Kansas River
（重定向自Kaw River）
![](/Images/godic/202501/22/Kansas_River4340.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/22/Kansasrivermap4340.png")
![The Kansas River at Lawrence showing Bowersock Dam and the U.S. 40 and 59 BridgesAt low levelAt flood stage](/Images/godic/202501/22/Kansas_River_Lawrence4340.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/22/Bowersock_Dam_-_Kansas_River_Several_Feet_Above_Flood_Stage_May_20074340.JPG")
The Kansas River (also known as the Kaw; via French Cansez from kką:ze, the name of the Kaw (or Kansas) tribe) is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwestern-most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwestern-most portion of the extensive Mississippi River drainage. Its name (and nickname) come from the Kanza (Kaw) people who once inhabited the area. The state of Kansas was named for the river.