The Wakarusa River is a notable stream located in northeastern Kansas that flows approximately 50 miles in an easterly direction before emptying into the Kansas River near Eudora. The river and its tributaries drain roughly 458 square miles across parts of Wabaunsee, Shawnee, Osage, and Douglas counties. With an average gradient of 6.3 feet per mile, the Wakarusa offers diverse fishing opportunities in a variety of habitats. The river's character changes significantly from its headwaters in the eastern edge of the Flint Hills to its downstream sections. The mainstream channel is intrenched in its own alluvium with high, muddy banks and predominantly mud or sand bottoms, while the upper parts of tributaries feature lower banks with bottoms consisting of gravel, rubble, or bedrock.