Located in the
Marais des Cygnes River Drainage Basin, in the
East Region of the state. The head waters of this river system are in
Wabaunsee County, near Eskridge. The Marais des Cygnes River flows in a SE direction into
Melvern Lake in
Osage County near the community of
Reading and
Melvern. Exiting the E edge of
Melvern Lake. The stream crosses Interstate Hwy 35 near the town of
Ottawa, then turning SE to merge with the
Pottawatomie River in
Miami County, near the town of
Osawatomie. Continuing to join the
Little Osage River in
Bates County, MO. Below this junction becomes the
Little Osage River, which continues E through Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks to its juncture with the
Missouri River a short distance below
Jefferson City. Major tributary streams include Pottawatomie Creek and the Marmaton River. There were an estimated 125,000 residents in the basin in the year 2000, and the population is projected to grow to nearly 178,000 by the year 2040.
Other lakes on this river are: Pomona Lake -, Hillsdale Lake.
