Smoky Hill River

The Smoky Hill River is a river in the U.S. states of Colorado and Kansas.

Course

The Smoky Hill River originates in the high plains of eastern Colorado and flows east. The two main tributaries, called the North and South forks, join near Russell Springs, Kansas. From there, the river continues generally eastward through central Kansas. The Smoky Hill River joins the Republican River at Junction City, Kansas to form the Kansas River.

Besides Junction City, other Kansas towns along the river are Salina, Marquette and Abilene.

River modifications

Two dams, the Kanopolis and the Cedar Bluff, are used for irrigation and flood control.

Names

Native names for the river include Chetolah and the Okesee-sebo. Early maps of European explorers called the river (sometimes in combination with the Kansas) the River of the Padoucas, after a name given to the Comanche.

The USGS lists a number of variant names for the Smoky Hill River, including Chitolah River, Fork of the Hill Buckaneuse, La Fourche de la Cote Boucaniere, La Touche de la Cote Bucanieus, Manoiyohe, Pe P'a, Sand River, Shallow River, Smoky Creek, Branche de la Montagne a la Fumee, Ka-i-urs-kuta, Oke-see-sebo River, and Rahota katit hibaru, among others.

See also

• List of Colorado rivers
• List of Kansas rivers

References