Minnesota River

River in Minnesota; length 535 km/322 mi. It runs through the southern part of the state, from west to east, flowing first southeast, then northeast in a broad ‘V’ to enter the Mississippi River at Mendota, just south of St Paul.. Formerly known as the St Pierre or St Peter, the Minnesota was a key artery for early explorers and traders in the region.

The Minnesota River rises in Big Stone Lake, in western Minnesota, on the border with South Dakota; its course occupies the wide valley that was carved out in prehistoric times by a glacial river draining Lake Agassiz. Running southeast through several lakes, including Lac qui Parle, the river first passes Montevideo and Granite Falls. Some 30 mi/48 km southeast, at Redwood Falls (its head of navigation in the 19th century), rock steps in the river valley have allowed it to be exploited for hydroelectric power generation. At Mankato, the river abruptly turns northeast. This area is now its head of navigation, and two dams here providing flood control. Continuing north, the Minnesota passes St Peter, Le Sueur, and Belle Plaine, then enters the Twin Cities industrial region near Shakopee. Its chief tributaries are the Lac Qui Parle, Redwood, Earth, and Cottonwood rivers.