The Arkansas River

Flowing from the headwaters in Leadville, Colorado through the Rocky Mountains and down an east by southeast path, the Arkansas River runs through four U.S. states – Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It is a major tributary for the “mighty” Mississippi River and is the 6th longest river in the United States. The path the river takes is a journey of 1,469 miles and has a drop of 10,000 feet within 125 miles, forming some very exciting whitewater rafting opportunities in the spring and summer. This river carved out amazing channels through towering cliffs near Royal Gorge. Brown’s Canyon and the Royal Gorge are among the most thrilling areas for kayakers and whitewater enthusiasts, while Bighorn Sheep Canyon offers a little more tame and fun rafting experience. Colorado families have been enjoying recreation on this river for more than 40 years and whitewater rafting companies have opened up all the way from Salida to Royal Gorge to accommodate them. The town of Cotopaxi in the Arkansas River Valley, annually holds the biggest whitewater festival in North America – known as FIBark.

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As the Arkansas River makes its way through Cañon City, Colorado and out into the Great Plains, it becomes more shallow and widens out so the nature of the water is more placid. New Mexico contributes water to the River through the Canadian River and Cimarron River as well as the Salt Fork. The first group to appreciate this waterway were the Native Americans who lived close by the river and both fished and navigated the waters. In 1541, the Spanish Coronado expedition first saw this river. “Francisco Vasquez de Coronado crossed the Arkansas near present day Dodge City, Kansas, using a fording place frequented by native peoples and buffalo.” The name we know today was given by a priest named Jacques Marquette who called the river “Akansa” in his journal of 1673. In 1803 The United States of America purchased the Louisiana Territory which included the Arkansas River Basin, and President Thomas Jefferson commissioned an expedition to explore the region to be headed up by Merriwether Lewis and William Clark.

In later years, the Santa Fe Trail followed the Arkansas River for a large distance through Kansas. The river flows through Kansas and its wheat fields, it then takes a journey through Northeastern Oklahoma and into Arkansas to finally empty into the Mississippi River.  “In 1927, as a result of excessive rainfall, the Arkansas River became a conduit for an eight to ten foot wall of water–with registered flows of 750,000 cubic feet per second–roaring down the valley and emptying into the Mississippi River. Nearly every levee down river from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the Mississippi, was destroyed. This occurrence led to the formation of the ARFCA (Arkansas River Flood Control Association). The focus of this organization was to lobby members of Congress for a comprehensive flood control program. The next year a flood control act is passed by Congress.”

In 1954 the Arkansas River had a major engineering issue which needed resolution. There was 100 million tons of silt flowing down the river each year. The problem was tackled by the son of the famous scientist Albert Einstein, Professor Hans Albert Einstein – and his study determined a way for the river to clean itself and reduce the sediment problem.  “Major reaches of the river would be deepened, straightened, and narrowed. This would stabilize the banks and make the river flow faster. The faster waters would flush out sediment that would otherwise settle and require constant dredging.”  The proposed plan was tested and worked so well that it saved the government $31,000,000 of budget funding for three sediment trap dams which would have been built upstream, but were no longer necessary.

For those who enjoy world class fly fishing, the headwaters of the Arkansas River have been famous since the 19th century. Cutthroat trout, Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout make this river one of the top 100 trout streams in America according to Trout Unlimited. Due to its popularity, the Colorado Division of Wildlife offers online fishing reports for the river. Anyone who appreciates both American history and historic waterways will find the Arkansas River both educational and entertaining.

Arkansas River Photo Gallery

Getting to Arkansas River Headwaters

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