The Fabius River (pronounced ''FAY-bee-us'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 13, 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 drainage ...

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 f ...

in northeastern

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 ...

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 territorie ...

. It is formed near its mouth by the confluence of the North Fabius River and the South Fabius River. The North Fabius River also flows through southeastern

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. The Middle Fabius River joins the North Fabius upstream of that river's mouth. Each of the three rivers have been subjected to substantial straightening and channelization. According to tradition, the Fabius River is named for the Roman consul

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, surnamed Cunctator ( 280 – 203 BC), was a Roman statesman and general of the third century BC. He was consul five times (233, 228, 215, 214, and 209 BC) and was appointed dictator in 221 and 217 BC. He was ...

. However, the State Historical Society of Missouri suggests Fabius actually was the name of a French pioneer in the area.

Course

North Fabius River

The North Fabius River, about long, is the longest of the three forks and rises near

Moulton Moulton may refer to: Places in the United Kingdom ;In England *Moulton, Cheshire *Moulton, Lincolnshire **Moulton Windmill * Moulton St Mary, Norfolk *Moulton, Northamptonshire **Moulton College, agricultural college **Moulton Park, industria ...

in southwestern

Appanoose County, Iowa Appanoose County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,317. Its county seat is Centerville. History Appanoose County was formed on February 17, 1843, from open territory. It was named for the ...

. It flows generally southeastwardly through

Davis County Davis County is or was the name of the following counties in the United States: *Davis County, Iowa, named in honor of Garrett Davis, a Congressman from Kentucky *Davis County, Utah, named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion *Cass ...

in Iowa and

Schuyler Schuyler may refer to: Places United States * Schuyler County, Illinois * Schuyler County, Missouri * Schuyler, Nebraska, a city * Schuyler County, New York * Schuyler, New York, a town * Schuyler Island, Lake Champlain, New York * Schuyler Creek ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, Knox,

Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...

Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...

and

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...

counties in Missouri, past the towns of

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

and

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...

, both in Missouri. In its upper course it collects two short tributaries known as the North Fork North Fabius River and the South Fork North Fabius River. At

Taylor, Missouri Taylor is an unincorporated community in northeastern Marion County, Missouri, United States. Taylor is located at the northern junction of U.S. Routes 24 and 61, approximately five miles west of Quincy, Illinois and eight miles north of Palmyr ...

, the North Fork averages a discharge of 467 cubic feet per second.

Middle Fabius River

The Middle Fabius River, about long, is formed in Scotland County by the confluence of the North Fork Middle Fabius River and the South Fork Middle Fabius River, both of which rise in Schuyler County. It flows generally southeastwardly through Knox and Lewis counties, and joins the North Fabius River in southeastern Lewis County. The Middle Fork has a mean annual discharge of 386 cubic feet per second at

Ewing, Missouri Ewing is a city in Lewis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 406 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. Ewing is part of the Lewis County C-1 School district. Students attend ...

South Fabius River

The South Fabius River, about long, is formed in Knox County by the confluence of the North Fork South Fabius River and the South Fork South Fabius River. The North Fork rises in Schuyler County and flows through Adair County, and the South Fork rises in Adair County; both flow past the town of

Edina EDINA is a centre for digital expertise, based at the University of Edinburgh as a division of the Information Services Group. Services EDINA front-end services (those accessed directly by the user) are available free at the point of use for ...

. The South Fabius flows generally south-southeastwardly through Knox, Lewis, Shelby and Marion counties, past the town of

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

. Near Newark it collects the Little Fabius River, which rises near Hurdland and flows for its entire length in Knox County. The South Fabius River's average discharge at Taylor is approximately 440 cubic feet per second.

Lower river

The North and South Fabius rivers join to form the Fabius River in northeastern Marion County. The natural confluence of the rivers was about upstream of the Fabius River's mouth at the Mississippi River, but the North Fabius River has been re-routed by channelization, and now joins the South Fabius River about upstream of the Mississippi. The Fabius flows into the Mississippi River about three miles downstream of

Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ), known as Illinois's "Gem City", is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2020 census counted a population of 39,463 in the city itself, down from 40,633 in 2010. ...

. The Fabius River averages approximately 907 cubic feet per second at the junction of the North and South Fabius rivers. This discharge is obtained by combining the discharges of the North and South forks,(see above), since the Fabius has never been measured by the USGS.

Sources

Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry
*

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(1998). ''Iowa Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. . *