The Loup River is a tributary of the Platte River

Platte River

The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...

, approximately 68 miles (109.4 km) long, in central Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The river drains a sparsely populated rural agricultural area on the eastern edge of the Great Plains

Great Plains

The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...

 southeast of the Sandhills. The name of the river means "wolf" in French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

, named by early French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 trappers after the Skiri or Skidi band of the Pawnee, who called themselves the "Wolf People," and lived along its banks. The river and its tributaries, including the North Loup, Middle Loup, and South Loup, are known colloquially as "the Loups", comprising over 1800 mi (2900 km) of streams and draining approximately one-fifth of Nebraska.

Course

The river is formed in eastern Howard County

Howard County, Nebraska

-History:Howard County was formed in 1871. It was named after the Union General Oliver Otis Howard.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,567 people, 2,546 households, and 1,797 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 2,782...

, approximately 5 mi (8 km) northeast of St. Paul

St. Paul, Nebraska

St. Paul is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,218 at the 2000 census.St. Paul is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:St...

 and 20 mi (32 km) north of Grand Island

Grand Island, Nebraska

Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...

, by the confluence of the North Loup and Middle Loup rivers. It flows ENE, past Fullerton

Fullerton, Nebraska

Fullerton is a city in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,190 as of the 2010 Census. The community name is derived from cattleman Randolph Fuller.Fullerton is the county seat of Nance County.- History :...

, where it is joined from the north by the Cedar River. It continues ENE roughly parallel to the Platte, past Genoa

Genoa, Nebraska

Genoa is a city in Nance County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 981 at the 2000 census. Genoa is a community rich in culture and farming is a major source of income for much of the surrounding area. The city was founded by the Mormons in 1857...

, separated from the Platte by approximately 15 mi (24 km). It joins the Platte from the northwest approximately 4 mi (6.4 km) southeast of Columbus

Columbus, Nebraska

Columbus is a city in east central Nebraska, United States. Its population was 22,111 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Pre-settlement history:...

.

A diversion dam southwest of Genoa diverts water to the Loup canal

Loup Canal

The Loup Canal is a hydroelectric and irrigation canal located in eastern Nebraska, United States. The canal is owned and managed by Loup Power District, a public power electric utility....

 to hydroelectric facilities in Monroe

Monroe, Nebraska

Monroe is a village in Platte County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 307 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Monroe is located at ....

 and then in Columbus

Columbus, Nebraska

Columbus is a city in east central Nebraska, United States. Its population was 22,111 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Pre-settlement history:...

. The canal then runs into the Platte a short distance below its confluence with the Loup.