral lick
A mineral lick (also known as a salt lick) is a place where animals can go to lick essential mineral nutrients from a deposit of salts and other minerals. Mineral licks can be naturally occurring or artificial (such as blocks of salt that farm ...
s near its course.
See also
*
List of rivers of Missouri
List of rivers in Missouri (U.S. state).
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Mississippi River
Arkansas River
*Mississippi River
**Arkansas River (AR ...