The Fabius River (pronounced ''FAY-bee-us'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 13, 2011

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...

of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

in northeastern

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It is formed near its mouth by the confluence of the North Fabius River and the South Fabius River. The North Fabius River also flows through southeastern

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. The Middle Fabius River joins the North Fabius upstream of that river's mouth. Each of the three rivers have been subjected to substantial straightening and channelization. According to tradition, the Fabius River is named for the Roman consul

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus (), surnamed Cunctator ( 280 – 203 BC), was a Roman statesman and general of the third century BC. He was Roman consul, consul five times (233, 228, 215, 214, and 209 BC) and was appointed Roman dictator, dict ...

. However, the State Historical Society of Missouri suggests Fabius actually was the name of a French pioneer in the area.

Course

North Fabius River

The North Fabius River, about long, is the longest of the three forks and rises near Moulton in southwestern

Appanoose County, Iowa Appanoose County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,317. Its county seat is Centerville. History Appanoose County was formed on February 17, 1843, from open territory. It was named for the ...

. It flows generally southeastwardly through Davis County in Iowa and Schuyler,

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, Knox, Clark,

Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * " Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohe ...

and

Marion Marion or MARION may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Marion (band), a British alternative rock group * ''Marion'' (miniseries), a 1974 miniseries * ''Marion'' (1920 film), an Italian silent film * ''Marion'' (2024 film), a UK short People a ...

counties in Missouri, past the towns of Memphis and

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary residence and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. Jefferson began designing Monticello after inheriting l ...

, both in Missouri. In its upper course it collects two short tributaries known as the North Fork North Fabius River and the South Fork North Fabius River. At

Taylor, Missouri Taylor is an unincorporated community in northeastern Marion County, Missouri, United States. Taylor is located at the northern junction of U.S. Routes 24 and 61, approximately five miles west of Quincy, Illinois and eight miles north of Palmy ...

, the North Fork averages a discharge of 467 cubic feet per second.

Middle Fabius River

The Middle Fabius River, about long, is formed in Scotland County by the confluence of the North Fork Middle Fabius River and the South Fork Middle Fabius River, both of which rise in Schuyler County. It flows generally southeastwardly through Knox and Lewis counties, and joins the North Fabius River in southeastern Lewis County. The Middle Fork has a mean annual discharge of 386 cubic feet per second at

Ewing, Missouri Ewing is a city in Lewis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 406 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. Ewing is part of the Lewis County C-1 School district. Students atten ...

South Fabius River

The South Fabius River, about long, is formed in Knox County by the confluence of the North Fork South Fabius River and the South Fork South Fabius River. The North Fork rises in Schuyler County and flows through Adair County, and the South Fork rises in Adair County; both flow past the town of

Edina EDINA is a centre for digital expertise, based at the University of Edinburgh as a division of the Information Services Group. Services EDINA front and back ends, front-end services (those accessed directly by the user) are available free at ...

. The South Fabius flows generally south-southeastwardly through Knox, Lewis, Shelby and Marion counties, past the town of Newark. Near Newark it collects the Little Fabius River, which rises near Hurdland and flows for its entire length in Knox County. The South Fabius River's average discharge at Taylor is approximately 440 cubic feet per second.

Lower river

The North and South Fabius rivers join to form the Fabius River in northeastern Marion County. The natural confluence of the rivers was about upstream of the Fabius River's mouth at the Mississippi River, but the North Fabius River has been re-routed by channelization, and now joins the South Fabius River about upstream of the Mississippi. The Fabius flows into the Mississippi River about three miles downstream of

Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ) is a city in Adams County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Mississippi River, the population was 39,463 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 40,633 in 2010. The Quincy, Illinois, mic ...

. The Fabius River averages approximately 907 cubic feet per second at the junction of the North and South Fabius rivers. This discharge is obtained by combining the discharges of the North and South forks,(see above), since the Fabius has never been measured by the USGS.

Sources

Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry
*

DeLorme DeLorme Publishing Company is a producer of personal satellite tracking, messaging, and navigation technology. The company's main product, ''inReach'', integrates GPS and satellite technologies. ''inReach'' provides the ability to send and rec ...

(1998). ''Iowa Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. . *