Geography
The Smoky Hill River originates in the High Plains of eastern Colorado and flows east. Both the main course of the river and the North Fork Smoky Hill River rise in northern Cheyenne County, Colorado. The two streams converge roughly 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Russell Springs in Logan County, Kansas. From there, the river continues generally eastward through the Smoky Hills region. The Saline River, one of the Smoky Hill's two main tributaries, joins the river in eastern Saline County. The other major tributary, the Solomon River, joins the Smoky Hill in western Dickinson County. The Smoky Hill joins the Republican River at Junction City, Kansas to form the Kansas River.
The Smoky Hill River directly drains an area of 8,810 sq mi (22,800 km2). The combined Smoky Hill-Saline Basin drains 12,229 sq mi (31,670 km2). The entire Smoky Hill drainage basin covers approximately 20,000 square miles (52,000 km2), including most of north-central and northwestern Kansas. Via the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, the Smoky Hill is part of the Mississippi River watershed.
The Smoky Hill feeds two reservoirs: Cedar Bluff Reservoir in Trego County and Kanopolis Lake in Ellsworth County.
The largest city along the Smoky Hill River is Salina. Besides Junction City, other Kansas towns along the river are Ellsworth, Marquette. Lindsborg, Kansas, and Abilene.
Read more about this topic: Smoky Hill River
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