Kokosing River

The Kokosing River (ko-KO-sing) is a tributary of the Walhonding River, 57.2 miles (92.1 km) long, in east-central Ohio in the United States. Via the Walhonding, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 482 square miles (1248 km²).[3] Etymologically, "Kokosing" translates roughly to "River of Little Owls." [4] The Kokosing River rises in Morrow County, northeast of Mount Gilead, and initially flows southwardly. It turns eastwardly near Chesterville and flows through Knox and Coshocton Counties, passing the communities of Mount Vernon, Gambier and Howard. In western Coshocton County the Kokosing joins the Mohican River to form the Walhonding River, about 2 miles (3 km) northwest of Nellie.[5]

Kokosing River
The Kokosing River in Mount Vernon
Location
CountryUnited States
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMorrow County, Ohio
Mouth 
 • location
Walhonding River, western Coshocton County, Ohio
Length57.2 mi (92.1 km)
Basin size482 sq mi (1,250 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationMillwood
 • average480.9 cu ft/s (13.62 m3/s), USGS water years 1922-1974[1]
Discharge 
 • locationmouth
 • average547.18 cu ft/s (15.494 m3/s) (estimate)[2]
Map of the Walhonding watershed showing Kokosing River
The Kokosing River as viewed from the Kokosing Gap Trail near Gambier

Upstream of Mount Vernon, the Kokosing collects its largest tributary, the North Branch Kokosing River,[6] which rises in Morrow County and flows southeastwardly through Knox County, past Fredericktown.[5]

Between Mount Vernon and Howard, the river is roughly paralleled by a rail trail, the Kokosing Gap Trail[7] which continues to the town of Danville.

Variant names

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Kokosing River has also been known historically as:[8]

  • Kokoshing River
  • Kokosing Stream
  • Owl Creek
  • Vernon
  • Vernon River

See also

References
  1. "USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics for Ohio: USGS 03137000 Kokosing River at Millwood OH". waterdata.usgs.gov. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  2. United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Watershed Report: Mohican River". watersgeo.epa.gov. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  3. Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A Guide to Ohio Streams. Archived 2005-09-04 at the Wayback Machine Chapter 10: Major Ohio Watersheds (pdf)
  4. https://www.kenyon.edu/files/resources/14-newsletter-oct.pdf
  5. DeLorme (1991). Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-233-1
  6. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Branch Kokosing River
  7. Kokosing Gap Trail website
  8. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Kokosing River

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