Root River (Minnesota)
{{Short description|Minnesota tributary of the Mississippi River}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Root River
| native_name = {{native name|dak|Hokah}}
| name_other =
| name_etymology =
| nickname =
| image = RootRiver.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = The North Branch of the Root River in Olmsted County Park
| image_alt =
| map = rootrivermap.jpg
| map_size = 300
| map_caption = The Root River in Minnesota
| map_alt =
| pushpin_map =
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| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = United States
| subdivision_type2 = States
| subdivision_name2 = Minnesota
| subdivision_type3 = Counties
| subdivision_name3 = Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
| subdivision_type4 = Cities
| subdivision_name4 = Chatfield, Forestville, Hokah, Houston, Lanesboro, Rushford, Peterson, Preston, Stewartville, Whalan
| subdivision_type5 =
| subdivision_name5 =
| length = {{convert|80|mi}}
| width_min =
| width_avg =
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| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
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| discharge1_location = {{coord|43.7619|N|91.2518|W|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:US|display=inline}}
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg =
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| source1 =
| source1_location =
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|43.8066305|-92.1704397|display=inline|region:US-MN_type:river_source:gnis|name=Root River Source}}
| source1_elevation =
| mouth = Mississippi River
| mouth_location =
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|43.7619120|-91.2518017|display=it|region:US-MN_type:river_source:gnis|name=Root River Mouth}}
| mouth_elevation =
| progression =
| river_system = Mississippi River
| basin_size =
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| basin_population =
| tributaries_left = Kinney Creek, Lynch Creek, Mill Creek, Money Creek, North Branch Root River, Raaen Creek, Rush Creek, Torkelson Creek, Trout Run
| tributaries_right = Diamond Creek (Root River tributary), Ferndale Creek, Gribben Creek, Middle Fork Root River, Partridge Creek, South Branch Root River, Rice Creek, South Fork Root River
| waterbodies =
| waterfalls =
| bridges = Moen's Bridge
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}}
The Root River flows for {{convert|80|mi}}{{cite web| url=http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/| title=The National Map| publisher=U.S. Geological Survey| accessdate=Feb 9, 2011}} through the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota and is a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River. The Root River is formed by three branches, the North, South and Middle branches of the Root River and the South Fork Root River. It is an excellent river for canoeing and fishing. The gentle to moderate flowing river drops an average of 3.4 ft/mile from Chatfield, Minnesota, to its pour point in the Mississippi River into Navigation Pool 7 just south of La Crosse, Wisconsin and east of Hokah, Minnesota.
History and description
Root River is an English translation of the Dakota-language name Hokah.{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|authorlink=Warren Upham|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n215 196]}}
The Root River is formed by the merger of its North Branch Root River and Middle Fork Root River in Chatfield, Minnesota. A mile and a half north of Lanesboro, Minnesota it is joined by the South Branch Root River.{{GNIS|648617|North Branch Root River}}{{GNIS|652275|South Branch Root River}}{{GNIS|647799|Middle Branch Root River}} The South Fork Root River joins the Root River near Houston, Minnesota.{{GNIS|652300|South Fork Root River}}{{cite web|url=http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe_routes/root.pdf|title=Root River and Tributaries|website=Minnesota DNR|access-date=March 24, 2021}}
The South Branch Root River rises in Mower County as agricultural drainage ditches, which disappear underground, re-emerging as a much cooler stream{{cite web|url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199805/12_hughesa_ethanol/|website=Minnesota Public Radio|year=1998|title=South Branch Root River|access-date=July 21, 2007}} at Mystery Cave near Preston, Minnesota. The 48°F water creates superb conditions for brook trout.
The Root River and its tributaries lie within Minnesota's Driftless Area, a region which missed being glaciated during the last ice age, i.e., the Wisconsinian glaciation.
At Houston, the Root River's discharge was 845.2 cubic feet per second in 1961.{{cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=05386000&agency_cd=USGS&referred_module=sw|title=Search|website=USGS}}{{cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/annual?site_no=05386000&agency_cd=USGS&por_05386000_73692=900714,00060,73692,1938,1961&year_type=W&referred_module=sw&format=html_table|title=ROOT RIVER BELOW SOUTH FORK NEAR HOUSTON, MN|website=USGS|access-date=March 24, 2021}}
Fish and wildlife
Many fish species such as brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, rock bass, channel catfish, crappies, shorthead redhorse, river redhorse, golden redhorse, silver redhorse, Longnose Sturgeon, greater redhorse, black redhorse, northern hogsuckers, and white suckers inhabit the river. The Root River system provides habitat to a number of bird species. Red-tailed hawks and bald eagles can be found in the area. Blue herons, wild turkeys, and wood ducks are also commonly seen. Numerous mammals can be spotted in the region including deer, gray fox, red fox, coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, and badgers.
Trail
2007 flood
As a result of the 2007 Midwest flooding, the river rose to {{convert|19|ft}}, about a foot short of the height of the dike protecting the town of Houston.{{cite web| last =Meryhew| first =Richard| author2 =Terry Collins| author3 =Allie Shah| title =6 reported dead in floods in southeastern Minnesota| publisher =Star Tribune| date =2007-08-20| url =http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1370974.html| accessdate =2007-08-24| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20070821125106/http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1370974.html| archivedate =2007-08-21}}
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Gallery
| style="margin: 0 auto; float:center;" |
Maps
{{OSM Location map
| title = Major Rivers in Southeast Minnesota
| coord = {{coord|43.75|-92.1}}
| zoom = 9
| width = 720
| height = 300
| float = left
| caption =The sources of major rivers in Southeast Minnesota are indicated
|label1 = Root River mouth
| mark-coord1 = {{coord|43.7619120|-91.2518017}}
| label-pos1 = bottom
| label-color = dark blue
| mark-title1 = Root River mouth
| mark-image1 =
| mark-description1=Root River mouth
|label2 = Root River
| mark-coord2={{coord|43.8066305|-92.1704397}}
| label-pos2=top
| label-color2=dark blue
| mark-title2=Root River
| mark-image2=
| mark-description2=Root River
|label3 = Middle Fork Root River
| mark-coord3={{coord|43.7455193|-92.2801652}}
| label-pos3=top
| label-color3=dark blue
| mark-title3=Middle Fork Root River
| mark-image3=
| mark-description3=Middle Fork Root River
|label4 = North Branch Root River
| mark-coord4={{coord|43.759407|-92.7932402}}
| label-pos4=top
| label-color4=dark blue
| mark-title4=North Branch Root River
| mark-image4=
| mark-description4=North Branch Root River
|label5 = South Branch Root River
| mark-coord5={{coord|43.6238531|-92.583233}}
| label-pos5=top
| label-color5=dark blue
| mark-title5=South Branch Root River
| mark-image5=
| mark-description5=South Branch Root River
|label6 = South Fork Zumbro River
| mark-coord6={{coord|43.8799633|-92.8060211}}
| label-pos6=top
| label-color6=dark blue
| mark-title6=South Fork Zumbro River
| mark-image6=
| mark-description6=South Fork Zumbro River
|label7 = South Fork Root River
| mark-coord7={{coord|43.5602434|-92.002104}}
| label-pos7=top
| label-color7=dark blue
| mark-title7=South Fork Root River
| mark-image7=
| mark-description7=South Fork Root River
|label8 = Cedar River
| mark-coord8={{coord|43.8346852|-92.8076868}}
| label-pos8=top
| label-color8=dark blue
| mark-title8=Cedar River
| mark-image8=
| mark-description8=Cedar River
|label9 =Little Cedar River
| mark-coord9={{coord|43.9305192|-92.905193}}
| label-pos9=top
| label-color9=dark blue
| mark-title9=Little Cedar River
| mark-image9=
| mark-description9=Little Cedar River
|label10 =North Branch Upper Iowa River
| mark-coord10={{coord|43.6096868|-92.6337907}}
| label-pos10=bottom
| label-color10=dark blue
| mark-title10=North Branch Upper Iowa River
| mark-image10=
| mark-description10=North Branch Upper Iowa River
}}
File:Root River and major tributaries.jpg
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See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/canoeing/rootriver/index.html Minnesota DNR canoeing guide] for the Root River
- [http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/blufflands/root_river.html Minnesota DNR trail guide] for the Root River State Trail.
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{{Minnesota tributaries of the lower Mississippi drainage basin|state=collapsed}}
Category:Tributaries of the Mississippi River
Category:Rivers of Mower County, Minnesota