bayoulee and drainage ditch

[beagle man]

you spoke of this and mentioned spoonbill, where does this ditch come from and go to I looked it up on the map and it is a long sucker, got my wonderin up and I couldnt figure out the ditch thang, tell me about it if you will, thanks in advance,

[bayoulee]

I had an old book on the construction of the thing once, but have no idea where its at now. I believe it was built during the 20's or 30's, and it was to relieve flooding on the Marias Des Cygnes river. They dug it with huge draglines. It starts somewhere over in eastern Kansas, and essentially, they just dug straight through all the turns and twists on the River, to provide a straight shot for the water to go and relieve the flooding of all the good crop ground. It's confluence with the Marmaton is just upriver from the New River Bridge on highway M NW of Schell City and SE of Rich Hill. I have mainly bank fished it, but have ran lines on it a couple of times. Since it was dug, there are some really weird fossils and things to be found on it. I dont know how wide it was originally, but its a wide sucker now. Deep in spots too.

[beagle man]

thanks. I just like to know new stuff

[bayoulee]

I lied to you. I looked at it on the Google Map and it looks like the actual ditch starts in Bates Co. not Kansas. I havent been near that far up it. I followed ther Marais Des Cygnes, however, and you are right, it is LOOOONNG

[bayoulee]

I found this interesting little write up on the history. I had no idea the rive portion was that long. Does anyone fish this over near Ottwa/ Quenemo?
The Marais des Cygnes River (7th order) originates in Wabaunsee County in east central Kansas, and flows southeast 184.0 miles through Kansas and 33.8 miles in Missouri (the current channel). The original Marais des Cygnes River channel in Missouri was 52.2 miles in length. All but six miles were channelized in the early 1900s, creating the Bates County Drainage Ditch (Atkenson 1918). This channelization changed stream length and order, resulting in a loss of 9.5 miles of 7th order stream and 8.9 miles of 6th order stream. The current river channel includes the first 14 miles of the Marais des Cygnes River where it then flows into the Bates County Drainage Ditch. Three confluences occur; the original Marais des Cygnes River channel joins the Marmaton River (RM 4.6), and the Bates County Drainage Ditch merges with the Marmaton River and the Osage River (93.8 miles above Truman Dam). The Osage River originates at the confluence of the Bates County Drainage Ditch (RM 2.0) and the Marmaton River.

[slipbobber]

Thats a pretty good read bayloulee, At one time I worked on I-335 near Admire and thats a pretty good looking creek over that way. I had no idea that work started on the ditch that early. I wonder how many acres that the Osage and Marais des Cyne drain, what does the word Marais des Cyne mean?

[BLUESKEETER]

is that why when you down 71south it says Marais des river[looks like a litle crick] the then next one is bates count drainage ditch looks like a good catfish ditch my son lives in adrian and i have always wonder about this

[slipbobber]

Yep.

[bayoulee]

Slip, I have never heard of Admire, but I'm guessing its on over into KS a ways? On the google earth, it looks like the river is good sized clear over near Ottawa.
Yes Skeeter, that little slough is the old river channel, which only has current now when the Ditch gets out. There are some HUGE flatheads and blues caught out of that Ditch every year. I have set lines there a couple of times, and done okay, but never hit it just right. Its a little far to drive running lines every day. I can put the boat in the Marmaton, and take out at night and drive gravel roads back home
It was named by the French, like many of the name places around here(Marmaton, Belvoir, La Cygne) and It means "Marsh Of Swans". The french explorers saw what is now believed to have been the millions of migrating geese, and mistakenly called them swans.