Single crossing on horseback, two and one half cents. After leaving Lake county, Colorado, the river flows through Fremont, Pueblo, Otero, Bent and Prowers counties before it leaves that state, and enters Kansas near Coolidge, in Hamilton county. The river originates in Colorado and runs through Kansas and Oklahoma before reaching Arkansas. Watershed trails General description [34], The owners named their boat the Arkansas Traveler, and by early in May it was engaged in ferrying as far upstream as Wichita, its cargoes being somewhat diversified, ranging from excursionists to sawlogs and cordwood. He held many positions of trust in the state and county and was one of Kansas' United States senators from 1877 up to the time of his death on December 20, 1891. [43] In 1877 another road was established, running from Arkansas City to Independence, via Cedar Vale and Sedan, this being a little over 82 miles in length. Want to know more about water law? the Southwest Kansas Local Environmental Planning Group. The source basin of the Arkansas River is found in the Arkansas River Valley, Colorado… The rope has been sent for and the boat is building, so that before many days the ferry will be running." 2. quality of water in the river is equally important. The next two items apply to one of the Arkansas City ferries, but which location we are unable to determine: "On and after August 1st toll will be charged on the ferry for crossing the Arkansas river near Arkansas City as follows, from sunrise to sunset: One single or double team, round trip 10 cents, one passenger on foot or horseback, round trip, 5 cents; each additional span of horses or yoke of cattle, round trip, 10 cents. [17] Mr. Speers is listed in the "Census of 1875," Cowley county, Creswell township, p.18, as being 37 years of age; a miller, and a native of Ohio. Two weeks later, the Traveler recorded that "the ferry west of town is running all right again," but failed to mention why it had not been running. The Ark dries up after Lakin because some water is drained These usually occur in the spring, when the snows of the mountains begin to melt and spring rains set in. The Traveler of June 19 said the river had risen some four feet over the bridge pilings at that place, but also conveyed the good news that "the ferry across the Arkansas is in good running order again, and ready for business. “With proper management, these new releases 3. -- Statement of Bert Moore, Winfield, in letters to author, dated January 10, 26, 1936. He helped organize the Eleventh Kansas cavalry, and became its lieutenant colonel. 42. away by local irrigation ditches. There was also a growing feeling that the portion of the bridge on the Bolton side was not safe. Just where this ferry was located has not been learned, other than it was at Denton’s ford. He was known as 'Peg Leg Davis' because he had a peg leg. [25]. If an inclined platform was built to the remaining part of the bridge now, it would help it a great deal more." There they remained until morning, compelling many of the anxious excursionists to find their way back home on foot. Also in the 1540s Hernando de Soto discovered the junction of the Arkansas with the Mississippi. The Arkansas River was designated as a National Water Trail by the National Park Service in 2016. Herald as authority, said that "the Arkansas river was so low above that place last week that a drove of cows stopping to drink in it, drank the river in two." Lowest stages of water in the river occur from August to December. In the meantime, any additional releases of water from Colorado may help Most Kansans know that the state recently won a decade-long legal battle be completely fresh, and we’ll still have the problem.”. This move evidently met with some popular approval and the local paper commented that it was much easier to get at, and added further: "Since the ferry has been moved from the west to the south of town, many persons, especially those of East Bolton, express themselves well pleased. Photo by … Lumber for the boat and a cable to stretch across the river had been ordered. Testimony of M.M. At 1,469 miles long, it is the sixth longest river in the United States and the second-longest tributary in the Mississippi-Missouri system. But reviving the Ark won’t be as simple as just adding water. A.A. Davis, known as "Peg Leg" Davis, was the operator, being assisted by his son, Adley, a lad in his teens. Wichita, Kansas 34 contributions Nice place to walk through is maintained well by the people This is a nice place to go on morning and evening walks but in the span of five years, the river is turning stinky and dirty due to people discarding their trash into the river. No north or south limit was found. [44]. Miles and miles of canals and ditches were constructed between the 100th meridian and the Colorado line. 6. Arnott to Bert Moore, January 10, 1936. A short time later the water again disappeared, and reappearing just before the paper went to press caused the scribe to record an item to the effect that "The Arkansas wet its bed again last night." 7. Kansas State Board of Agriculture, First Biennial Report, 1877-1878, p. 159. [2], The Arkansas has been termed the "Nile of America," traversing the miles of sandy country to the east of the Rocky Mountains. 34. Emanuel Bowen’s map of 1752 lists it as the "Rio des Acansas." real lucky, is water. Statement of F.M. The underflow has its origin in the rainfall on the sand hills to the south of the river and on the bottom lands and plains north of the river. measurements of the river’s water quality and checked water from Below the Royal Gorge, at Cañon City, Colorado, the Arkansas River Valley widens and flattens markedly. in the aquifer, causing the slightly salty water to move from the river Each was anxious to get across and delays of any sort were not popular. This trail went west between townships 34 and 35 to the Sumner county line, and was named for a Sumner county creek which received its name from some travelers who were camped there one night on their return from the settlements where they had first heard a new song titled "Shoo Fly." NOTES 44. Ferries on the river north of the Oklahoma-Kansas line, with possibly one or two exceptions, do not antedate the establishment of towns in Cowley county about the year 1870. This appellation may have been applied to the river by Marshall M. Murdock, founder of the Wichita Eagle, who many years ago wrote a classic under that title which has been widely read and copied. About this time William H. Speers, mill operator, inaugurated a temporary free service, announcing that he "has a new boat and is carrying all parties with grists for his mill free of charge across the Arkansas." The Arkansas River Corridor Master Plan was developed with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and includes developments for conservation and improvements to native riverine habitat as well new gates to existing dams for fish passage and … [29] [39] By early May about half the piles had been driven and work on the spans had commenced. Field notes, plat and commissioners' report in Archives division. In that portion of Colorado east of the Rocky Mountains and in Kansas, the course of the Arkansas is through gently rolling sandy soil, the bed of the river making up in width what it lacks in depth -- in some places being about a mile wide. The city of Kansas City, Missouri, was named for the river, as was later the Kellogg. Local Reno County leader Lisa French was named to the Kansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Commission. near Great Bend). Arkansas River Trail, Wichita: See 102 reviews, articles, and 23 photos of Arkansas River Trail, ranked No.11 on Tripadvisor among 68 attractions in Wichita. From the mouth of the Verdigris until the McClellan-Kerr system moves over to the White River near Arkansas Post, the Arkansas sustains commercial barge traffic and offers passenger and recreational use and is little more than a series of reservoirs. The Arkansas River is the second-longest tributary in the Mississippi-Missouri river system, the sixth-longest river in the United States, and the forty-fifth-longest river in the world. 26 and 35, T. 34, R. 3 E., and was in operation after the Sixth Street bridge was built, as it saved a drive around the bend of the river. for example, high-quality ground water is necessary for manufacturing, If you get wet, more than likely you were getting into or out of your boat! Come and go as often as you please without costing you a cent, as long as it is daylight. The crossing was where the old Shoo Fly trail [10] from the west entered Arkansas City, and also where a few years later the Ponca trail [11] from the south reached the town. 13. [42] The Traveler continued its fight until a new bridge was built. There was much freighting from Arkansas City, Winfield, Wichita and other points along the north side of the river. This ferry was located between Secs. Various authorities agree that there was very little water in the Arkansas river in 1871, and the probabilities are that the ferryboat did not operate very much that year, if at all. William Delisle, on his map of 1700, called it the "Acansa." Mr. Murdock also frequently referred in a jocular way to the stream in the columns of the Eagle as the "Rackensack. The Arkansas River in August 1995 during a rare period when it flowed completely throughout the state, the first time in seven years. It was over this Ponca trail the homeseekers traveled in April, 1889, to reach the first land opened for settlement in Oklahoma, For several days after they were permitted to cross the Kansas-Indian territory line this trail was one broken line of covered wagons, all going south." This boat was about thirty-five feet long by twelve feet eight inches wide. Fred C. DeMott, president of the Union State Bank, of Arkansas City, and a resident of that city for sixty-five years, in a letter to the author states that there was no way to cross the river until the bridge was built by subscription and opened as a toll bridge. -- Letter of Bert Moore, January 26, 1936, to author. Water flow in the Arkansas River (as measured in central Kansas) has dropped from approximately 248 cubic feet per second average from 1944-1963 to 53 cubic feet per second average from 1984-2003, largely due to pumping of groundwater for irrigation in eastern Colorado and western Kansas. Miles ( 2,364 km ) it is navigable only by small craft such as rafts, canoes, and of. A new bridge was carried away or partially destroyed on several occasions evaporation. Been taking it to pieces, and traverses the States of Colorado, its water is contaminating Ark! Abatement program in addition to divvying up waters a bit tricky getting in and out of the iron carried. 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