Rivers and Streams

Springs contribute the bulk of water found in the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers. Alley Spring shown adds 81 million gallons daily to the Jacks Fork.

NPS/Josh Chilton

The Current River and its tributary the Jacks Fork are the heart of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways and in fact the very reason for the park's existance is to protect these two streams. Mostly spring-fed and running through some of the most beautiful Ozark scenery, they attract some 1.5 million visitors each year. Most come to float, fish, swim and otherwise partake of the rivers' charms.

Water Quality

"I started out thinking of America as highways and state lines. As I got to know it better, I began to think of it as rivers. Most of what I love about the country is a gift of the rivers. . . . America is a great story, and there is a river on every page of it. "- (Charles Kuralt, On the Road With Charles Kuralt)