 The Elk River is formed by a collection of intermittent streams in southwestern Greenwood County, and flows for about  generally east-southeast through Butler, Elk, and Montgomery counties, past the towns of Elk Falls, Longton and Elk City.It joins the Verdigris River at the northern edge of the city of Independence.Between Elk City and Independence, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam causes the river to form Elk City Lake.