637:, former cropland has been converted into a new wetland area. By pumping water into shallow ditches, 3 major manmade wetlands have formed, including the East and West Coblentz marshes, and the more recent Elk Creek wetland add more than 500 acres (2.0 km) of wetlands along the Wakarusa River. The East and West Coblentz complexes are more accessible than the Elk Creek complex, and boast a large variety of waterfowl and reptiles. Due to the wetlands lying within the low Clinton Lake floodpool, access is very limited during the wet spring months.
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as "Warreruza". According to a 1912 encyclopedia, the name comes from an Indian legend, wherein a young woman was crossing the river on horseback. She exclaimed "Wakarusa!", meaning "hip deep", and the name stuck. The meanings "thigh deep" and "river of thick weeds" are also recorded.
591:, the limestone outcroppings of the river presented great challenges to early white emigrants attempting to ford the stream in their wagons. Oregon Trail wagons were often dismantled, lowered down the limestone beds, towed across, then lifted by rope to the opposing bank.
468:
county line, approximately 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Topeka and flows east. The South Branch rises in eastern
Wabaunsee County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Topeka and flows east-northeast, joining the main branch south of Topeka.
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over the last century for cultivation and other uses. Clinton Dam, finished in 1977 to reduce seasonal spring flooding, greatly reduced the replenishment of wetlands below the dam. A remaining tract of 600 acres (2.4 km), the
603:
606:. The river's gentle current and scenic banks made it an early recreation spot for citizens of Lawrence (which was originally called "Wacharusa"). See
488:, approximately 8 miles (13 km) east of Lawrence. It is impounded by Clinton Dam approximately 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Lawrence to form
568:, the fords used for crossing this meandering river were among the many topographic challenges emigrant wagon trains had to master along the
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The river is known for its gentle current that winds through river-level outcropping rocks, primarily of
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It rises in several branches located southwest of Topeka. The main branch rises on the
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U.S. Geological Survey. National
Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data.
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Though the wetlands below the dam are mostly dry now, along the
Wakarusa above
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842:"Water-Data Report 2012 - 06891500 Wakarusa River near Lawrence, KS"
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Richland, Kansas (unincorporated) - Elev: 925 ft (282 m)
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Wakarusa, Kansas (unincorporated) - Elev: 955 ft (291 m)
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Part I of James's
Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819--1820
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limestone. This reach of the river was inhabited by different
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428:, approximately 80.5 miles (129.6 km) long, in eastern
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709:, trib. of Wakarusa River; Douglas Co. USGS: Lawrence E.
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The main branch flows generally east, flowing south of
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operations at river crossings in the 1850s, including
645:(This list follows Wakarusa River flow downstream)
541:were relocated here during the early 19th century.
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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725:Auburn, Kansas - Elev: 1,083 ft (330 m)
1006:
894:Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Volume 2
770:- Provides recreational access to Clinton Lake.
998:Emporia State University: Wakarusa Land Cover
685:Clinton Lake - Elev: 876 ft (267 m)
915:Early Western Travels 1748-1846: Volume XIV
881:. University Press of Kansas, 1989, p. 203.
877:Van Meter McCoy, Sondra & Hults, Jan.
617:riparian habitat, much of which has been
537:After the U.S. acquired this region, the
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
897:. Standard Publishing Company. pp.
822:United States Department of the Interior
382:22,600 cu ft/s (640 m/s)
1007:
964:
911:
786:Lakes, reservoirs, and dams in Kansas
626:, is located south of Lawrence near
362:219 cu ft/s (6.2 m/s)
44:adding citations to reliable sources
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912:James, Edwin (September 20, 2018).
813:Geographic Names Information System
800:
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985:Lower Kaw Valley Watershed Profile
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858:
494:
14:
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628:Haskell Indian Nations University
1020:Rivers of Shawnee County, Kansas
1015:Rivers of Douglas County, Kansas
756:- Branch of the Oregon Trail to
737:- Elev: 785 ft (239 m)
703:- Elev: 799 ft (244 m)
372:0 cu ft/s (0 m/s)
129:
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1030:Tributaries of the Kansas River
953:Old West Kansas Historic Trails
891:Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912).
818:United States Geological Survey
720:Cities along the Wakarusa River
641:Tributaries and other landmarks
31:needs additional citations for
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273: • coordinates
196: • coordinates
118:River in Kansas, United States
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993:Kansas-Lower Republican Basin
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707:Black Jack Creek (COAL CREEK)
613:The river once had extensive
587:Also, during the days of the
166:Physical characteristics
602:'s Ferry near Coal Creek at
324:80.5 mi (129.6 km)
312: • elevation
235: • elevation
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584:during the 1849 gold rush.
342: • location
261: • location
184: • location
135:Falls of the Wakarusa River
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580:route also was called the
378: • maximum
368: • minimum
358: • average
239:1,261 ft (384 m)
928:– via Google Books.
918:. BoD – Books on Demand.
868:, accessed March 30, 2011
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980:Upper Wakarusa Watershed
847:. U.S. Geological Survey
594:Several Shawnee created
572:(1843-1848) named after
525:During 1819-1820, Major
316:781 ft (238 m)
189:Wabaunsee County, Kansas
879:1001 Kansas Place Names
566:Great Migration of 1843
970:Fresh water supplies:
649:Middle Branch Wakarusa
624:Haskell-Baker Wetlands
570:Fremont-Westport Trail
514:tribes, including the
503:
424:is a tributary of the
781:List of Kansas rivers
715:Little Wakarusa Creek
655:North Branch Wakarusa
652:South Branch Wakarusa
553:routes first used by
522:in the 18th century.
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295:38.95611°N 95.08222°W
218:38.89556°N 95.96000°W
40:improve this article
948:Bluejacket Crossing
391:Basin features
300:38.95611; -95.08222
291: /
223:38.89556; -95.96000
214: /
965:Physical geography
768:Clinton State Park
578:Freedom's Frontier
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808:"Wakarusa River"
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762:Westport Landing
758:Lawrence, Kansas
691:Washington Creek
688:South Rock Creek
608:Indian Territory
589:Kansas Territory
440:area of rolling
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574:John C. Frémont
527:Stephen H. Long
512:Native American
476:. It joins the
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482:Douglas County
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96:December 2010
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849:. Retrieved
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825:. Retrieved
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774:Wakarusa War
712:Spring Creek
664:Bury's Creek
644:
635:Clinton Lake
632:
612:
610:(1820-1840)
593:
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559:Oregon Trail
536:
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520:Osage Nation
505:
490:Clinton Lake
478:Kansas River
471:
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438:agricultural
426:Kansas River
421:
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398:River system
351:Lawrence, KS
254:Kansas River
102:
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38:Please help
33:verification
30:
600:Blue Jacket
564:During the
561:emigrants.
551:wagon train
456:Description
413:Mississippi
298: /
221: /
1009:Categories
851:2015-11-06
827:2015-10-01
794:References
682:Coon Creek
679:Deer Creek
670:Camp Creek
667:Lynn Creek
543:Ridgelines
286:95°04′56″W
283:38°57′22″N
209:95°57′36″W
206:38°53′44″N
66:newspapers
976:(series)
676:Dry Creek
619:reclaimed
604:Sebastian
547:watershed
531:tributary
462:Wabaunsee
442:limestone
403:Wakarusa—
333:Discharge
742:See also
549:defined
502:area map
474:Lawrence
450:Lawrence
409:Missouri
141:Location
615:wetland
576:. This
466:Shawnee
432:in the
146:Country
80:scholar
922:
735:Eudora
486:Eudora
446:Topeka
430:Kansas
405:Kansas
336:
321:Length
178:
175:Source
160:Kansas
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991:KWO:
845:(PDF)
760:from
596:ferry
516:Kansa
500:USACE
249:Mouth
156:State
87:JSTOR
73:books
920:ISBN
698:USGS
518:and
480:in
448:and
420:The
347:USGS
59:news
899:854
484:at
42:by
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820:,
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764:.
464:-
411:—
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
