The Saline River, also known as Saline Creek, 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

Ouachita River The Ouachita River ( ) is a river that runs south and east through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana. It is the 25th-longest river in the United State ...

in the south central portion of the

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 sove ...

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

. It is the longest river that flows entirely within the state of Arkansas. The Saline River begins in the eastern foothills of the

Ouachita Mountains The Ouachita Mountains (), simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thru ...

in Saline and

Garland A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. Etymology From the ...

counties. The river has four headwater tributaries, the South Fork, the Middle Fork, the Alum Fork, and the North Fork, which merge northwest of the city of Benton. The upper section of the Saline is a clear, cold-water stream with a series of fast running shoals interspersed with quiet pools. The central section of the river has clear to murky water with long slower moving pools interrupted by short stretches of fast water. The lower section is sluggish with murky water. The L'Aigle Creek (Saline River of the Ouachita River) connects to the Saline River near where the Saline River connects to the Ouachita River. During parts of the year the lower stretches of the river can be somewhat clogged with brush or trees. After the merge of the three forks the river flattens and travels through

Grant Grant or Grants may refer to: Places *Grant County (disambiguation) Australia * Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia United Kingdom * Castle Grant United States * Grant, Alabama * Grant, Inyo County, ...

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

Bradley Bradley is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad meadow" in Old English. Like many English surnames Bradley can also be used as a given name and as such has become popular. It is also an Anglicisation of t ...

, and Ashley counties. The river reaches 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 Ouachita River in the marshy area north of Lake Jack Lee within the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge. The Saline is relatively free of development. The river runs through dense forests which are home to bear, deer, mink, otters, beaver, muskrats, turkey, squirrel as well as alligators in southern sections of the river. The river provides excellent fishing, scenery, and wilderness floating. Smallmouth, largemouth, rock bass, and spotted bass as well as warmouth, longear, green sunfish, bluegills, channel catfish, and crappie inhabit the river. Picnicking and swimming facilities are available at Jenkins' Ferry Historical Monument south of

Sheridan Sheridan may refer to: People Surname *Sheridan (surname) *Philip Sheridan (1831–1888), U.S. Army general after whom the Sheridan tank is named *Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816), Irish playwright (''The Rivals''), poet and politician ...

which commemorates the

Battle of Jenkins' Ferry The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, also known as the Engagement at Jenkins' Ferry, was fought on April 30, 1864, at Jenkins' Ferry, southwest of Little Rock (present-day Grant County, Arkansas), during the American Civil War. Although the battle ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

History

Steamboats

In the days of the steamboats, the steamboats traveled upstream as far as Bridges Bluff in Cleveland County. Cotton, timber, and staves (to make wood barrels) were shipped downstream each winter and spring (while the river water was high) to New Orleans and Monroe, Louisiana. Fifty-four steamboats have been documented on the Saline River. *Carrie Poole, steamboat *Enos Taylor, steamboat *Handy, steamboat *The Morgan Nelson, steamboat Steamboat traffic on the Saline river was considerably reduced with the arrival of the rail system in 1880. One of the last steamboats on the Saline River was the Gate City,
Gate City (Packet, 1900-1913) steamboat which sank on October 14, 1913, near Warren.

Flood of 1927

Arkansas State Planning Board Areas Inundated by Flood in 1927

The

Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States, with inundated in depths of up to over the course of several months in early 1927. The uninflated cost of the damage has been estimat ...

flooded the areas along the Saline and Ouachita Rivers.

References

{{authority control Rivers of Arkansas Tributaries of the Red River of the South Rivers of Saline County, Arkansas Rivers of Garland County, Arkansas Rivers of Grant County, Arkansas Rivers of Cleveland County, Arkansas Rivers of Bradley County, Arkansas Rivers of Ashley County, Arkansas Ouachita River

History

Steamboats

Flood of 1927

See also

References