The smallest recorded river in the United States is the Roe River in Montana. The Roe River flows only 201 feet (61 meters) in Cascade County before meeting the Missouri River.
How the Roe River gots its name
Roe River was unnamed until 1988 when a group of fifth graders in Great Falls, Montana led a drive to get the name accepted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The same fifth graders also successfully petitioned Guinness starting in 1987 to get the river named as the world’s shortest, knocking a four-hundred long river in Lincoln City, Oregon, the D River, out of the top spot.
Roe River was given its name by the fifth-graders after “roe” for fish eggs due to the small river being near the State Fish Hatchery.
Is the Roe River Actually the Shortest River in the World?
While the Roe River is the smallest recorded river in the United States, there are other much smaller rivers elsewhere in the world. For example. the Tamborasi River located in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia is only 65.6 feet (20 meters) long and is considered the smallest river in Southeast Asia.
Other very short rivers in the world
- In Finland, the Kuokanjoki is only about 11 feet (3.5 meters) long and connects Lake Sumiainen and Lake Keitele.
- The Reprua River in the country of Georgia is only 27 m (89 ft) long.
- The Ombla River in Croatia is only 98 feet (30 meters) long.
- The Los Patos located in the Dominican Republic also measures 201 feet (61 meters), depending on the tide.
Headwaters of the Roe River
The headwaters of the Roe River is Giant Springs. Giant Springs is considered one of the largest springs in the United States and is a first magnitude freshwater spring.
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William Clark came upon Great Springs on June 18, 1805 and wrote in the journal documenting the Lewis and Clark Expedition, “… we proceeded on up the river a little more than a mile to the largest fountain or Spring I ever Saw, and doubt if it is not the largest in America Known, this water boils up from under th rocks near the edge of the river and falls imediately into the river 8 feet and keeps its Colour for ½ a mile which is emencely Clear and of a bluish Cast…”
Giant Springs is located in a park northeast of the city of Great Falls, in Cascade County, Montana.
Quick geography facts about the Roe River, Montana
Guinness World Record: The Roe River was once listed in the Guinness World Records as the shortest river in the world.
Giant Springs: The river originates from Giant Springs, which is one of the largest freshwater springs in the United States, producing over 156 million gallons of water per day.
Local Pride: The campaign to have the Roe River recognized as the shortest river was spearheaded by students from Great Falls, Montana, in the 1980s.
Name Origin: The river is named “Roe” after a contest held by the Great Falls Tribune to name the river.
Competing Claims: There has been some debate about whether the Roe River or the D River in Oregon holds the title of the world’s shortest river, with the D River measuring between 120 and 440 feet depending on the tide.
Tourist Attraction: The Roe River, along with Giant Springs, is a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors to see its unique and brief flow.
