Red Lake River
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Red Lake River Rivière du Lac Rouge | |
|---|---|
 The Red Lake River on its crooked path through Crookston, Minnesota | |
 Northwest Minnesota with the Red Lake River highlighted | |
  Mouth of the Red Lake River | |
| Native name | Miskwaagamiiwi-zaaga'iganiiwi-ziibi (Ojibwe) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Polk County, Red Lake County, Pennington County, Clearwater County, Beltrami County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Lower Red Lake |
| • coordinates | 47°57′35″N 95°16′28″W / 47.9596794°N 95.2744491°W |
| Mouth | Red River of the North |
• location | East Grand Forks |
• coordinates | 47°55′21″N 97°01′17″W / 47.9225°N 97.0214°W |
| Length | 193 miles (311 km) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Red River of the North |
The Red Lake River (French: Rivière du Lac Rouge; Ojibwe: Miskwaagamiiwi-zaaga'iganiiwi-ziibi) is a river located in northwestern Minnesota. The river begins on the western side of the Lower Red Lake and flows westward. After passing through Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, and Crookston, the river merges with the Red River of the North in East Grand Forks. The total length of the river is 193 miles (311 km)[1] The term "Forks" in Grand Forks comes from this forking (confluence) of the Red and Red Lake rivers near downtown Grand Forks.[2]
As a tributary of the Red River, the Red Lake River contributed to the heavy flooding of Greater Grand Forks in 1997. The river also caused damage in its own right, albeit less severe, in Crookston.
The Red Lake River covers a wide variety of terrain. After leaving the Red Lake, the river flows through a marsh in the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The river then flows through a prairie and, then, through farmland. Afterward, at St. Hilaire the sides of the river grow steeper, becoming large eroding cliffs. Some parts of the riverbanks are thickly forested.
The river is relatively smooth for most of the trip. There is a stretch between St. Hilaire and Crookston where there is a chain of rapids, which are easily navigated.
