{{short description|River in Missouri, U.S.}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} The '''Bourbeuse River''' {{IPAc-en|'|b|ər|b|ɪ|s}} (French for 'muddy') is a river located in east-central [[Missouri]], in the [[Ozarks]] region, and is one of two major tributaries of the [[Meramec River]], the other being the [[Big River (Missouri)|Big River]]. The Bourbeuse flows to the northeast from its source ({{coord|37|58|42|N|91|43|03|W|type:landmark_region:US-MO|display=inline|name=Bourbeuse River (source)}})<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|731540}}</ref> near the locale of [[Dillon, Missouri|Dillon]] just northeast of [[Rolla, Missouri|Rolla]] in [[Phelps County, Missouri|Phelps County]],<ref name=usgs/> through [[Maries County, Missouri|Maries]], [[Gasconade County, Missouri|Gasconade]], [[Crawford County, Missouri|Crawford]], and [[Franklin County, Missouri|Franklin]] counties, where it discharges into the Meramec River near [[Moselle, Missouri|Moselle]] ({{coord|38|23|57|N|90|53|21|W|type:river_region:US-MO|display=inline,title|name=Bourbeuse River (mouth)}}).<ref name=gnis/> The elevation of the river at its source is approximately {{convert|1140|ft|m}}<ref name=usgs>''Dillon, Missouri,'' 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1963 (1977 rev.)</ref> above sea level and at its mouth about {{convert|463|ft|m}}.<ref name=gnis/> The total length of the river is {{convert|154|mi}},<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed May 13, 2011</ref> while the airline distance between source and mouth is {{convert|53|mi|km}}. The watershed area is {{convert|842.9|sqmi|km2}}.

Tributaries of the Bourbeuse River include [[Boone Creek (Bourbeuse River)|Boone Creek]], [[Bowen Creek (Bourbeuse River tributary)|Bowen Creek]], [[Brush Creek (Bourbeuse River)|Brush Creek]], [[Dry Fork (Bourbeuse River)|Dry Fork]], [[Little Bourbeuse River]], [[Red Oak Creek (Missouri)|Red Oak Creek]], [[Spring Creek (Bourbeuse River)|Spring Creek]] and [[Voss Creek]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gasconade County {{!}} The State Historical Society of Missouri |url=https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/gasconade-county |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=collections.shsmo.org}}</ref>

The [[USGS]] stream gauge in [[Union, Missouri|Union]], near the mouth of the river, measures an average flow of {{convert|692|cuft|m3}} per second.<ref>[https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=07016500&agency_cd=USGS&amp;referred_module=sw USGS Waterdata]</ref>

==See also== *[[List of Missouri rivers]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{GeoGroup}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051101224343/http://www.missouricanoe.org/bourbeuse.html Bourbeus River canoeing information] *[http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/meramec4.html More Bourbeus River canoeing information] *[http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lsx&gage=unnm7&view=1,1,1,1,1,1 Bourbeus River flood stage information] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051022152543/http://www.mdc.state.mo.us/fish/watershed/bourbeus/contents/050cotxt.htm Bourbeuse River Watershed Inventory and Assessment, Missouri Department of Conservation]

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[[Category:Rivers of Missouri]] [[Category:Tributaries of the Meramec River]] [[Category:Rivers of Phelps County, Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Maries County, Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Gasconade County, Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Crawford County, Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Franklin County, Missouri]]