The Des Moines 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

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

in the upper

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

that is approximately long from its farther headwaters.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 26, 2011 The largest river flowing across the state of

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, it rises in southern

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 ...

and flows across Iowa from northwest to southeast, passing from the

glaciated A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

plains into the unglaciated hills near the capital city of

Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...

, named after the river, in the center of the state. The river continues to flow at a southeastern direction away from Des Moines, later flowing directly into the Mississippi River. The Des Moines River forms a short portion of Iowa's border with

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

in Lee County. The

Avenue of the Saints The Avenue of the Saints is a highway in the Midwestern United States that connects St. Louis, Missouri and St. Paul, Minnesota. Route description Missouri The southern end of the Avenue of the Saints is at exit 28A of Interstate 64 (I‑64) ...

, a four-lane highway from St. Paul, Minnesota to

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, passes over this section; the highway is designated Route 27 in both Iowa and Missouri, and was completed in the early 21st century.

Hydrography

The Des Moines River rises in two forks. The West Fork (the main branch) rises out of

Lake Shetek Lake Shetek is the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota, United States, and the headwaters of the Des Moines River. It is located in The Lakes, an unincorporated community in Murray County a few miles north-northwest of Currie. The name ''S ...

in Murray County in southwestern Minnesota. It flows south-southeast into

Emmet County, Iowa Emmet County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,388. The county seat is Estherville. History Emmet County was created by authority of the Iowa Legislature in 1851. There were finally eno ...

, past

Estherville Estherville is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,904 in the 2020 census, a decline from 6,656 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County. History Emmet County was initially created by an act of th ...

. The East Fork rises out of

Okamanpeedan Lake Okamanpeedan (or Okamanpadu) Lake, partially located in Martin County, Minnesota, and Emmet County, Iowa, is also known as Tuttle Lake. Okamanpeedan Lake is a roughly 2,300-acre (9.3 km²) riverine lake located on the East Fork of the Des M ...

in northern Emmet County on the Iowa-Minnesota border and flows south, through Algona. The two forks join in southern Humboldt County, approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of Humboldt at

Frank Gotch Frank Alvin Gotch (April 27, 1877 – December 17, 1917) was an American professional wrestler. Gotch was the first American professional wrestler to win the world heavyweight free-style championship, and he is credited for popularizing professi ...

State Park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

. The combined stream flows roughly southward through

Fort Dodge Fort Dodge is a city in, and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Cen ...

. South of Boone it passes through the

Ledges State Park Ledges State Park is a state park of Iowa, USA, located approximately south of the city of Boone. The park contains a sandstone gorge carved by Pea's Creek, a tributary of the Des Moines River. The gorge is deep in places, with concretions ju ...

. It flows through downtown Des Moines, then turns generally southeastward, flowing through Ottumwa. It forms approximately 20 miles (32 km) of the border between Iowa and Missouri before joining the Mississippi from the northwest at Keokuk. It receives the Boone River from the northeast approximately 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Fort Dodge. It receives the

Raccoon River The Raccoon River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 26, 2011 tributary of the Des Moines River in central Iowa in the United States. As measured using the longes ...

from the west in the city of Des Moines. Above the city of Des Moines, it is impounded to create the

Saylorville Lake Saylorville Lake is a reservoir on the Des Moines River in Iowa, United States. It is located upstream from the city of Des Moines, and from the mouth of the Des Moines River at the Mississippi River. It was constructed as part of a flood contro ...

reservoir. About midway below Saylorville and above Ottumwa, near

Pella Pella ( el, Πέλλα) is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It is best-known for serving as the capital city of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, and was the birthplace of Alexander the Great. On site of the ancient cit ...

, the river is impounded to create the Lake Red Rock reservoir.

History

One of the earliest French maps that depicts the Des Moines (1703) refers to it as ''"R. des Otentas,"'' which translates to "River of the Otoe"; the

Otoe Tribe The Otoe (Chiwere: Jiwére) are a Native American people of the Midwestern United States. The Otoe language, Chiwere, is part of the Siouan family and closely related to that of the related Iowa, Missouria, and Ho-Chunk tribes. Historically, ...

lived in the interior of Iowa in the 18th century. The

Meskwaki The Meskwaki (sometimes spelled Mesquaki), also known by the European exonyms Fox Indians or the Fox, are a Native American people. They have been closely linked to the Sauk people of the same language family. In the Meskwaki language, th ...

and

Sauk people The Sauk or Sac are a group of Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands culture group, who lived primarily in the region of what is now Green Bay, Wisconsin, when first encountered by the French in 1667. Their autonym is oθaakiiwaki, and th ...

referred to the river as "''Ke-o-shaw-qua''" (Hermit's River), from which

Keosauqua, Iowa Keosauqua ( ) is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 936 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County. History Keosauqua was laid out in 1839. The word Keosauqua derives from the Me ...

, derives its name. The

Dakota Indians The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

, who lived near its headwaters in present-day Minnesota, referred to it as "''Inyan Shasha''" in their

Siouan language Siouan or Siouan–Catawban is a language family of North America that is located primarily in the Great Plains, Ohio and Mississippi valleys and southeastern North America with a few other languages in the east. Name Authors who call the entire ...

. Another

Siouan Siouan or Siouan–Catawban is a language family of North America that is located primarily in the Great Plains, Ohio and Mississippi valleys and southeastern North America with a few other languages in the east. Name Authors who call the enti ...

name was "''Eah-sha-wa-pa-ta,''" or "Red Stone" river, possibly referring the bluffs at Red Rock or the reddish

Sioux Quartzite The Sioux Quartzite is a Proterozoic quartzite that is found in the region around the intersection of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa, and correlates with other rock units throughout the upper midwestern and southwestern United States. It was ...

bedrock near its headwaters. The origin of the name ''Des Moines'' is obscure. Early French explorers named it ''La Rivière des Moines'', literally meaning "River of the Monks." The name may have referred to early

Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...

monks who built huts near the mouth of the river at the Mississippi.

William Bright William O. Bright (August 13, 1928 – October 15, 2006) was an American linguist and toponymist who specialized in Native American and South Asian languages and descriptive linguistics. Biography Bright earned a bachelor's degree in lingui ...

writes that ''Moines'' was an abbreviation used by the French for ''Moingouena'' or ''

Moingona The Moingona or Moingwena ( mia, mooyiinkweena) were a historic Miami-Illinois tribe. They may have been close allies of or perhaps part of the Peoria (tribe), Peoria. They were assimilated by that tribe and lost their separate identity about 1700. ...

'', an Algonquian subgroup of the Illinois people. The Native American term was ''/mooyiinkweena/'', a derogatory name applied to the Moingouena by the

Peoria people The Peoria, also Peouaroua, are a Native American people. They are enrolled in the federally recognized Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma headquartered in Miami, Oklahoma. The Peoria people are descendants of the Illinois Confederation. The ...

, a closely related subgroup. The meaning of the native word, according to an early French writer, is ''visage plein d'ordure'', or in plain English, "shit-face", from ''mooy-'', "shit", ''-iinkwee'', "face", and ''-na'', "indefinite actor". The 1718

Guillaume Delisle Guillaume Delisle, also spelled Guillaume de l'Isle, (; 28 February 1675, Paris – 25 January 1726, Paris) was a French cartographer known for his popular and accurate maps of Europe and the newly explored Americas. Childhood and education Desli ...

map (pictured) labels it as ''"le Moingona R."'' During the mid-19th century, the river supported the main commercial transportation by water across Iowa. River traffic began to be superseded by the

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

s constructed from the 1860s.

Flooding

Flood at Fort Des Moines in 1851 - History of Iowa

Catastrophic flooding occurred along the Des Moines River during the

Great Flood of 1851 Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

, nearly destroying the new town of

. Residents had never previously experienced a major flood, and river towns lacked levees and substantial bridges that could withstand flooding. In 1851, 74.5 in (191.5 cm) of rain fell in Iowa, a record that holds to this day. The worst flooding occurred May to June in the Des Moines River Basin. Major flooding in 1851 occurred in Bentonsport, Croton, Bonaparte,

, Eddyville,

Farmington Farmington may refer to: Places Canada *Farmington, British Columbia * Farmington, Nova Scotia (disambiguation) United States *Farmington, Arkansas *Farmington, California *Farmington, Connecticut *Farmington, Delaware * Farmington, Georgia * ...

Iowaville Iowaville was a small town on the lowland near the northeast bank of the Des Moines River, near the line between Davis County, Iowa, Davis and Van Buren County, Iowa, Van Buren counties, and between present-day Eldon, Iowa, Eldon and Selma, Iowa, ...

, Keosauqua, Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Red Rock, and

Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

. The river has a history of seasonal flooding. For example, in May 1944 the Riverview Park had just opened for the season on May 19, 1944. At around dawn on May 23, the

levee A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually soil, earthen and that often runs parallel (geometry), parallel to ...

began to collapse. The river was too much to hold back. Quickly the breach in the levee grew to nearly wide, and the river water quickly enveloped all of the park and the surrounding area.Riverview Park Flood
The

Great Flood of 1993 The Great Flood of 1993 (or Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993) was a flood that occurred in the Midwestern United States, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood wa ...

on the river and its tributary the Raccoon, in the summer of 1993, forced the evacuation of much of the city of Des Moines and nearby communities. In another period of flooding, on June 13, 2008, officials issued a voluntary evacuation order for much of downtown and other areas bordering the Des Moines River. The river had reached flood stage in many locations, and Mayor Frank Cownie said the evacuations were an attempt "to err on the side of citizens and residents."

Cities and towns

Algona, Iowa Algona is the county seat of Kossuth County, Iowa, Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,487 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Ambrose A. Call State Park is located two miles southwest of the city. History Algona ...

(East Fork) *

Armstrong, Iowa Armstrong is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 875 at the 2020 census. It was originally known as Armstrong Grove. History Armstrong got its start in 1892, after the construction of the railroad through that territor ...

(East Fork) *

Bonaparte, Iowa Bonaparte is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 359 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the Des Moines River and contains a number of historical buildings, including a large pottery. History The area was ...

* Bradgate, Iowa (West Fork) *

Chillicothe, Iowa Chillicothe () is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 76 at the 2020 census. History Chillicothe was laid out in 1849 and was incorporated in 1881. The word "Chillicothe" is derived from the ancient Shawnee Indian ...

Currie, Minnesota Currie is a city in Murray County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 233 at the 2010 census. Lake Shetek State Park is nearby. The city is known as the "Gateway to Lake Shetek". Currie is notable for its tourism, cuisine, and recreat ...

Dakota City, Iowa Dakota City is a city in and the county seat of Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 759 at the time of the 2020 census. Dakota City shares its western border with the much larger city of Humboldt. It is the least populous co ...

(East Fork) *

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...

* Douds, Iowa *

Eddyville, Iowa Eddyville is a city in Mahaska, Monroe, and Wapello counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 970 at the time of the 2020 census. History ''Circa'' 1839, a Sauk village was established on this site following the end of the Black ...

Eldon, Iowa Eldon is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 783 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the site of the small Carpenter Gothic style house that has come to be known as the ''American Gothic'' House. Artist Grant Wo ...

Emmetsburg, Iowa Emmetsburg is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,706 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Palo Alto County. Emmetsburg is located around the southern bay of Five Island Lake. History The to ...

(West Fork) *

Estherville, Iowa Estherville is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,904 in the 2020 census, a decline from 6,656 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County. History Emmet County was initially created by an act of th ...

(West Fork) *

Farmington, Iowa Farmington is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 579 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History Farmington was laid out in 1839. It was named after Farmington, Conn ...

Fort Dodge, Iowa Fort Dodge is a city in, and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Ce ...

Fraser, Iowa Fraser is a city in Dodge Township, Boone County, Iowa. The population was 101 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Boone, Iowa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames–Boone, Iowa, ...

Graettinger, Iowa Graettinger is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 832 at the time of the 2020 census. History Graettinger got its start in the 1880s, following construction of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway t ...

(West Fork) *

Humboldt, Iowa Humboldt is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,792 at the time of the 2020 census, gaining 340 people over the 2000 total. History Frank A. Gotch Park (just south of present-day Humboldt and Dakota City) was a ...

(West Fork) * Irvington, Iowa (East Fork) *

Jackson, Minnesota Jackson is a city and county seat of Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,299 at the 2010 census. History Jackson was originally called Springfield, and under the latter name was laid out in 1856. A post office calle ...

Johnston, Iowa Johnston is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,064 in the 2020 census, an increase of 178% from the 8,649 population in 2000. It is part of the Des Moines– West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. Johnst ...

Keokuk, Iowa Keokuk is a city in and a county seat of Lee County, Iowa, United States, along with Fort Madison. It is Iowa's southernmost city. The population was 9,900 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is named after the Sauk chief Keokuk, who is ...

* Leando, Iowa *

Lehigh, Iowa Lehigh is a city in Webster County, Iowa, United States. The population was 395 at the time of the 2020 census. Located in a valley, Lehigh is divided in two by the Des Moines River, unusual for such a small town. Originally the two halves of L ...

Livermore, Iowa Livermore is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 381 at the time of the 2020 census. Livermore is the hometown of former University of Iowa and NFL tight end Dallas Clark. History Livermore was founded in 1879. T ...

(East Fork) *

Ottumwa, Iowa Ottumwa ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,529 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census. Located in the state's southeastern section, the city is split into northern and southern halves b ...

Petersburg, Minnesota Petersburg is an unincorporated community in Petersburg Township, Jackson County, 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 popul ...

(West Fork) * Rutland, Iowa (West Fork) * St. Joseph, Iowa (East Fork) *

Windom, Minnesota Windom is a city in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,646 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cottonwood County and is situated in the Coteau des Prairies. Although it is a small, rural farming commu ...

Variant names

According to the

Geographic Names Information System The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...

, the Des Moines River has also been known as: *La Riviere des Moins *Le Moine River *Monk River *Nadouessioux River *Outontantes River *River Demoin *River of the Maskoutens *River of the Peouareas

References and notes

External links

Hydrography

History

Flooding

Cities and towns

Variant names

See also

References and notes

External links