Root River (Minnesota)

Root River
Root River
	The North Branch of the Root River in Olmsted County Park
	The Root River in Minnesota
Native name	Hokah (Dakota)
Location
Country	United States
States	Minnesota
Counties	Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
Cities	Chatfield, Forestville, Hokah, Houston, Lanesboro, Rushford, Peterson, Preston, Stewartville, Whalan
Physical characteristics
Source
• coordinates	43°48′24″N 92°10′14″W / 43.8066305°N 92.1704397°W
Mouth	Mississippi River
• coordinates	43°45′43″N 91°15′06″W / 43.7619120°N 91.2518017°W
Length	80 miles (130 km)
Discharge
• location	43°45′43″N 91°15′06″W / 43.7619°N 91.2518°W
Basin features
River system	Mississippi River
Tributaries
• left	Kinney Creek, Lynch Creek, Mill Creek, Money Creek, North Branch Root River, Raaen Creek, Rush Creek, Torkelson Creek, Trout Run
• right	Diamond Creek (Root River tributary), Ferndale Creek, Gribben Creek, Middle Branch Root River, Partridge Creek, South Branch Root River, Rice Creek, South Fork Root River
Bridges	Moen's Bridge

The Root River flows for 80 miles (130 km)^[1] 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.^[2]

The Root River is formed by the merger of the North Branch Root River and Middle Branch Root River in Chatfield, Minnesota. A mile and a half north of Lanesboro, Minnesota it is joined by the South Branch Root River.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] The South Fork Root River later joins the Root River near Houston, Minnesota.^[6]^[7]

The South Branch Root River rises in Mower County as agricultural drainage ditches, which disappear underground, re-emerging as a much cooler stream^[8] at Mystery Cave near Preston, Minnesota.

The Root River and its tributaries lie within Minnesota's Driftless Area.

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, shovelnose 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

The Root River State Trail is a 42-mile-long (68 km) trail for bicycling, hiking, skating, skiing, etc. It begins in Fountain and continues through Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and Houston.

2007 flood

As a result of the 2007 Midwest flooding, the river rose to 19 feet (5.8 m), about a foot short of the height of the dike protecting the town of Houston.^[9]

Gallery

Maps

Major Rivers in Southeast Minnesota

13km
8.1miles

North Branch Upper Iowa River

Little Cedar River

Cedar River

South Fork Root River

South Fork Zumbro River

South Branch Root River

North Branch Root River

Middle Fork Root River

Root River

Root River mouth

The sources of major rivers in Southeast Minnesota are indicated

References

↑ "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved Feb 9, 2011.
1 2 Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 196.
↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Branch Root River
↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Branch Root River
↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Branch Root River
↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Fork Root River
↑ "Root River and Tributaries" (PDF). Minnesota DNR. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
↑ "South Branch Root River". Minnesota Public Radio. 1998. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
↑ Meryhew, Richard; Terry Collins; Allie Shah (2007-08-20). "6 reported dead in floods in southeastern Minnesota". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2007-08-21. Retrieved 2007-08-24.

External links

Minnesota DNR canoeing guide for the Root River
Minnesota DNR trail guide for the Root River State Trail.

[1] "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved Feb 9, 2011.

[Warren-2] 1 2 Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 196.

[3] U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Branch Root River

[SBRR-4] U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Branch Root River

[5] U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Branch Root River

[6] U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: South Fork Root River

[DNR-7] "Root River and Tributaries" (PDF). Minnesota DNR. Retrieved March 24, 2021.

[MNPR-8] "South Branch Root River". Minnesota Public Radio. 1998. Retrieved July 21, 2007.

[9] Meryhew, Richard; Terry Collins; Allie Shah (2007-08-20). "6 reported dead in floods in southeastern Minnesota". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2007-08-21. Retrieved 2007-08-24.

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Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States Israel
Other	Yale LUX

v t e Minnesota tributaries of the Upper Mississippi River below St Anthony Falls
Minnesota River	Little Minnesota River Pomme de Terre River Lac qui Parle River Chippewa River Yellow Medicine River Redwood River Cottonwood River Blue Earth River
St. Croix River	Kettle River Snake River
Cannon River	North Cannon River Little Cannon River Straight River Little Cannon River (Sabre Lake) Belle Creek
Zumbro River	North Fork Zumbro River Middle Fork Zumbro River North Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River South Fork Zumbro River
Whitewater River	North Fork Whitewater River Middle Fork Whitewater River South Fork Whitewater River
Root River	South Fork Root River Badger Creek South Branch Root River Camp Creek North Branch Root River Middle Branch Root River Rush Creek Pine Creek Coolridge Creek Hemingway Creek
Upper Iowa River (Iowa, Minnesota)	Pine Creek Little Iowa River North Branch Upper Iowa River
Iowa River (Iowa)	Cedar River Shell Rock River Winnebago River (Iowa) Lime Creek Little Cedar River (Iowa and Minnesota) Little Cedar River (Dodge County, Minnesota)
Des Moines River (Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri)	East Fork Des Moines River Heron Lake Outlet Jack Creek Diversion Creek Okabena Creek Lime Creek Beaver Creek
Missouri River (Missouri, Iowa)	Little Sioux River Ocheyedan River West Fork Little Sioux River Big Sioux River (Iowa) Rock River Little Rock River East Branch Rock River Split Rock Creek Pipestone Creek Flandreau Creek
Other rivers and streams	Crooked Creek North Fork Crooked Creek South Fork Crooked Creek Hay Creek Pine Creek Vermillion River South Branch Vermillion River Wapsipinicon River Wells Creek Winnebago Creek
Streams by region	Driftless Area Counties Dakota Dodge Fillmore Goodhue Houston Mower Olmsted Rice Wabasha Winona
See also: List of rivers of Minnesota, North Shore Streams, Wisconsin rivers, Iowa rivers, North Dakota rivers