Niobrara River

Niobrara River
Niobrara River at the Nebraska Highway 7 crossing
Map of the Niobrara River (light blue)
Etymology	Ponca, Ní Ubthátha khe, translating to "water spread-out horizontal-the"
Native name	Ní Ubthátha khe (Omaha–Ponca)
Location
Country	United States
State	Wyoming, Nebraska
Cities	Niobrara, NE, Anncar, NE, Valentine, NE, Agate, NE, Van Tassell, WY, Lusk, WY
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Niobrara County, near Manville, Wyoming
• coordinates	42°49′15″N 104°38′50″W / 42.82083°N 104.64722°W / 42.82083; -104.64722[1]
• elevation	5,500 ft (1,700 m)
Mouth	Missouri River
• location	Knox County, near Niobrara, Nebraska
• coordinates	42°45′58″N 98°02′50″W / 42.76611°N 98.04722°W / 42.76611; -98.04722[1]
• elevation	1,211[1] ft (369 m)
Length	568 mi (914 km)
Basin size	11,580 sq mi (30,000 km2)
Discharge
• location	Verdel, NE
• average	1,718 cu ft/s (48.6 m3/s)
• minimum	102 cu ft/s (2.9 m3/s)
• maximum	39,100 cu ft/s (1,110 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Rickman Creek, Beeman Creek, Wyman Creek, Tarbell Creek, Big Anne Creek, Simpson Creek, Keya Paha River
• right	Snake River, Fairfield Creek, Plum Creek, Dutch Creek, Long Pine Creek, Elk Creek, Coon Creek, Laughing Water Creek, Rock Creek, Willow Creek, Oak Creek, Ash Creek, Otter Creek, Clay Creek, Beaver Creek, Big Sandy Creek, Little Sandy Creek, Brush Creek, Turkey Creek, Eagle Creek, Redbird Creek, Louse Creek, Sand Creek, Red Otter Creek, Steel Creek, Pishel Creek, Soldier Creek, Schindler Creek, Verdigre Creek, Bingham Creek, Burgess Creek
National Wild and Scenic River
Designated	May 24, 1991

The Niobrara River (/ˌnaɪ.əˈbrærə/; Omaha–Ponca: Ní Ubthátha khe, pronounced [nĩꜜ ubɫᶞaꜜɫᶞa kʰe], literally "water spread-out horizontal-the" or "The Wide-Spreading Water") is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 568 miles (914 km) long,^[2] running through the U.S. states of Wyoming and Nebraska.^[3] The river drains one of the most arid sections of the Great Plains, and has a low flow for a river of its length. The Niobrara's watershed includes the northern tier of Nebraska Sandhills, a small south-central section of South Dakota, as well as a small area of eastern Wyoming.