Blue Earth River
river in the United States of America
The Blue Earth River is a tributary of the Minnesota River. It is 108 miles (174 km) long and can be found in the southern part of Minnesota and the northern part of Iowa in the United States. It has two headwaters: the Middle Branch Blue Earth River and the West Branch Blue Earth River. The Blue Earth River is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. The river was named for old deposits of bluish-green clay that could be seen along the banks of the river. However, you are no longer able to see these deposits. It was called Makato Osa Watapa by the Dakota Indians. This had the meaning "the river where blue earth is gathered." [9]
| Blue Earth River | |
|---|---|
 The Blue Earth River as viewed from Rapidan Dam in Blue Earth County in 2007 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa, Minnesota |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Middle Branch Blue Earth River |
| - location | near Rake, Winnebago County, Iowa |
| - coordinates | 43°27′30″N 93°48′04″W / 43.45833°N 93.80111°W[2] |
| - elevation | 1,207 ft (368 m)[1] |
| 2nd source | West Branch Blue Earth River |
| - location | near Swea City, Kossuth County, Iowa |
| - coordinates | 43°24′13″N 94°17′38″W / 43.40361°N 94.29389°W[3] |
| - elevation | 1,152 ft (351 m)[1] |
| Source confluence | |
| - location | Elmore Township, Faribault County, Minnesota |
| - coordinates | 43°34′20″N 94°06′11″W / 43.57222°N 94.10306°W[4] |
| - elevation | 1,076 ft (328 m)[1] |
| Mouth | Minnesota River |
| - location | Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota |
| - coordinates | 44°09′51″N 94°02′13″W / 44.16417°N 94.03694°W[4] |
| - elevation | 765 ft (233 m)[1] |
| Length | 108 mi (174 km)[5] |
| Basin size | 3,486 sq mi (9,030 km2)[8] |
| Discharge | |
| - location | Rapidan Township, Minnesota[6] |
| - average | 1,076 cu ft/s (30.5 m3/s)[7] |
| - minimum | 6.9 cu ft/s (0.20 m3/s) |
| - maximum | 43,100 cu ft/s (1,220 m3/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Watonwan River |
| - right | East Branch Blue Earth River, Le Sueur River |
Related pages change
References change
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Google Earth elevation for GNIS coordinates. Retrieved on 2007-06-09.
- ↑ "Geographic Names Information System entry for Middle Branch Blue Earth River (Feature ID #459026)". Geographic Names Information System. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ "Geographic Names Information System entry for West Branch Blue Earth River (Feature ID #653931)". Geographic Names Information System. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Geographic Names Information System entry for Blue Earth River (Feature ID #640285)". Geographic Names Information System. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ "National Assessment Database: Assessment Data for the State of Minnesota Year 2004". United States Environmental Protection Agency. pp. Blue Earth Watershed. Archived from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ Mitton, G. B.; K. G. Guttormson; G. W. Stratton; E. S. Wakeman. "Water Resources Data in Minnesota, Water Year 2005 Annual Report". United States Geological Survey. pp. Blue Earth River near Rapidan, MN. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ Mitton, G. B.; K. G. Guttormson; G. W. Stratton; E. S. Wakeman. "Water Resources Data in Minnesota, Water Year 2005 Annual Report". United States Geological Survey. pp. Blue Earth River near Rapidan, MN. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ "Watersheds of the Minnesota River Basin". Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 2005-12-01. pp. Minnesota River Basin: Blue Earth, Watonwan, and Le Sueur River Watersheds. Archived from the original on 2007-02-05. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ Upham, Warren (2001). Minnesota Place Names, A Geographical Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society. p. 65. ISBN 0-87351-396-7.
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