# Watonwan River

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Watonwan_River
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Watonwan_River.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watonwan_River
> Source revision: 1328148079
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
 | name                 = Watonwan River
 | native_name          = 
 | native_name_lang     = 
 | name_other           = 
 | name_etymology       = [Dakota](/source/Dakota_language) ''watanwan'' meaning "fish bait" or "plenty of fish"<ref>{{cite book|author=Chicago and North Western Railway Company|title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA165|year=1908|page=165}}</ref>
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
 | image                = Watonwan River Garden City.jpg
 | image_size           = 300
 | image_caption        = The Watonwan River in Garden City in 2007
 | map                  = Blueearthrivermap.png
 | map_size             = 
 | map_caption          = Map of the Blue Earth River watershed showing the Watonwan River
 | pushpin_map          = 
 | pushpin_map_size     = 
 | pushpin_map_caption  = 
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
 | subdivision_type1    = Country
 | subdivision_name1    = [United States](/source/United_States)
 | subdivision_type2    = State
 | subdivision_name2    = [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota)
 | subdivision_type3    = Counties
 | subdivision_name3    = [Cottonwood](/source/Cottonwood_County%2C_Minnesota), [Watonwan](/source/Watonwan_County%2C_Minnesota), [Blue Earth](/source/Blue_Earth_County%2C_Minnesota)
 | subdivision_type4    = 
 | subdivision_name4    = 
 | subdivision_type5    = 
 | subdivision_name5    = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
 | length               = {{convert|113.2|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name=MSU>{{cite web |url= http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/watonwan/desc31.html |title= Watonwan River Major Watershed. |pages= [http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/watonwan/descstream31.html Streams within the Watonwan River Major Watershed] |publisher= Minnesota River Basin Data Center.  [Minnesota State University, Mankato](/source/Minnesota_State_University%2C_Mankato) |date= 1999-05-31 |accessdate= 2007-06-18}}</ref> 
 | width_min            = 
 | width_avg            = 
 | width_max            = 
 | depth_min            = 
 | depth_avg            = 
 | depth_max            = 
 | discharge1_location  = near Garden City<ref name=USGS>{{cite web |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/ |pages = [https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/05319500.2005.sw.pdf Watonwan River near Garden City, 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=2007-06-18}}</ref>
 | discharge1_min       = {{convert|1.8|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
 | discharge1_avg       = {{convert|391|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=USGS>{{cite web |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/ |pages = [https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-mn-05-1/05319500.2005.sw.pdf Watonwan River near Garden City, 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=2007-06-18}}</ref>
 | discharge1_max       = {{convert|13900|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
 | source1              = 
 | source1_location     = [Amboy Township](/source/Amboy_Township%2C_Minnesota), [Cottonwood County](/source/Cottonwood_County%2C_Minnesota)
 | source1_coordinates= {{coord|44|01|30|N|95|13|12|W|display=inline}}<ref name=GNIS>{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|653842}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for Watonwan River (Feature ID #653842) |publisher=[Geographic Names Information System](/source/Geographic_Names_Information_System) |accessdate=2007-06-18}}</ref>
 | source1_elevation  = {{convert|1529|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=GE>[Google Earth](/source/Google_Earth) elevation for [GNIS](/source/GNIS) coordinates.  Retrieved on 2007-06-18.</ref>
 | mouth                = [Blue Earth River](/source/Blue_Earth_River)
 | mouth_location       = [Rapidan Township](/source/Rapidan_Township%2C_Minnesota), [Blue Earth County](/source/Blue_Earth_County%2C_Minnesota)
 | mouth_coordinates    = {{coord|44|04|13|N|94|07|35|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name=GNIS/>
 | mouth_elevation      = {{convert|879|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=GE/>
 | progression          = 
 | river_system         = 
 | basin_size           = {{convert|878|mi2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/watonwan/desc31.html |title= Watonwan River Major Watershed. |pages= [http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/watonwan/descgen31.html General Description] |publisher= Minnesota River Basin Data Center.  [Minnesota State University, Mankato](/source/Minnesota_State_University%2C_Mankato) |date= 1999-05-31 |accessdate= 2007-06-18}}</ref>
 | tributaries_left     = North Fork Watonwan River
 | tributaries_right    = South Fork Watonwan River
 | custom_label         = 
 | custom_data          = 
 | extra                = 
}}
The '''Watonwan River''' is a [tributary](/source/tributary) of the [Blue Earth River](/source/Blue_Earth_River), {{convert|113|mi}} long, in southern [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota) in the [United States](/source/United_States). Via the Blue Earth and [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota_River) rivers, it is part of the [watershed](/source/drainage_basin) of the [Mississippi River](/source/Mississippi_River), draining an area of {{convert|878|mi2}} in an agricultural region. The Watonwan drains about a quarter of the Blue Earth River's watershed.<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-blueearth.pdf Minnesota River Basin: Blue Earth, Watonwan, and Le Sueur River Watersheds] |publisher= Minnesota Pollution Control Agency |date= 2005-12-01 |accessdate= 2007-06-18 |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>

The river was the site of the capture of [Bob](/source/Bob_Younger), [Cole](/source/Cole_Younger) and [Jim Younger](/source/Jim_Younger) (members of the [James–Younger Gang](/source/James%E2%80%93Younger_Gang)) near [Madelia](/source/Madelia%2C_Minnesota) in 1876.<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/278 278–287] |chapter= The Blue Earth: Fool's Copper |url= https://archive.org/details/streamsriversofm0000wate/page/278 }}</ref>

==Geography==
thumb|left|The river in winter near Madelia, Minnesota
[[Image:Watonwan River.jpg|300px|thumb|The Watonwan River in [Garden City Township](/source/Garden_City_Township%2C_Minnesota) in 1996]]
The Watonwan River rises in [Amboy Township](/source/Amboy_Township%2C_Cottonwood_County%2C_Minnesota), approximately {{convert|3|mi|0}} southwest of [Jeffers](/source/Jeffers%2C_Minnesota) in central [Cottonwood County](/source/Cottonwood_County%2C_Minnesota), and flows generally eastwardly across flat [till plain](/source/till_plain)s through northern [Watonwan](/source/Watonwan_County%2C_Minnesota) and western [Blue Earth](/source/Blue_Earth_County%2C_Minnesota) counties, past the city of [Madelia](/source/Madelia%2C_Minnesota). It flows into the Blue Earth River approximately {{convert|8|mi|0}} southwest of [Mankato](/source/Mankato%2C_Minnesota) and {{convert|16|mi}} upstream of the Blue Earth's confluence with the Minnesota River.<ref name=MPCA/><ref name=DeLorme>{{cite book| title= Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer |year=1994 |publisher= [DeLorme](/source/DeLorme) |location=Yarmouth, Me. |isbn= 0-89933-222-6 |pages= 21–23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://iaspub.epa.gov/waters/w305b_report_control.get_report?p_state=MN |archive-url= https://archive.today/20070707175156/http://iaspub.epa.gov/waters/w305b_report_control.get_report?p_state=MN |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2007-07-07 |title= National Assessment Database: Assessment Data for the State of Minnesota Year 2004. |pages= [https://web.archive.org/web/20110520150829/http://iaspub.epa.gov/tmdl/w305b_report_V4.huc?p_huc=07020009&p_state=MN Blue Earth Watershed] |publisher= [United States Environmental Protection Agency](/source/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency) |accessdate= 2007-06-18}}</ref>

The river's largest tributaries are its north and south forks. The South Fork Watonwan River,<ref>{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|652304}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for South Fork Watonwan River (Feature ID #652304) |publisher=[Geographic Names Information System](/source/Geographic_Names_Information_System) |accessdate=2007-06-18}}</ref> {{convert|73|mi}} long, rises in southeastern Cottonwood County and initially flows eastwardly into southern Watonwan County, briefly entering [Martin County](/source/Martin_County%2C_Minnesota) and passing [Odin](/source/Odin%2C_Minnesota); then northeastwardly through eastern Watonwan County to its confluence with the Watonwan River upstream of Madelia. The North Fork Watonwan River,<ref>{{cite web |url={{Gnis3|648641}} |title=Geographic Names Information System entry for North Fork Watonwan River (Feature ID #648641) |publisher=[Geographic Names Information System](/source/Geographic_Names_Information_System) |accessdate=2007-06-18}}</ref> {{convert|39|mi}} long, rises in Cottonwood County and flows eastwardly into northern Watonwan County, joining the Watonwan River about a mile (2&nbsp;km) southeast of [La Salle](/source/La_Salle%2C_Minnesota).<ref name=MSU/><ref name=DeLorme/>

Approximately 84% of the larger watershed of the Blue Earth River, which includes that of the Watonwan River, is used for agricultural cultivation, primarily that of [corn](/source/maize) and [soybean](/source/soybean)s.<ref name=MPCA/> Small lakes and wetlands in the Watonwan watershed provide significant habitat for Minnesota's [waterfowl](/source/waterfowl) population, though many stretches of the river and its tributaries have been subject to [ditch](/source/ditch)ing and [channelization](/source/river_engineering) for agricultural production and localized flood reduction.<ref name=Waters/>

==Flow rate==
At the [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey)'s [stream gauge](/source/stream_gauge) near the community of Garden City in [Garden City Township](/source/Garden_City_Township%2C_Minnesota), {{convert|7.3|mi}} upstream from the river's mouth, the annual mean flow of the river between 1940 and 2005 was {{convert|391|ft3/s|m3/s|lk=on|sp=us}}. The highest recorded flow during the period was {{convert|13,900|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}} on June 20, 1993. The lowest recorded flow, caused by an [ice dam](/source/Ice_jam), was {{convert|1.8|ft3/s|m3/s|abbr=on}} on December 24, 1989.<ref name=USGS/>

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Rivers of Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Martin County, Minnesota
Category:Rivers of Watonwan County, Minnesota
Category:Dakota toponyms
Category:Tributaries of the Mississippi River

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Watonwan River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watonwan_River) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watonwan_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.