Knife River (Snake River)
Encyclopedia
The Knife River is a tributary
of the Snake River
in east central Minnesota
in the United States
. It is one of three streams in Minnesota with this name. Its name is a translation from the Dakota
Isaanti. Knife Lake and Santee Sioux are named after this river. In turn Isanti County
is named after the Santee Sioux.
and Kanabec counties. After initially flowing southeastward for 19 mi (31 km) from Ernest Pool near Wahkon
, it flows to Knife Lake, then continues to flow southeastward for another 5 mi (8 km) to the Snake River
, just north of Mora
, Minnesota.
and the Voyageurs, connecting the Mississippi River
(via Mille Lacs Lake
) to the St. Croix River
.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Snake River
Snake River (St. Croix River)
The Snake River is a tributary of the St. Croix River in east central Minnesota in the United States. It is one of three streams in Minnesota with this name . Its name is a translation from the Ojibwa Ginebigo-ziibi after the Dakota peoples who made their homes along this river...
in east central Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is one of three streams in Minnesota with this name. Its name is a translation from the Dakota
Dakota language
Dakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Dakota people of the Sioux tribes. Dakota is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Lakota language.-Dialects:...
Isaanti. Knife Lake and Santee Sioux are named after this river. In turn Isanti County
Isanti County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2010, there were 37,816 people, 14,331 households, and 8,415 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 12,062 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
is named after the Santee Sioux.
Course
The Knife River is about 24 mi (39 km) long and with its tributaries drains a 102 sq mi (264 km²) area of Mille LacsMille Lacs County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,330 people, 8,638 households, and 6,003 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 10,467 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
and Kanabec counties. After initially flowing southeastward for 19 mi (31 km) from Ernest Pool near Wahkon
Wahkon, Minnesota
Wahkon is a city in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 206 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, it flows to Knife Lake, then continues to flow southeastward for another 5 mi (8 km) to the Snake River
Snake River (St. Croix River)
The Snake River is a tributary of the St. Croix River in east central Minnesota in the United States. It is one of three streams in Minnesota with this name . Its name is a translation from the Ojibwa Ginebigo-ziibi after the Dakota peoples who made their homes along this river...
, just north of Mora
Mora, Minnesota
Mora is a city in and the county seat of Kanabec County in the central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located at the junction of Minnesota State Highways 23 and 65. The population was 3,571 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Minnesota.
Associated Lakes and Tributaries
Only one lake is associated with the Knife River: Knife Lake. No major tribuaries are associated with Knife River. However, Knife River served as an important trade-route for the Dakota, OjibweOjibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
and the Voyageurs, connecting the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
(via Mille Lacs Lake
Mille Lacs Lake
Mille Lacs Lake is a lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin and Crow Wing, roughly 100 miles north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area....
) to the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)
The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A...
.