Saline River, the principal tributary of the Smoky Hill river, has its source in the southwestern part of Thomas county. For the first 60 miles its general course is almost due east across the southern part of Thomas and Sheridan counties. It then turns slightly to the south, continuing a general eastward course, however, across the northern part of Graham and Ellis counties; thence across Russell county a little north of the center; eastward through Lincoln county; across the southwest corner of Ottawa, where it turns sharply to the southeast and empties into the Smoky Hill a few miles below the city of Salina, in Saline county. Schoolcraft mentions a legendary tin mine on the south side of the Saline "about 40 miles west of the Pottawatomie country." The total length of the stream is about 250 miles. It is not navigable and has no large tributaries.