# Redwood River

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwood_River
> Source revision: 1337153752
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{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
 | name                 = Redwood River
 | native_name          = 
 | native_name_lang     = 
 | name_other           = 
 | name_etymology       = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
 | image                = Redwood River Camden.jpg
 | image_caption        = The Redwood River in [Camden State Park](/source/Camden_State_Park) in 2007
 | map                  = Redwoodmnrivermap.png
 | map_size             = 225
 | map_caption          = 
 | pushpin_map          = 
 | pushpin_map_size     = 225
 | pushpin_map_caption  = 
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
 | subdivision_type1    = Country
 | subdivision_name1    = [United States](/source/United_States)
 | subdivision_type2    = State
 | subdivision_name2    = [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota)
 | subdivision_type3    = 
 | subdivision_name3    = 
 | subdivision_type4    = 
 | subdivision_name4    = 
 | subdivision_type5    = 
 | subdivision_name5    = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
 | length               = {{convert|127.1|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name=MSU>{{cite web |url= http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/redwood/desc27.html |title= Redwood River Major Watershed. |pages= [http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/redwood/descstream27.html Streams within the Redwood River Major Watershed] |publisher= Minnesota River Basin Data Center.  [Minnesota State University, Mankato](/source/Minnesota_State_University%2C_Mankato) |date= 2000-06-06 |accessdate= 2007-06-03}}</ref> 
 | width_min            = 
 | width_avg            = 
 | width_max            = 
 | depth_min            = 
 | depth_avg            = 
 | depth_max            = 
 | discharge1_location  = near [Redwood Falls](/source/Redwood_Falls%2C_Minnesota)<ref name=USGSr>{{cite web |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/ |pages = [https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/05316500.2005.sw.pdf Redwood River near Redwood Falls, MN] |title=Water Resources Data in Minnesota, Water Year 2005 Annual Report. |first= G. B. |last=Mitton |author2=K. G. Guttormson |author3=G. W. Stratton |author4=E. S. Wakeman  |publisher=[United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) |accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref>
 | discharge1_min       = {{convert|0|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
 | discharge1_avg       = {{convert|153|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=USGSr>{{cite web |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/ |pages = [https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/05316500.2005.sw.pdf Redwood River near Redwood Falls, MN] |title=Water Resources Data in Minnesota, Water Year 2005 Annual Report. |first= G. B. |last=Mitton |author2=K. G. Guttormson |author3=G. W. Stratton |author4=E. S. Wakeman  |publisher=[United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) |accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref>
 | discharge1_max       = {{convert|19700|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
 | discharge2_location  = near [Marshall](/source/Marshall%2C_Minnesota)<ref name=USGSm/>
 | discharge2_min       = 
 | discharge2_avg       = {{convert|69.5|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=USGSm/>
 | discharge2_max       = 
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
 | source1              = 
 | source1_location     = [Aetna Township](/source/Aetna_Township%2C_Minnesota), [Pipestone County](/source/Pipestone_County%2C_Minnesota)
 | source1_coordinates  = {{coord|44|10|03|N|96|10|18|W|display=inline}}<ref name=GNIS>{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|658010}} | title = Geographic Names Information System entry for Redwood River (Feature ID #658010) | publisher = [Geographic Names Information System](/source/Geographic_Names_Information_System) | accessdate = 2007-06-03}}</ref>
 | source1_elevation    = {{convert|1909|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=GE>[Google Earth](/source/Google_Earth) elevation for [GNIS](/source/GNIS) coordinates. Retrieved on 2007-06-03.</ref>
 | mouth                = [Minnesota River](/source/Minnesota_River)
 | mouth_location       = near [Redwood Falls](/source/Redwood_Falls%2C_Minnesota), [Redwood County](/source/Redwood_County%2C_Minnesota)
 | mouth_coordinates    = {{coord|44|34|16|N|95|05|18|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name=GNIS/>
 | mouth_elevation      = {{convert|827|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=GE/>
 | progression          = 
 | river_system         = 
 | basin_size           = {{convert|705|sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/redwood/desc27.html |title= Redwood River Major Watershed. |pages= [http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/cottonwd/descgen29.html General Description] |publisher= Minnesota River Basin Data Center.  [Minnesota State University, Mankato](/source/Minnesota_State_University%2C_Mankato) |date= 2000-06-06 |accessdate= 2007-06-03}}</ref>
 | tributaries_left     = 
 | tributaries_right    = 
 | custom_label         = 
 | custom_data          = 
 | extra                = 
}}
The '''Redwood River''' is a [tributary](/source/tributary) of the [Minnesota River](/source/Minnesota_River), {{convert|127|mi|km}} long, in southwestern [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota) in the [United States](/source/United_States). Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the [watershed](/source/drainage_basin) of the [Mississippi River](/source/Mississippi_River), draining an area of {{convert|705|mi2|km2}} in an agricultural region. The river's name is believed to refer to the reddish bark of [dogwood](/source/dogwood) growing along streams in the region.<ref name=Waters>{{cite book |last= Waters |first= Thomas F. |title= The Streams and Rivers of Minnesota |year= 2006 |publisher= [University of Minnesota Press](/source/University_of_Minnesota_Press) |location= Minneapolis |isbn= 0-8166-0960-8 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/streamsriversofm0000wate/page/288 288–303] |chapter= The Southwest: Rivers of the Coteau des Prairies |url= https://archive.org/details/streamsriversofm0000wate/page/288 }}</ref>

==Course==
[[File:Redwood River Flooding at Ramsey Park.jpg|thumb|High water level at [Alexander Ramsey Park](/source/Alexander_Ramsey_Park) near [Redwood Falls](/source/Redwood_Falls%2C_Minnesota)]].
The headwaters of the Redwood River are in [Aetna Township](/source/Aetna_Township%2C_Minnesota) in northeastern [Pipestone County](/source/Pipestone_County%2C_Minnesota), approximately {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}} west of [Ruthton](/source/Ruthton%2C_Minnesota), on the [Coteau des Prairies](/source/Coteau_des_Prairies), a [morainic](/source/moraine) [plateau](/source/plateau) dividing the Mississippi and [Missouri River](/source/Missouri_River) watersheds. It flows initially eastwardly as an intermittent stream, through Ruthton and into northwestern [Murray County](/source/Murray_County%2C_Minnesota), then northwardly into [Lyon County](/source/Lyon_County%2C_Minnesota), where it turns northeastward and flows through [Russell](/source/Russell%2C_Minnesota), [Lynd](/source/Lynd%2C_Minnesota), and [Marshall](/source/Marshall%2C_Minnesota). Between Russell and Marshall, the river flows off the Coteau in a wooded valley, dropping {{convert|300|ft|m}} in {{convert|15|mi|km}}; [Camden State Park](/source/Camden_State_Park) is located along this stretch of the river.

Downstream of Marshall, the Redwood flows through a flat [till plain](/source/till_plain) and turns eastward into [Redwood County](/source/Redwood_County%2C_Minnesota), passing [Vesta](/source/Vesta%2C_Minnesota) and [Seaforth](/source/Seaforth%2C_Minnesota); sections of the river in this stretch have been straightened to form agricultural [ditch](/source/ditch)es. In [Redwood Falls](/source/Redwood_Falls%2C_Minnesota), the county seat of Redwood County, the river enters the wooded valley of the Minnesota River, falling {{convert|100|ft|m}} in {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} over granite ledges in Alexander Ramsey City Park. It flows into the Minnesota shortly downstream of the city.

A dam forming Redwood Lake in Redwood Falls was formerly used for [hydroelectricity](/source/hydroelectricity) generation. It is presently maintained to preserve the lake for recreational use.<ref name=Waters/><ref name=DeLorme>{{cite book| title= Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer |year=1994 |publisher= [DeLorme](/source/DeLorme) |location=Yarmouth, Me. |isbn= 0-89933-222-6 |pages= 28–30}}</ref><ref name=MPCA>{{cite web |url= http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/basins/mnriver/watersheds.html |title= Watersheds of the Minnesota River Basin. |pages= [http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/basins/mnriver/watershed-redwood.pdf Minnesota River Basin: Redwood River Watershed] |publisher= Minnesota Pollution Control Agency |date= 2005-12-01 |accessdate= 2007-06-03 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070205024044/http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/basins/mnriver/watersheds.html |archivedate= 2007-02-05 }}</ref>

Principal tributaries of the Redwood River include Coon Creek, {{convert|37|mi|km}} long, which flows from Lake Benton in [Lincoln County](/source/Lincoln_County%2C_Minnesota) westwardly to Russell in Lyon County; Three Mile Creek, {{convert|50|mi|km}} long, which rises in Lincoln County and flows northeastwardly and southeastwardly through Lyon County, joining the Redwood downstream of Marshall; and Ramsey Creek, {{convert|10|mi|km}} long, which flows over a waterfall in Ramsey City Park in Redwood Falls.<ref name=MSU/><ref name=MPCA/><ref name=DeLorme/>

Approximately 82% of the land in the Redwood River watershed is used for agriculture, primarily for the cultivation of [corn](/source/maize) and [soybean](/source/soybean)s. Hundreds of miles of streams in the watershed have been converted to agricultural ditches, disrupting habitat and reducing the ability of the land to absorb flooding.<ref name=MPCA/>

==Flow rate==
At the [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey)'s [stream gauge](/source/stream_gauge) near Redwood Falls, {{convert|8.5|mi|km}} upstream from the river's mouth, the annual mean flow of the river between 1909 and 2005 was 153 [cubic feet per second](/source/cubic_feet_per_second) (4 [m³/s](/source/cubic_meters_per_second)). The highest recorded flow during the period was 19,700&nbsp;ft³/s (558 m³/s) on June 18, 1957. Readings of zero were recorded on numerous days in 1940 and 1959.<ref name=USGSr/>

At an upstream gauge near Marshall, the annual mean flow between 1940 and 2005 was 69.5&nbsp;ft³/s (2 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period was 6,380&nbsp;ft³/s (181 m³/s) on May 9, 1993. Readings of zero were recorded on numerous days during several years.<ref name=USGSm>{{cite web |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/ |pages = [https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/05315000.2005.sw.pdf Redwood River near Marshall, MN] |title=Water Resources Data in Minnesota, Water Year 2005 Annual Report. |first= G. B. |last=Mitton |author2=K. G. Guttormson |author3=G. W. Stratton |author4=E. S. Wakeman  |publisher=[United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) |accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref>

==See also==
*[List of rivers in Minnesota](/source/List_of_rivers_in_Minnesota)
* [List of Minnesota placenames of Native American origin](/source/List_of_Minnesota_placenames_of_Native_American_origin)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Redwood River}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Rivers of Minnesota
Category:Tributaries of the Minnesota River
Category:Rivers of Lyon County, Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Murray County, Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Pipestone County, Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Redwood County, Minnesota
Category:Minnesota placenames of Native American origin

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Redwood River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwood_River) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwood_River?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.