Wabash River

Wabash River
Wabash River catchment with the Wabash River highlighted.
Location
Country	US
States	Ohio Indiana Illinois
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Near Fort Recovery in Mercer County, Ohio
Mouth
• location	Ohio River near Shawneetown, Illinois
Length	503 mi (810 km)
Basin size	33,100 sq mi (86,000 km2)
Discharge
• average	35,350 cu ft/s (1,001 m3/s) for mouth[1]
Basin features
Progression	Wabash River → Ohio → Mississippi → Gulf of Mexico
Tributaries
• left	Salamonie River, Mississinewa River, Wildcat Creek, Sugar Creek, Big Raccoon Creek, White River, Patoka River
• right	Little River, Eel River, Tippecanoe River, Vermilion River, Little Vermilion River, Embarras River, Little Wabash River

The Wabash River /ˈwɔːbæʃ/ (French: Ouabache) is a 503-mile-long (810 km)^[2] river that drains most of the state of Indiana, and a significant part of Illinois, in the United States. It flows from the headwaters in Ohio, near the Indiana border, then southwest across northern Indiana turning south near the Illinois border, where the southern portion forms the Indiana-Illinois border before flowing into the Ohio River.

It is the largest northern tributary of the Ohio River and third largest overall, behind the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. From the dam near Huntington, Indiana, to its terminus at the Ohio River, the Wabash flows freely for 411 miles (661 km) The Tippecanoe River, White River, Embarras River and Little Wabash River are major tributaries. The river's name comes from a Miami word meaning "water over white stones", as its bottom is white limestone, now obscured by mud.

The Wabash is the state river of Indiana, and subject of the state song "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" by Paul Dresser. Two counties (in Indiana and Illinois); eight townships in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio; one Illinois precinct, one city, one town, two colleges, one high school, one canal, one former class I railroad, several bridges and avenues are all named for the river itself while four US Navy warships are either named for the river or the numerous battles that took place on or near it.