| Niobrara River |
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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" |
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| Native name | Ní Ubthátha khe (Omaha–Ponca) |
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Wyoming, Nebraska |
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| Cities | Niobrara, Nebraska, Anncar, Nebraska, Valentine, Nebraska, Agate, Nebraska, Van Tassell, Wyoming, Lusk, Wyoming |
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| Source | |
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| • location | Niobrara County, near Manville, Wyoming |
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| • coordinates | 42°49′15″N 104°38′50″W / 42.82083°N 104.64722°W / 42.82083; -104.64722 |
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| • elevation | 5,500 ft (1,700 m) |
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| Mouth | Missouri River |
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• location | Knox County, near Niobrara, Nebraska |
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• coordinates | 42°45′58″N 98°02′50″W / 42.76611°N 98.04722°W / 42.76611; -98.04722 |
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• elevation | 1,211 ft (369 m) |
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| Length | 568 mi (914 km) |
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| Basin size | 11,580 sq mi (30,000 km2) |
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| Discharge | |
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| • location | Verdel, NE |
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| • average | 1,718 cu ft/s (48.6 m3/s) |
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| • minimum | 102 cu ft/s (2.9 m3/s) |
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| • maximum | 39,100 cu ft/s (1,110 m3/s) |
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| Tributaries | |
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| • left | Rickman Creek, Beeman Creek, Wyman Creek, Tarbell Creek, Big Anne Creek, Simpson Creek, Keya Paha River |
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| • 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 |
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| Designated | May 24, 1991 |
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The Niobrara River (; 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, running through the U.S. states of Wyoming and Nebraska. 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.