Washita River

This article is about the river in Texas and Oklahoma. For the river in Arkansas and Louisiana, see Ouachita River.

Washita River
False Washita River
River
Map of the Washita River watershed
Country	United States
States	Oklahoma, Texas
Part of	Red River
Cities	Clinton, OK, Anadarko, OK, Chickasha, OK, Pauls Valley, OK, Wynnewood, OK, Davis, OK, Tishomingo, OK
Source
- location	Roberts County, Texas

The Washita River at Anadarko, Oklahoma

The Washita River near Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

The Washita River is a river in Texas and Oklahoma, United States. The river is 295 miles (475 km) long and terminates into Lake Texoma in Johnston County (also Bryan County and Marshall County - 33°55′N 96°35′W), Oklahoma and the Red River.

Geography

The Washita River crosses Hemphill County, Texas and enters Oklahoma in Roger Mills County. In Oklahoma it cuts through the Oklahoma Counties of: Roger Mills, Custer, Washita, Caddo, Grady, Garvin, Murray, Carter, and Johnston. Lake Texoma is the border between Bryan County and Marshall County.

The river bisects the heart of the Anadarko Basin, according to the USGS the Anadarko Basin is the fifth largest natural gas formation area discovered in the United States.

When the river reaches the Arbuckle Mountains it drops 150 ft/mile (3%) as it cuts through a granite gorge.

The Washita's river bed is made up of unstable mud and sand. The banks of the river and steeply incised and erosive, made up of red earth. This makes it one of the most silt-laden streams in North America.

Source

The Washita River forms in eastern Roberts County, Texas (35°38′N 100°36′W) near the town of Miami, Texas in the Texas Panhandle.

Tributaries

Along its path, the Foss Reservoir dams the Washita River. Several reservoirs along the Washita River valley hold the waters of small tributaries, including Fort Cobb Lake, Lake Chickasha, and Arbuckle Reservoir.

History

The Battle of Washita River (or Battle of the Washita) occurred on November 27, 1868 when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer’s 7th U.S. Cavalry attacked Black Kettle’s Cheyenne village on the Washita River (near present day Cheyenne, Oklahoma) at dawn.

General (later President) Zachary Taylor established Fort Washita near lower end of the river in 1842 to protect citizens of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations from the plains indians. The Fort was about 19 miles above where the Washita river runs into the Red River.

See also

• List of Oklahoma rivers
• List of Texas rivers

External links

• Washita River from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Washita River Paddling Information