Kansas River Atlas

The Kansas River derives its name from the Kanza or Kaw tribe of Indians, which lived on its banks from time immemorial.

In the Kansas River Atlas you'll find information about the natural, cultural, and recreational resources of this beautiful freshwater corridor. You'll also find information on environmentally troubled areas and what you can do to help protect our river.

To get started, simply select a green link at the upper left side of the page. Be sure to scroll over the maps to learn more about your Kansas River!

The Kansas river is formed by the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers at Junction City and flows in a general easterly direction through Geary and Riley counties, forms the boundary between Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties, crosses Shawnee, forms the boundary between Jefferson and Douglas, and of Wyandotte and Johnson counties in part, and empties into the Missouri river at Kansas City.

The Kansas river drains an area of 36,000 square miles in Kansas —almost the entire northern half—11,000 square miles in Nebraska, and 6,000 square miles in Colorado—53,000 square miles in all. (In comparison, the Missouri River drains 523,000 square miles.)

From Junction City to the mouth in Kansas City is about 171 miles. The Kansas River system is the longest prairie based river in the world.

The Kansas River Atlas was originally funded by grants from the Ethel & Raymond J. Rice Foundation, the Topeka Community Foundation, the Acorn Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency/ Environmental Justice. Recent grants from the Kansas Health Foundation, the Kansas Humanities Council, AT&T, the Elizabeth Schultz Environmental Fund of the Douglas County Community Foundation, and the Captain Planet Foundation are allowing Friends of the Kaw to augment and improve the Kansas River Atlas.