The Buffalo River is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of the

Red River of the North The Red River (french: rivière Rouge or ) is a river in the north-central United States and central Canada. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota, it fl ...

in western

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Via the Red River,

Lake Winnipeg Lake Winnipeg (french: Lac Winnipeg, oj, ᐑᓂᐸᑲᒥᐠᓴᑯ˙ᑯᐣ, italics=no, Weenipagamiksaguygun) is a very large, relatively shallow lake in North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Its southern end is about north of t ...

and the

Nelson River The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The river drains Lake Winnipeg and runs before it ends in Hudson Bay. Its full length (including the Saskatchewan River and Bow River) is , i ...

, it is part of the watershed of

Hudson Bay Hudson Bay ( crj, text=ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, translit=Wînipekw; crl, text=ᐐᓂᐹᒄ, translit=Wînipâkw; iu, text=ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᓗᐊ, translit=Kangiqsualuk ilua or iu, text=ᑕᓯᐅᔭᕐᔪᐊᖅ, translit=Tasiujarjuaq; french: b ...

. The river drains an area of .

Course

The Buffalo River flows from Tamarac Lake in the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in central Becker County and flows generally westwardly into

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...

, past the towns of Hawley and Georgetown and through Buffalo River State Park. It flows into the Red River about west of Georgetown. The river's largest tributary is the South Branch Buffalo River, which rises in western Otter Tail County and flows initially westward into northern Wilkin County, then northward into Clay County. It joins the main stem of the river near

Glyndon, Minnesota Glyndon is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,306 as of the 2020 census. History Glyndon was platted in 1872 when the railroad was extended to that point. A post office has been in operation in Glyndon since 1 ...

References

* Waters, Thomas F. (1977). ''The Streams and Rivers of Minnesota''. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. . {{authority control Rivers of Becker County, Minnesota Rivers of Clay County, Minnesota Rivers of Otter Tail County, Minnesota Rivers of Wilkin County, Minnesota Rivers of Minnesota Tributaries of the Red River of the North

Course

See also

References