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- For the larger river of the same name in Nebraska, see Platte River. For other rivers of the same name, see Platte River (disambiguation).
The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, about 170 mi (275 km) long, in southwestern Iowa and northwestern Missouri in the United States. It is sometimes known as the Little Platte River to distinguish it from the larger Platte River, also a tributary of the Missouri, in nearby Nebraska; the Platte River of Missouri also itself has a tributary known as the "Little Platte River".Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for "Little Platte River"Geographic Names Information System entry for Platte RiverGeographic Names Inormation System entry for Little Platte River
Course
The Platte River rises near Creston in Union County, Iowa and flows generally southwardly through Adams, Ringgold and Taylor Counties in Iowa; and Worth, Nodaway, Andrew, Buchanan and Platte Counties in Missouri. Along its course it passes the Iowa towns of Maloy, Blockton and Athelstan; and the Missouri towns of Sheridan, Parnell, Ravenwood, Conception Junction, Guilford, Tracy, Platte City and Farley. The Platte flows into the Missouri River near Farley, downstream of Leavenworth, Kansas.DeLorme (1998). Iowa Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-214-5.DeLorme (2002). Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-353-2.Several sections of the river's course have been straightened and channelized.
Tributaries
- Near its headwaters in Iowa the Platte collects minor branches known as the West Platte River,Geographic Names Information System entry for West Platte River Middle Platte River,Geographic Names Information System entry for Middle Platte River and East Platte River.Geographic Names Information System entry for East Platte River
- In Buchanan County, Missouri, it collects the One Hundred and Two River and the Third Fork,Geographic Names Information System entry for Third Fork which rises in Gentry County and flows southwardly through DeKalb County, past Union Star. The Third Fork collects the Little Third Fork,Geographic Names Information System entry for Little Third Fork which flows southwardly through DeKalb and Buchanan Counties, past Clarksdale.
- In Platte County, Missouri, it collects the Little Platte River, which rises in DeKalb County and flows south-southwestwardly through Clinton and Clay Counties, past Plattsburg and Smithville. Near Smithville, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam causes the Little Platte River to form Smithville Lake.
History
Main article: Platte PurchaseWhen Missouri entered the union in 1821, the western border of Missouri from Arkansas to Iowa was based on the confluence of the Kansas River and Missouri River in the West Bottoms in Kansas City. Land in what is now the northwest Missouri was deeded to the Ioway, Sac and Fox tribes.
However, settlers (most notably Joseph Robidoux in St. Joseph, Missouri) began encroaching on the land. Further settlers in northern Missouri were upset about being cut off from the Missouri.
In 1836, William Clark (of Lewis and Clark) pursuaded the tribes to sell their lands in northwest Missouri. The deal known as the Platte Purchase was named for the river was ratified in 1837 and the tribes were paid $7,500 for an area about the combined size of Delaware and Rhode Island. The land was then annexed to Missouri.
In 1838 settlers used the river (and the Nodaway River) to reach the heart of the newly available land. The Platte River is not navigable by modern standards although Missouri River steam boats did call on Tracy, Missouri.
The river is the biggest river in the Platte Purchase area and it flows through the Kansas City Metropolitan Area as well as St. Joseph, Missouri metropolitan area. The river is an eighth order river. Average flow at mile 25.1 is 1,925 cubic feet second. The highest flow was 37,800 feet cfs during the Great Flood of 1993 on July 26, 1993. The lowest flow was 12 cfs during a drought in August 1989.
See also
External links
References
Rivers of Iowa | Rivers of Missouri | Tributaries of the Missouri River
"Platte River (Missouri)"