Minnesota River

Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIN : Minnesota River

The Mendota Bridge crossing the Minnesota River, just above its mouth

The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the state of Minnesota in the United States. It drains a watershed of nearly 17,000 sq mi (44,000 km²) -- 14,751 sq mi (38,205 km²) in Minnesota and about 2,000 sq mi (5180 km²) in South Dakota and Iowa.

It rises in southwestern Minnesota, in Big Stone Lake on the Minnesota-South Dakota border. It flows southeast to Mankato, then turns northeast. It joins the Mississippi south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, near the historic Fort Snelling.

Its name comes from the Dakota language mini meaning "water" and sota which is alternately translated "smoky-white" or "like the cloudy sky". Minnesota Territory, and later the state, were named for the river.

The Minnesota River was formed after the last ice age in North America.

Principal tributaries of the Minnesota River

The course of the Minnesota River, highlighted in red on a map of Minnesota

Blue Earth River Chippewa River Cottonwood River Credit River Lac qui Parle River Little Cottonwood River Little Minnesota River

Pomme de Terre River Redwood River Rush River Whetstone River Yellow Bank River Yellow Medicine River

Cities and towns along the Minnesota River

See also

• List of Minnesota rivers

References

• [Place Names: the Minnesota River]
• Waters, Thomas F. (1977). The Streams and Rivers of Minnesota. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-0960-8.

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