Chippewa River (Minnesota)

Map of the Minnesota River watershed with the Chippewa River highlighted (including its East Branch)

The Chippewa River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, about 120 mi (195 km) long, in western and southwestern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.

Course

The Chippewa River issues from Chippewa Lake in Douglas County, 7 mi (11.3 km) northwest of Alexandria, and passes through several lakes in its upper course. It initially flows westwardly into Grant County, where it turns generally southward for the remainder of its course through Pope, Stevens, Swift and Chippewa Counties. The river passes the towns of Hoffman, Cyrus and Benson; it joins the Minnesota River in Montevideo. Some sections of the river, especially along its middle course in Pope and Swift Counties, have been straightened and channelized.

In Pope County, the river collects the Little Chippewa River, about 45 mi (70 km) long, which flows generally southwestwardly through Douglas and Pope Counties. At Benson it collects the East Branch Chippewa River, about 90 mi (145 km) long, which rises in southeastern Douglas County and flows initially southward through Pope County, passing through several lakes, into Swift County, where it turns westward.

See also

• List of Minnesota rivers

Coordinates: 44°56′05″N 95°44′00″W / 44.9346792°N 95.7333596°W / 44.9346792; -95.7333596^[1]

References

1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Chippewa River

• Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry
• DeLorme (1994). Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-222-6.
• Geographic Names Information System entries for U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Chippewa River, U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Branch Chippewa River, U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Chippewa River