Salt Fork Arkansas River, river that rises in several headstreams in southern Kansas, U.S., and flows southeastward to Alva, Okla., and then eastward to join the Arkansas River south of Ponca City, after a course of approximately 190 miles (305 km). The Salt Fork Arkansas River is not navigable. A dam across the river (1948) east of Cherokee, Okla., impounds Great Salt Plains Lake, which is largely within Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is noted especially for its great variety of migrating aquatic birds in spring and fall, including the rare and endangered whooping crane.