Keya Paha River

Keya Paha River
Keya Paha River near Nebraska-South Dakota border
Keya Paha River in light green at right center
Location
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Dakota, Nebraska
Physical characteristics
SourceTodd County, South Dakota
 • coordinates43°13′38″N 100°23′18″W / 43.22722°N 100.38833°W / 43.22722; -100.38833[1]
MouthNiobrara River in Boyd County, Nebraska
 • coordinates
42°53′54″N 98°59′6″W / 42.89833°N 98.98500°W / 42.89833; -98.98500[1]
Length127 mi (204 km)
Basin size1,710 sq mi (4,400 km2)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationnear Naper
 • average139 cu/ft. per sec.[3]

The Keya Paha River (/ˈkɪpəhɔː/ KIP-ə-haw)[4] is a river flowing 127 miles (204 km)[5] through the U.S. states of South Dakota and Nebraska.

The name is derived from the Dakota language ke'-ya pa-ha', meaning "turtle hill",[6] specifically Turtle Butte.[7] The river's name was given to Keya Paha County, Nebraska, through which it flows.[8]

The river originates in Todd County in south central South Dakota, at the confluence of Antelope Creek and Rock Creek near the town of Hidden Timber.[9] It flows in a generally southeasterly direction through Todd and Tripp counties in South Dakota and then through Keya Paha and Boyd counties in Nebraska.[1] It ends at its confluence with the Niobrara River about 7 miles (11 km) west of Butte, Nebraska.[10] The river has a year-round flow, except for winter ice, and has a quality of water better than all other South Dakota rivers.[11]

In 1861, the border between the Nebraska and Dakota territories followed the Keya Paha River from the 43rd parallel to the river's confluence with the Niobrara; it then followed the Niobrara to Missouri. This situation lasted until 1882 when the boundary was changed to follow the 43rd parallel all the way to Missouri;[12] the change added portions of Keya Paha and Boyd counties to Nebraska.[13]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference GNIS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference watershed was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "USGS Surface Water data for Nebraska: USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics".
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference pronunciation was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 30, 2011
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference placenames was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Federal Writers' Project (1940). South Dakota place-names, v.3. American guide series. University of South Dakota. p. 4.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference KPCounty was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference toddwater was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference delormemouth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Hogan, Edward Patrick; Fouberg, Erin Hogan (2001). The Geography of South Dakota (Third ed.). Sioux Falls, SD: The Center for Western Studies – Augustana College. ISBN 0-931170-79-6.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference SDGeo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference boydsurvey was invoked but never defined (see the help page).