Pomme de Terre River (Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
The Pomme de Terre River is a tributary
of the Minnesota River
, 106 miles (170 km) long, in western Minnesota
in the United States
. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed
of the Mississippi River
, draining an area of 875 square miles (2,266 km²) in an agricultural region. The headwaters region of the Pomme de Terre River is the northernmost extremity of the Minnesota River's watershed.
and means literally "apple of the earth," usually meaning "potato." In this case, the river was named by early French
explorers for a different root vegetable
, the potato-like prairie turnip
(Psoralea esculenta), which was commonly eaten by the Sioux
.
, approximately three miles (5 km) northeast of Dalton
in southern Otter Tail County
, and flows generally southwardly through eastern Grant
and Stevens
Counties and western Swift County
, through the cities of Barrett
, Morris
, and Appleton
. It flows into Marsh Lake on the Minnesota River in southwestern Swift County, approximately four miles (6 km) southwest of Appleton. Marsh Lake was formed by a backup of water caused by the Pomme de Terre's delta
, and is presently maintained by a manmade dam.
In its upper course the river flows through a morainic
region of numerous lakes, in a course characterized by meadows and wooded hills, as well as marsh
y stretches near areas where the river passes through lakes. The largest lakes on the river include Ten Mile Lake in Otter Tail County; Pomme de Terre and Barrett Lakes in Grant County; and Perkins Lake in Stevens County. The water levels of several lakes on the river's course are maintained by small dams. Downstream of Morris, the river flows on till plain
s between eroding banks and becomes increasingly turbid
. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, approximately 81% of the land in the Pomme de Terre River's watershed is used for agriculture; of this area, half is used for the cultivation of corn
and soybean
s, and 43% for that of hay
and small grains.
's stream gauge
in Appleton, eight miles (13 km) upstream from the river's mouth, the annual mean flow of the river between 1931 and 2005 was 132 cubic feet per second (4 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period, resulting in part from a dam
failure, was 8,890 ft³/s (252 m³/s) on April 7, 1997. Readings of zero were recorded on numerous days during several years.
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 Minnesota River
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
, 106 miles (170 km) long, in western 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...
. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of 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...
, draining an area of 875 square miles (2,266 km²) in an agricultural region. The headwaters region of the Pomme de Terre River is the northernmost extremity of the Minnesota River's watershed.
Etymology
The name Pomme de Terre is FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and means literally "apple of the earth," usually meaning "potato." In this case, the river was named by early French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
explorers for a different root vegetable
Root vegetable
Root vegetables are plant roots used as vegetables. Here "root" means any underground part of a plant.Root vegetables are generally storage organs, enlarged to store energy in the form of carbohydrates. They differ in the concentration and the balance between sugars, starches, and other types of...
, the potato-like prairie turnip
Psoralea esculenta
Psoralea esculenta is an herbaceous perennial plant native to prairies and dry woodlands of central North America, which bears a starchy tuberous root edible as a root vegetable. English names for the plant include tipsin, teepsenee, breadroot, breadroot scurf pea, pomme blanche, and prairie turnip...
(Psoralea esculenta), which was commonly eaten by the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
.
Geography
The Pomme de Terre River issues from Stalker Lake in Tordenskjold TownshipTordenskjold Township, Minnesota
Tordenskjold Township is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 550 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.0 square miles , of which, 30.5 square miles of it is land and...
, approximately three miles (5 km) northeast of Dalton
Dalton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 258 people, 115 households, and 60 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,077.3 people per square mile . There were 119 housing units at an average density of 496.9 per square mile...
in southern Otter Tail County
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Otter Tail County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 57,303. Its county seat is Fergus Falls.-History:...
, and flows generally southwardly through eastern Grant
Grant County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,289 people, 2,534 households, and 1,740 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,098 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
and Stevens
Stevens County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,053 people, 3,751 households, and 2,366 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 4,074 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
Counties and western Swift County
Swift County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,956 people, 4,353 households, and 2,881 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 4,821 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, through the cities of Barrett
Barrett, Minnesota
Barrett is a city in Grant County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 415 at the 2010 census. Troy Johnson is the mayor.-Geography:...
, Morris
Morris, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,068 people, 1,929 households, and 985 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,183.2 people per square mile . There were 2,067 housing units at an average density of 482.6 per square mile...
, and Appleton
Appleton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,871 people, 729 households, and 376 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,442.2 people per square mile . There were 860 housing units at an average density of 432.0 per square mile...
. It flows into Marsh Lake on the Minnesota River in southwestern Swift County, approximately four miles (6 km) southwest of Appleton. Marsh Lake was formed by a backup of water caused by the Pomme de Terre's delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
, and is presently maintained by a manmade dam.
In its upper course the river flows through a morainic
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
region of numerous lakes, in a course characterized by meadows and wooded hills, as well as marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y stretches near areas where the river passes through lakes. The largest lakes on the river include Ten Mile Lake in Otter Tail County; Pomme de Terre and Barrett Lakes in Grant County; and Perkins Lake in Stevens County. The water levels of several lakes on the river's course are maintained by small dams. Downstream of Morris, the river flows on till plain
Till plain
A till plain is an extensive flat plain of glacial till that forms when a sheet of ice becomes detached from the main body of a glacier and melts in place depositing the sediments it carried. A till plain with irregular topography is referred to as a ground moraine.-See also:*Glacial till plains...
s between eroding banks and becomes increasingly turbid
Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality....
. According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, approximately 81% of the land in the Pomme de Terre River's watershed is used for agriculture; of this area, half is used for the cultivation of corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s, and 43% for that of hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
and small grains.
Flow rate
At the United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
's stream gauge
Stream gauge
A stream gauge, stream gage or gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water surface elevation and/or volumetric discharge are generally taken and observations of biota may also be...
in Appleton, eight miles (13 km) upstream from the river's mouth, the annual mean flow of the river between 1931 and 2005 was 132 cubic feet per second (4 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period, resulting in part from a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
failure, was 8,890 ft³/s (252 m³/s) on April 7, 1997. Readings of zero were recorded on numerous days during several years.