{{Short description|River in the United States of America}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox river | name = Zumbro River | native_name ={{native name|dak|Wapka Wazi Oju}} | name_other = Rivière des Embarras | name_etymology = |sports_nickname = <!---------------------- IMAGE--> | image = N Fk Zumbro.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = The North Fork of the Zumbro River in Zumbrota | image_alt = <!---------------------- MAPS --> | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | map_alt = | pushpin_map = Minnesota | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= Mouth of the Zumbro River | pushpin_map_alt = <!---------------------- LOCATION --> | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Minnesota | subdivision_type3 = Counties | subdivision_name3 = Olmsted, Wabasha | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = <!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS --> | length = {{convert|64.6|mi}} | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES --> | source1 = | source1_location = Zumbro Lake | source1_coordinates= {{Coord|44.1527433|-92.4671246|source:GNIStemplate_region:US-MN|display=inline}} | source1_elevation = | mouth = | mouth_location = Alma City, Minnesota | mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|44.2916319|-91.9279396|source:GNIStemplate_region:US-MN|display=inline,title}} | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = Upper Mississippi River | basin_size = | basin_landmarks = | basin_population = | tributaries_left = North Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River, North Fork Zumbro River, Spring Creek, Trout Brook<ref name=DNR>{{cite web|url=https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe_routes/zumbro.pdf|title=Zumbro River|website=Minnesota DNR|access-date=March 28, 2021|archive-date=June 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607075203/https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe_routes/zumbro.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> | tributaries_right = Fry Slough, Long Creek, Middle Creek, Middle Fork Zumbro River, Pine Slough, Silver Spring Creek, South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River, South Fork Zumbro River, West Indian Creek<ref name=DNR /> | waterbodies = Zumbro Lake | waterfalls = | bridges = | ports = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }} [[File:Roch night.JPG|alt=|thumb|280x280px|Nighttime view of the South Fork Zumbro River as it passes through Rochester's Downtown area from Silver Lake Park in the 2000s]] thumb|Ice on the Zumbro in March The '''Zumbro River''' is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota in the United States. It is {{convert|64.6|mi}} long<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed October 4, 2012</ref> from the confluence of its principal tributaries and drains a watershed of {{convert|1428|sqmi}}. The river's name in English is a change from its French name ''Rivière des Embarras'' ("Obstruction River") due to its mouth near Pine Island in the Mississippi River; the pronunciation changed from {{IPA|fr|dez‿ɑ̃.ba.ʁɑ|}} to {{IPAc-en|z|U|m|b|r|o:}}. The Dakota name for this river is '''Wapka Wazi Oju''' (Pines Planted River), having reference to the grove of great white pines at Pine Island.<ref>{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ShcLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA559|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=559}}</ref><ref>{{Gnis|654509}}</ref>

==Course== The Zumbro rises as three forks:

The '''South Fork Zumbro River''', {{convert|57.6|mi}} long,<ref name=NHD/> rises about {{convert|2|mi|0}} east of Hayfield in southern Dodge County and flows generally eastwardly into Olmsted County, where it turns northward at Rochester and flows into southwestern Wabasha County. The South Fork's course through Rochester has been channelized as part of a flood control project. It is dammed in Wabasha County, by the Lake Zumbro Hydroelectric Generating Plant to form Lake Zumbro.

At Rochester, the river measures approximately {{convert|153|cuft/s}}.<ref name=Water>{{cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=05373000&agency_cd=USGS&amp;referred_module=sw|title=Water Data|website=USGS}}</ref>

The '''Middle Fork Zumbro River''', {{convert|52.9|mi}} long,<ref name=NHD/> rises in northeastern Steele County, about {{convert|8|mi|0}} west of West Concord and flows generally eastwardly through northern Dodge, southwestern Goodhue and northeastern Olmsted counties, past Pine Island and Oronoco. At Pine Island it collects the '''North Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River''', which rises in southwestern Goodhue County and flows eastwardly through southern Goodhue and northern Dodge counties. At Oronoco it collects the '''South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River''', which rises in eastern Steele County and flows eastwardly into Dodge County, past Mantorville. The Middle Fork meets the South Fork in north-central Olmsted County as part of Zumbro Lake.

The '''North Fork Zumbro River''', {{convert|57.5|mi}} long,<ref name=NHD/> rises {{convert|7.5|mi}} southeast of Faribault in southeastern Rice County and flows eastwardly through southern Goodhue and southwestern Wabasha counties, past Kenyon, Wanamingo, Zumbrota and Mazeppa.<ref name=DNR />

The North and South forks join about {{convert|4|mi|0}} east of Mazeppa in southwestern Wabasha County, and the Zumbro River flows eastwardly through Wabasha County, through the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest and past Zumbro Falls, Hammond, Millville and Kellogg. It flows into the Mississippi River about {{convert|4|mi|0}} east of Kellogg. At this town, the river measures approximately {{convert|880|cuft/s}} .<ref name=Water />

==Fish species near Rochester== Some species of fish that can be found in the Zumbro River near Rochester include the green sunfish; rock, smallmouth and largemouth bass; the common carp, creek chub, channel catfish, and northern pike.<ref name=DNR />

==See also== *List of Minnesota rivers

==References== {{Reflist}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.bartleby.com/69/72/Z01472.html|title=Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry|website=Bartleby|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070225225834/http://www.bartleby.com/69/72/Z01472.html|archive-date=2007-02-25}} *DeLorme (1994). ''Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. {{ISBN|0-89933-222-6}}. *Waters, Thomas F. (1977). ''The Streams and Rivers of Minnesota''. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. {{ISBN|0-8166-0960-8}}.

{{authority control}} {{Minnesota tributaries of the lower Mississippi drainage basin|state=collapsed}}

Category:Zumbro River Category:Rivers of Minnesota Category:Tributaries of the Mississippi River Category:Driftless Area Category:Rivers of Wabasha County, Minnesota Category:Rivers of Dodge County, Minnesota Category:Rivers of Olmsted County, Minnesota Category:Rivers of Steele County, Minnesota Category:Rivers of Goodhue County, Minnesota Category:Rivers of Rice County, Minnesota