| Cottonwood River | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kansas |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Flint Hills |
| Discharge1 Location: | Neosho Rapids[1] |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 1239cuft/s[2] |
| Source1 Location: | West of Marion, Kansas |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 38.3569°N -97.0706°W[3] |
| Source1 Elevation: | 1056feet |
| Mouth: | Neosho River |
| Mouth Location: | East of Emporia, Kansas |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 38.3858°N -96.0564°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 322feet |
| River System: | Neosho River |
| Basin Size: | 1912sqmi[4] |
Cottonwood River is one of the principal tributaries of the Neosho River in central Kansas of the United States.[5]
The river begins near the west line of Marion County as two tributaries, the North Cottonwood River and the South Cottonwood River. They both start within 2 miles of each other, and within a few miles northwest of Lehigh.[6]
The North Cottonwood starts near the west line of Marion County,[6] crosses into McPherson County and roughly parallels the county line northward for 5 miles, then crosses back into Marion County.[7] It flows through Durham then into the Marion Reservoir.[6]
The South Cottonwood also starts near the west line of Marion County, flows southward about 1 mile west of Lehigh, then flows eastward about 2 miles south of Hillsboro, then northeast towards the lower side of the Marion Reservoir.[6]
The North and South Cottonwood join about 1 mile southeast of the Marion Reservoir to become the North Fork Cottonwood River, before flowing through the city of Marion.[6] The river flows southeast to Florence, then eastward towards Chase County.[8] In Chase County, it flows northeast through Cedar Point then near Clements and Elmdale. It then flows eastward through Strong City, Cottonwood Falls.[8]
The South Fork Cottonwood River starts south of Matfield Green, then flows northward along the east side of Matfield Green and Bazaar. It merges with the North Fork Cottonwood River about 3 miles east of Cottonwood Falls[8] then flows eastward near Saffordville and across into Lyon County near Plymouth, Kansas, then along the south edge of Emporia. It flows into the Neosho River about 5 miles east of Emporia.[9]
In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike Expedition westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through Marion County near the current towns of Florence, Marion, Durham.[10]
The following lakes are located in the Cottonwood River drainage basin:
The following bridges over the Cottonwood River are on the National Register of Historic Places list: