The Red Lake River (
French: ''Rivière du Lac Rouge'';
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
: ''Miskwaagamiiwi-zaaga'iganiiwi-ziibi'') is a river located in northwestern
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 ...
. The river begins on the western side of the
Lower Red Lake and flows westward. After passing through
Thief River Falls
Thief River Falls, sometimes referred to as Thief River or abbreviated as TRF, is a city in Pennington County in the northwest portion of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 8,749 at the 2020 census. Thief River Falls is the county ...
,
Red Lake Falls, and
Crookston, the river merges with 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
East Grand Forks. The total length of the river is
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
accessed June 8, 2011 The term "Forks" in Grand Forks comes from this forking (
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
) of the Red and Red Lake rivers near
downtown Grand Forks
Downtown Grand Forks is the original commercial center of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Located on the western bank of the Red River of the North, the downtown neighborhood is situated near the fork of the Red River and the Red Lake River. While dow ...
.
As a tributary of the Red River, the Red Lake River contributed to the
heavy flooding of
Greater Grand Forks
"Greater Grand Forks" (officially the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area) is the name used by some people to designate the twin cities of Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, together with their surrounding a ...
in 1997. The river also caused damage in its own right, albeit less severe, in Crookston.
Terrain
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,
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.
Recreation
The Red Lake River is one of the few Minnesota state canoe routes in the area. There are a number of rest areas and camping facilities along the route. The Red Lake River is a popular source of recreation for area residents, and many enjoy the
tubing and
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
the river makes possible.
Dams
The Minnesota State Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) website (see References section) describing the nature of the river mentions three dams on the river (note that this is not to be taken as the total number of dams and/or structures located on this river):
* At
river mile
A river mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the river kilometer. They are analogous to vehicle road ...
181
* City of Red Lake Falls (dam owned by Otter Tail Power Company)
* City of Crookston (dam owned by Otter Tail Power Company)
Note: The
Otter Tail Power Company
Otter Tail Corporation is an energy company based in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Its main subsidiary is the Otter Tail Power Company.
As of 2007, Otter Tail Power Company serves at least 423 towns at retail and delivers powe ...
site does not list the above 2 dams as a source of hydropower.
See also
The Red Lake River is the second longest river that is entirely within the state of Minnesota, after the
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa.
It ris ...
which is the longest.
*
List of rivers of Minnesota
Minnesota has 6,564 natural rivers and streams that cumulatively flow for . The Mississippi River begins its journey from its headwaters at Lake Itasca and crosses the Iowa border downstream. It is joined by the Minnesota River at Fort Snellin ...
*
List of longest streams of Minnesota
Out of the 6,564 streams that flow through the U.S. State of Minnesota, there are 114 streams that are at least 30 miles long. The second longest river in the United States, the Mississippi River, originates in Minnesota before flowing south t ...
References
Red Lake River CorridorRed Lake River Corridor Enhancement Project October 2005 report.
*
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Rivers of Minnesota
Rivers of Pennington County, Minnesota
Rivers of Beltrami County, Minnesota
Rivers of Polk County, Minnesota
Rivers of Red Lake County, Minnesota
Tributaries of the Red River of the North