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
Location
Country	United States
States	Minnesota
Counties	Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
Cities	Chatfield, Forestville, Hokah, Houston, Lanesboro, Minnesota, 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°WCoordinates: 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	, , , Money Creek, North Branch Root River, Raaen Creek, Rush Creek, ,
• right	, , , Middle Fork Root River, , South Branch Root River, , 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 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.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] The South Fork Root River 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 48°F water creates superb conditions for brook trout.^[4]^[7]

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.^[7]

At Houston, the Root River's discharge was 845.2 cubic feet per second in 1961.^[9]^[10]

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[]

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.^[11]

Maps[]

Major Rivers in Southeast Minnesota

[Interactive fullscreen map]

The sources of major rivers in Southeast Minnesota are indicated

The Southeast Minnesota Root River and its major tributaries

References[]

^ "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved Feb 9, 2011.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b 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
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b 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
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Root River and Tributaries" (PDF). Minnesota DNR. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
^ "South Branch Root River". Minnesota Public Radio. 1998. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
^ "Search". USGS.
^ "ROOT RIVER BELOW SOUTH FORK NEAR HOUSTON, MN". USGS. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
^ 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] Jump up to: ^a ^b 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] Jump up to: ^a ^b 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] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "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] "Search". USGS.

[10] "ROOT RIVER BELOW SOUTH FORK NEAR HOUSTON, MN". USGS. Retrieved March 24, 2021.

[11] 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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show v t Minnesota tributaries of the lower (below St. Paul) Mississippi River drainage basin
Cannon River	North Cannon River Little Cannon River Straight River Little Cannon River (Sabre Lake) Belle Creek
Des Moines River (Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri)	East Fork Des Moines River Heron Lake Outlet Jack Creek Diversion Creek Okabena Creek Lime Creek
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)
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
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
Whitewater River	North Fork Whitewater River Middle Fork Whitewater River South Fork Whitewater River
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
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