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North Fork Solomon River

Coordinates: 39°28′23″N 98°26′00″W / 39.47306°N 98.43333°W / 39.47306; -98.43333
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North Fork Solomon River
North Fork Solomon River at Portis, Kansas
Map of the Smoky Hill drainage basin including the North Fork Solomon River
Location
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationThomas County, Kansas
 • coordinates39°16′52″N 101°16′55″W / 39.28111°N 101.28194°W / 39.28111; -101.28194[1]
 • elevation3,362 ft (1,025 m)
MouthWaconda Lake
 • location
Cawker City, Kansas
 • coordinates
39°28′23″N 98°26′00″W / 39.47306°N 98.43333°W / 39.47306; -98.43333[1]
 • elevation
1,453 ft (443 m)
Length287 mi (462 km)
Discharge 
 • locationUSGS 06872500 at Portis, KS[2]
 • average121 cu ft/s (3.4 m3/s)
 • minimum0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
 • maximum32,300 cu ft/s (910 m3/s)
Basin features
WatershedsNorth Fork Solomon-Solomon-Smoky Hill-Kansas-Missouri-Mississippi

The North Fork Solomon River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America. Its entire 287-mile (462 km) length lies within the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a tributary of the Solomon River.[3]

Geography

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The North Fork Solomon River originates in the High Plains of northwest Kansas. Its source lies in west-central Thomas County roughly 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Brewster, Kansas. From there, it flows generally east-northeast into the Smoky Hills region of north-central Kansas. Southeast of Phillipsburg, Kansas, the river joins its tributary Bow Creek to feed Kirwin Reservoir. From the reservoir's dam, the river flows east, then turns southeast near Gaylord, Kansas. Immediately south of Cawker City in northwestern Mitchell County, the North Fork joins the South Fork Solomon River to feed Waconda Lake.[3]

History

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In 1955, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation completed a dam on the river immediately south of Kirwin, Kansas for flood control, creating Kirwin Reservoir.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Fork Solomon River
  2. ^ "Water-Data Report 2012 - 06872500 North Fork Solomon River at Portis, KS" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  3. ^ a b "2003-2004 Official Transportation Map" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  4. ^ "Kirwin Unit". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 2015-09-17.