Cache River (Arkansas)


The Cache River is a tributary of the White River, 213 mi long, in northeastern Arkansas in the United States. Its headwaters also drain a small portion of southeastern Missouri. Via the White River, the Cache is part of the Mississippi River watershed, placing the river and surrounding watershed in the Arkansas Delta.

Ecology

The river supports 53 mammalian species, over 200 bird species, and nearly 50 species of reptiles and amphibians. The refuge is also the most important wintering area for mallard ducks and other migratory waterfowl on the continent. As a result, low-lying areas in the vicinity of the river's lower course are a popular destination for duck hunters. The area has the only remaining population of native black bears in the state. This is also where the ivory-billed woodpecker was recently speculated to have been sighted. The watershed also contains the largest remaining tract of contiguous bottomland hardwood forest found in North America. Because of these combination of these unique features, the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge was created along approximately along the river's lower reaches this location was also used by team trees to plant some of there 20 million trees.

Hydrology

The Cache is formed by a confluence of agricultural ditches in Butler County, Missouri and soon enters Arkansas, flowing generally south-southwestwardly. Several portions of the river's upper course have been straightened and channelized. It joins the White River at the town of Clarendon, Arkansas.
The river is a slow muddy river with meandering channels, sloughs, swampy areas, and oxbow lakes.

History

During the American Civil War, the Battle of Cotton Plant was fought along the Cache River at the town of Cotton Plant.

Etymology

The name of the river is probably a Picardie word meaning "hunt" as a reference to the abundant wildlife along the river. The first explorer into the area was Father Marquette, for whom Picard was the native tongue.

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