Little Third Fork Platte River
| Little Third Fork Platte River Livingston Creek | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Missouri |
| County | Gentry, DeKalb, and Buchanan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | King City, Jackson Township, Gentry County |
| • coordinates | 40°03′01″N 94°31′13″W / 40.0502524°N 94.52028163°W[1] |
| • elevation | 1,050 ft (320 m)[1] |
| Mouth | Third Fork Platte River |
• location | Marion Township, Buchanan County |
• coordinates | 39°46′15″N 94°38′06″W / 39.7708292°N 94.6349585°W[2] |
• elevation | 850 ft (260 m)[2] |
| Length | 30.9 mi (49.7 km)[3] |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Little Third Fork → Third Fork Platte River → Platte River → Missouri River → Mississippi River → Atlantic Ocean |
| Stream gradient 7.8 ft/mi (1.48 m/km)[3] | |
Little Third Fork Platte River is a stream in Gentry, DeKalb, and Buchanan counties in the U.S. state of Missouri.[2] It is a tributary of the Third Fork Platte River and is 30.9 miles (49.7 km) long.[3]
History
The Little Third Fork of the Platte River was a notable stream at the settlement of DeKalb County, having pleasant, alluvial soil near its banks.[4] This stream has also been denoted as Livingston Creek.[5]
Geography
Course
The stream begins in the southwest of Gentry County in King City and flows southerly through DeKalb County past Clarksdale. Afterwards, it curves southwest and joins the Third Fork Platte River in the northeast of Buchanan County about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Easton.[6]
Hydrology
Third Fork Platte River is a sixth order stream, making it the tied second-highest order tributary of the Platte River. The stream was originally 38.2 miles (61.5 km) long before its channelization, in which 11.3 miles (18.2 km) was channelized.[3]
Communities
Clarksdale is the largest town fully within the Little Third Fork watershed, being situated on its northwestern bank. King City is on the ridge between the Third Fork, Little Third Fork, and Grand River watershed.[6]
The extinct communities of Bayfield and Oak in DeKalb County were both in this watershed.[7][8]
Tributaries
There are two named direct tributaries of the Little Third Fork Platte River, Jordan Creek and Morgan Branch.[3]
Crossings
There are four highways that cross the Little Third Fork Platte River: Route 6, Route 31, Route E, Route O.[6]
Miscellaneous
Many wind turbines of the Lost Creek Wind Farm are located around the northern half of the Little Third Fork Platte River.[9]
See also
External links
Geomorphology of Little Third Fork Platte River by Eric Clausen
References
- 1 2 "Rivers and Streams". Missouri Spatial Data Information Service. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
- 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Third Fork Platte River
- 1 2 3 4 5 Bayless, Mike (2022). Platte River Watershed and Inventory Assessment. Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
- ↑ History of Andrew and DeKalb counties, Missouri. St. Joseph, National Historical Co. 1888. p. 288.
- ↑ "The 1877 Atlas of Buchanan County, MO". St. Joseph Public Library. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
- 1 2 3 "County Maps". Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
- ↑ "An illustrated historical atlas of De Kalb County, Missouri, 1877". Philadelphia, PA: Edwards Brothers of Missouri. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Plat book of DeKalb County, Missouri 1930". Hixson (W. W.) and Company. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Lost Creek Wind Energy Facility". GridInfo. Retrieved May 1, 2026.