Bates County Drainage Ditch

This post cards is of the Bates County Drainage Ditch. Once again, this is another fine contribution to this bog made possible by Jeff Droz. Thank you Jeff!
Some information about the drainage ditch located just outside of
Rich Hill. The "ditch" runs at a southeast angle just about two miles north and two miles east of Rich Hill. The drainage ditch is an important part of the Rich Hill area.

This info came from the Missouri Department of Conservation

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 . 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.
Major tributaries to the Marais des Cygnes River are Miami Creek (including the Miami Drainage Ditch) and Walnut Creek. Miami Creek begins in extreme northwestern Bates County. The original channel flows southeast for 39.2 miles to its confluence with the Marais des Cygnes River . Channelization of the lower 4.5 miles of Miami Creek during the early 1900s created the Miami Drainage Ditch .