Root River (Minnesota)

---

title: "Root River (Minnesota)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-minnesota", "tributaries-of-the-mississippi-river", "driftless-area", "rivers-of-mower-county,-minnesota", "rivers-of-houston-county,-minnesota", "southern-minnesota-trout-streams"] description: "Minnesota tributary of the Mississippi River" topic_path: "general/rivers-of-minnesota" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_River_(Minnesota)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Minnesota tributary of the Mississippi River ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

Field	Value
name	Root River
native_name	dak
image	RootRiver.jpg
image_caption	The North Branch of the Root River in Olmsted County Park
map	rootrivermap.jpg
map_size	300
map_caption	The Root River in Minnesota
subdivision_type1	Country
subdivision_name1	United States
subdivision_type2	States
subdivision_name2	Minnesota
subdivision_type3	Counties
subdivision_name3	Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
subdivision_type4	Cities
subdivision_name4	Chatfield, Forestville, Hokah, Houston, Lanesboro, Rushford, Peterson, Preston, Stewartville, Whalan
length	80 mi
discharge1_location
source1_coordinates
mouth	Mississippi River
mouth_coordinates
river_system	Mississippi River
tributaries_left	Kinney Creek, Lynch Creek, Mill Creek, Money Creek, North Branch Root River, Raaen Creek, Rush Creek, Torkelson Creek, Trout Run
tributaries_right	Diamond Creek (Root River tributary), Ferndale Creek, Gribben Creek, Middle Fork Root River, Partridge Creek, South Branch Root River, Rice Creek, South Fork Root River
bridges	Moen's Bridge
::

| name = Root River | native_name = dak | name_other = | name_etymology = | nickname = | image = RootRiver.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = The North Branch of the Root River in Olmsted County Park | image_alt = | map = rootrivermap.jpg | map_size = 300 | map_caption = The Root River in Minnesota | map_alt = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_map_alt = | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = States | subdivision_name2 = Minnesota | subdivision_type3 = Counties | subdivision_name3 = Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona | subdivision_type4 = Cities | subdivision_name4 = Chatfield, Forestville, Hokah, Houston, Lanesboro, Rushford, Peterson, Preston, Stewartville, Whalan | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = 80 mi | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location = | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = | source1_location = | source1_coordinates = | source1_elevation = | mouth = Mississippi River | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = Mississippi River | basin_size = | basin_landmarks = | basin_population = | tributaries_left = Kinney Creek, Lynch Creek, Mill Creek, Money Creek, North Branch Root River, Raaen Creek, Rush Creek, Torkelson Creek, Trout Run | tributaries_right = Diamond Creek (Root River tributary), Ferndale Creek, Gribben Creek, Middle Fork Root River, Partridge Creek, South Branch Root River, Rice Creek, South Fork Root River | waterbodies = | waterfalls = | bridges = Moen's Bridge | ports = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra =

The Root River flows for 80 mi 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.

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. The South Fork Root River joins the Root River near Houston, Minnesota.

The South Branch Root River rises in Mower County as agricultural drainage ditches, which disappear underground, re-emerging as a much cooler stream at Mystery Cave near Preston, Minnesota. The 48°F water creates superb conditions for brook trout.

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.

At Houston, the Root River's discharge was 845.2 cubic feet per second in 1961.

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, shovelnose 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 mi 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 ft, about a foot short of the height of the dike protecting the town of Houston.

Gallery

::data[format=table] | [[File:Root River.jpg|thumb|300px|Root River by Houston, Minnesota]] | [[File:Root River-2.jpg|thumb|183px|Looking West]] | |---|---| ::

Maps

| title = Major Rivers in Southeast Minnesota | coord =
| zoom = 9
| width = 720 | height = 300 | float = left | caption =The sources of major rivers in Southeast Minnesota are indicated |label1 = Root River mouth | mark-coord1 = | label-pos1 = bottom | label-color = dark blue | mark-title1 = Root River mouth | mark-image1 = | mark-description1=Root River mouth |label2 = Root River | mark-coord2= | label-pos2=top | label-color2=dark blue | mark-title2=Root River | mark-image2= | mark-description2=Root River |label3 = Middle Fork Root River | mark-coord3= | label-pos3=top | label-color3=dark blue | mark-title3=Middle Fork Root River | mark-image3= | mark-description3=Middle Fork Root River |label4 = North Branch Root River | mark-coord4= | label-pos4=top | label-color4=dark blue | mark-title4=North Branch Root River | mark-image4= | mark-description4=North Branch Root River |label5 = South Branch Root River | mark-coord5= | label-pos5=top | label-color5=dark blue | mark-title5=South Branch Root River | mark-image5= | mark-description5=South Branch Root River |label6 = South Fork Zumbro River | mark-coord6= | label-pos6=top | label-color6=dark blue | mark-title6=South Fork Zumbro River | mark-image6= | mark-description6=South Fork Zumbro River |label7 = South Fork Root River | mark-coord7= | label-pos7=top | label-color7=dark blue | mark-title7=South Fork Root River | mark-image7= | mark-description7=South Fork Root River |label8 = Cedar River | mark-coord8= | label-pos8=top | label-color8=dark blue | mark-title8=Cedar River | mark-image8= | mark-description8=Cedar River |label9 =Little Cedar River | mark-coord9= | label-pos9=top | label-color9=dark blue | mark-title9=Little Cedar River | mark-image9= | mark-description9=Little Cedar River |label10 =North Branch Upper Iowa River | mark-coord10= | label-pos10=bottom | label-color10=dark blue | mark-title10=North Branch Upper Iowa River | mark-image10= | mark-description10=North Branch Upper Iowa River

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Root_River_and_major_tributaries.jpg" caption="The Southeast Minnesota Root River and its major tributaries"] ::

References

References

1. "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey.
2. Upham, Warren. (1920). "Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance". Minnesota Historical Society.
3. {{GNIS. 648617. North Branch Root River
4. {{GNIS. 652275. South Branch Root River
5. {{GNIS. 647799. Middle Branch Root River
6. {{GNIS. 652300. South Fork Root River
7. "Root River and Tributaries".
8. (1998). "South Branch Root River".
9. "Search".
10. "ROOT RIVER BELOW SOUTH FORK NEAR HOUSTON, MN".
11. Meryhew, Richard. (2007-08-20). "6 reported dead in floods in southeastern Minnesota". Star Tribune.

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