Chariton River
Encyclopedia
The Chariton River is a 218 miles (350.8 km) tributary to the Missouri River
in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri.
It has been called Missouri's "Grand Divide" because streams west of the Chariton flow into the Missouri and streams east of it flow into the Mississippi River
.
The river is believed to have been named for Joseph Chorette, who accompanied the French Jean Baptiste Trudeau expedition up the Missouri in 1795 and drowned while swimming in it. Variations of the name are Choret, Care and Carrette.
The river forms in southeastern Clarke County, Iowa
. It is dammed at 11000 acres (44.5 km²) Rathbun Reservoir in Appanoose County, Iowa
and then flows 30 miles (48.3 km) before entering Missouri where it forms the boundary between Putnam and Schuyler counties. It enters the Missouri at Chariton County
below Keytesville
.
112 miles (180.2 km) are in Missouri and 106 miles (170.6 km) are in Iowa.
Below the Highway 136 bridge at Livonia, Missouri, the river has been channelized and dredged. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, "public use of Chariton River watershed streams is very low, largely because instream habitat has been so adversely affected by channelization and sedimentation".
Major tributaries are Mussel Fork Creek and Shoal Creek. Because of extensive channeling the Little Chariton River, formerly a tributary, now flows directly into the Missouri about 7 miles (11.3 km) from the main branch.
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri.
It has been called Missouri's "Grand Divide" because streams west of the Chariton flow into the Missouri and streams east of it flow into the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
The river is believed to have been named for Joseph Chorette, who accompanied the French Jean Baptiste Trudeau expedition up the Missouri in 1795 and drowned while swimming in it. Variations of the name are Choret, Care and Carrette.
The river forms in southeastern Clarke County, Iowa
Clarke County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 9,286 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,086 housing units, of which 3,701 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. It is dammed at 11000 acres (44.5 km²) Rathbun Reservoir in Appanoose County, Iowa
Appanoose County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 12,884 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,633 housing units, of which 5,627 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and then flows 30 miles (48.3 km) before entering Missouri where it forms the boundary between Putnam and Schuyler counties. It enters the Missouri at Chariton County
Chariton County, Missouri
Chariton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 8,438. Its county seat is Keytesville. The county was organized in 1820 from part of Howard County and was named from the Chariton River.-History:...
below Keytesville
Keytesville, Missouri
Keytesville is a town in Chariton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 533 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Chariton County.-Geography:...
.
112 miles (180.2 km) are in Missouri and 106 miles (170.6 km) are in Iowa.
Below the Highway 136 bridge at Livonia, Missouri, the river has been channelized and dredged. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, "public use of Chariton River watershed streams is very low, largely because instream habitat has been so adversely affected by channelization and sedimentation".
Major tributaries are Mussel Fork Creek and Shoal Creek. Because of extensive channeling the Little Chariton River, formerly a tributary, now flows directly into the Missouri about 7 miles (11.3 km) from the main branch.