Marais des Cygnes River

The Marais des Cygnes River is a principal tributary of the Osage River. It is about 217 miles (349 km) long,^[3] and runs through eastern Kansas and western Missouri in the United States. Via the Osage and Missouri rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. The name Marais des Cygnes means "Marsh of the Swans" in French.^[4] But the name actually comes from an Osage name “Mixa-ckau-tse” (where white swans are plentiful).^[4] It was probably so named because of the trumpeter and tundra swans that were plentiful here before the late 1800s.^[4] The river is notorious for flash flooding.^[5] The river is referenced in the song "The River" by Chely Wright.

Marais des Cygnes River Big Osage River, Brush Creek, Grand River, Old Aunt Mary River[1]
Map of the Osage River watershed including the Marais des Cygnes River
Location
Country	United States
State	Kansas, Missouri
Physical characteristics
Source confluence
- location	Lyon County, Kansas
- coordinates	38°34′05″N 95°58′28″W / 38.56806°N 95.97444°W / 38.56806; -95.97444
- elevation	1,112 ft (339 m)
Mouth	Osage River
- location	Vernon County, Missouri
- coordinates	38°01′39″N 94°14′39″W / 38.02750°N 94.24417°W / 38.02750; -94.24417[1]
- elevation	722 ft (220 m)
Length	217 mi (349 km)
Discharge
- location	USGS 06916600 near Kansas-Missouri state line[2]
- average	2,189 cu ft/s (62.0 m3/s)
- minimum	0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
- maximum	129,000 cu ft/s (3,700 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
- left	110 Mile Creek, Bull Creek
- right	Pottawatomie Creek
Watersheds	Marais des Cygnes-Osage-Missouri-Mississippi