Missouri Rivers

Missouri, the "Show Me" State is bordered on the east by the Mississippi River, the northwest by the Missouri River, the northeast by the Des Moines River, and finally by the St. Francis River, in the Bootheel. The terrain of the state is varied, from the Ozarks in the southwest; to the St. Francois Mountains in the east. The alluvial plain of the Mississippi dominates in the southeast. Within the state there are many different drainage basins. The largest of course is the Mississippi Basin. All Rivers within the state drain into the Mississippi in some way or another. The second largest basin is the Missouri River. Half of the Ozarks drain into this river. The state is also home to two of the "crookedest" rivers in the world: the Gasconade and the Bourbeuse. The Bourbeuse has the distinction of traveling 108 miles in just 27 air miles. Within these basins, lie smaller sub basins.

Water Quality

Most rivers are divided into two camps: clear and silt laden. The Ozarks, belong to the clear camp. Numerous springs provide some of the clearest water in the state. Elsewhere, the rivers are slow and silt laden. This is common in the prairie north and northwest. Loess dominates the prairies.

Streams by Basin

-Mississippi River-

1.) Fox Basin

2.) Wyaconda Basin

3.) Fabius Basin

4.) Salt Basin

5.) Cuivre Basin

6.) River Des Peres Basin

7.) Meramec Basin

8.) Joachim Basin

9.) Plattin Basin

10.) Castor Basin

11.) Independent Basins

-Missouri River-

1.) Loutre Basin

2.) Gasconade Basin

3.) Auxvasse and Middle Basin

4.) Osage Basin

5.) Moreau Basin

6.) Perche Basin

7.) Chariton Basin

8.) Grand Basin

9.) Lamine Basin

10.) Crooked Basin

11.) Platte Basin

12.) Nodaway Basin

13.) Tarkio Basin

14.) Nishnabotna Basin