Courtois Creek

{{Short description|Stream in Missouri, U.S.}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox river | name = Courtois Creek | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = Tributary to Huzzah Creek | name_etymology =  | image = | image_caption = | image_alt = | map = | map_size = 300 | map_caption = | pushpin_map = USA Missouri#USA | pushpin_map_size = 300 | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Courtois Creek mouth | pushpin_map_alt = Map of Courtois Creek mouth location  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = [[United States]] | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Missouri | subdivision_type3 = County | subdivision_name3 = [[Crawford County, Missouri|Crawford]]<br />[[Iron County, Missouri|Iron]]<br />[[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington]] | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 =  | length = {{convert|37.50|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="geoviewer">{{cite web |title=ArcGIS Web Application |url=https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ada349b90c26496ea52aab66a092593b |website=epa.maps.arcgis.com |publisher=US EPA |access-date=11 June 2021}}</ref> | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location = [[Huzzah Creek (Meramec River tributary)|Huzzah Creek]] | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = {{convert|269.89|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}} at mouth with [[Huzzah Creek (Meramec River tributary)|Huzzah Creek]]<ref name="watershed">{{cite web |title=Courtois Creek Watershed Report |url=https://watersgeo.epa.gov/watershedreport/?comid=5053851 |website=US EPA Geoviewer |publisher=US EPA |access-date=11 June 2021}}</ref> | discharge1_max =  | source1 = North Fork Black River divide | source1_location = near [[Viburnum, Missouri]] | source1_coordinates = {{coord|37|41|02|N|091|00|41|W|display=inline}}<ref name="GNIS">{{cite web |title=GNIS Detail - Courtois Creek |url=https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:3:::NO::P3_FID,P3_TITLE:749499,Courtois%20Creek |website=geonames.usgs.gov |publisher=US Geological Survey |access-date=11 June 2021}}</ref> | source1_elevation = {{convert|1280|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="STopoview">{{cite web |title=Get Maps |url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#15/37.6858/-91.0138 |website=USGS Topoview |publisher=US Geological Survey |access-date=11 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> | mouth = [[Huzzah Creek (Meramec River tributary)|Huzzah Creek]] | mouth_location = [[Scotia, Missouri]] | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|38|01|36|N|091|12|43|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name="GNIS"/> | mouth_elevation = {{convert|636|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="MTopoview">{{cite web |title=Get Maps |url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#15/38.0256/-91.2145 |website=USGS Topoview |publisher=US Geological Survey |access-date=11 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> | progression = [[Huzzah Creek (Meramec River tributary)|Huzzah Creek]] → [[Meramec River]] → [[Mississippi River]] → [[Gulf of Mexico]] | river_system = [[Meramec River]] | basin_size = {{convert|222|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name=Gateway>{{cite web |title=Upper Meramec Section: Courtois Creek Watershed |url=http://www.ewgateway.org/pdffiles/library/WRC/MeramecRiverBasin/MeramecRiverAlmanac.pdf |work=The Meramec River Basin Almanac |publisher=East-West Gateway Council of Governments |page= 13 |accessdate= 2019-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326133953/http://www.ewgateway.org/pdffiles/library/WRC/MeramecRiverBasin/MeramecRiverAlmanac.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-26}}</ref> | basin_population = | tributaries_left = [[Indian Creek (Courtois Creek tributary)|Indian Creek]], [[Bailey Branch (Courtois Creek tributary)|Bailey Branch]] | tributaries_right = [[Abbott Branch (Courtois Creek tributary)|Abbott Branch]], Andys Branch, [[Cub Creek (Courtois Creek tributary)|Cub Creek]], [[Loomis Branch]], Johns Creek, [[Hazel Creek (Courtois Creek tributary)|Hazel Creek]], Lost Creek, [[Billys Branch]] | waterbodies = | bridges = County Road 80 (x2), Highway Z, Frank Bay Road, MO 80A, Old Highway C, State Highway C, Bailey Branch Road, Brazil Road, Gobblers Knob Road, Blunt Road, Butts Road | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }}

'''Courtois Creek''' ({{IPAc-en|local|pron|ˈ|k|oʊ|t|ə|w|eɪ}}) is a {{convert|38.6|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}<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> stream in southern [[Missouri]], United States. It shares its name with the nearby town of [[Courtois, Missouri|Courtois]] and is in the [[Courtois Hills]] region of the Missouri [[Ozarks]]. According to the information in the Ramsay Place Names File at the University of Missouri, the creek was "doubtless named for some French settler, but his identity has not been ascertained".<ref name=Ramsay>{{cite web |title=Iron County Place Names, 1928–1945 |url=http://shs.umsystem.edu/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_iron.html |publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri |accessdate=2014-10-06 |archive-date=2014-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006115842/http://shs.umsystem.edu/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_iron.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The stream arises in the [[Mark Twain National Forest]] in northern [[Iron County, Missouri|Iron County]], just north of [[Missouri Route 32]] about four miles east of [[Bixby, Missouri|Bixby]], and flows northward, passing about four miles east of [[Viburnum, Missouri|Viburnum]]. The stream enters the southwest corner of [[Washington County, Missouri|Washington County]], flows past Courtois and on north through the Mark Twain National Forest, entering [[Crawford County, Missouri|Crawford County]] just south of [[Berryman, Missouri|Berryman]] and passing under [[Missouri Route 8]] just west of that village. It flows on northwest through the Missouri Ozarks of Crawford County, roughly paralleling the course of [[Huzzah Creek (Meramec River)|Huzzah Creek]] to its west. It flows into Huzzah Creek just before the latter's confluence with the [[Meramec River]], near the Crawford County Highway E bridge just east of [[Scotia, Missouri|Scotia]].<ref name=Ramsay/><ref>''Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 1998, First edition, pp. 47, 48 and 56 {{ISBN|0-89933-224-2}}</ref>

The creek is popular year-round for [[canoe]]ing, [[kayak]]ing, and [[raft]]ing. It is surrounded by dense stands of trees and native vegetation, has abundant fish, turtles and waterfowl, and is the best-protected stream in the area against [[erosion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2011/05/200hctxt.pdf|title=Meramec River Watershed Habitat Conditions|work=Missouri Department of Conservation|page=HC4|accessdate=2014-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306143510/http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2011/05/200hctxt.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-06}}</ref> The St. Louis ''[[Riverfront Times]]'' cited the creek as the best local float trip in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/bestof/2007/award/best-float-trip-377170/|title=RFT Best Of: Best Float Trip|accessdate=2007-01-10|work=[[Riverfront Times]]}}</ref>

==Variant names== According to the [[Geographic Names Information System]], it has also been known historically as:<ref name="GNIS"/> *Coataway Creek *Cotoway Creek *Courtoi Creek *Fourch Courtois Creek *Huzza Creek

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{GeoGroupTemplate}} * [http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/meramec5.html Southwest Paddler: Courtois Creek] * [https://missouricanoe.org/huzzah-creek-and-courtois-creek/ Missouri Canoe and Floater's Association: Huzzah Creek & Courtois Creek]

[[Category:Rivers of Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Iron County, Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Crawford County, Missouri]] [[Category:Rivers of Washington County, Missouri]] [[Category:Tributaries of the Meramec River]]