Rice Creek (Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
Rice Creek is a tributary
of the Mississippi River
in the northern suburbs of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota
in the United States
. It is approximately 28 miles (45 km) long and drains a watershed
of 201 square miles (520.6 km²).
at Clear Lake in the city of Forest Lake
in Washington County
and flows generally southwestwardly through Anoka
and Ramsey
Counties, through the cities of Columbus, Lino Lakes
, Circle Pines
, Shoreview
, Arden Hills
, Mounds View
, New Brighton
and Fridley
. It joins the Mississippi River at Manomin County Park in Fridley, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the I-694 Bridge
. The creek drops about 84 feet (26 m) along its course, from its source elevation of 890 feet (271 m) to its mouth at 806 feet (246 m), with most of the drop (64 ft/20 m) occurring in the 8 miles (13 km) upstream of its mouth; a lowland floodplain
adjoins the stream in this reach.
In Anoka County, Rice Creek passes through an extensive network of lake
s known as the Lino Lakes Chain of Lakes, a portion of which is preserved in the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve, a regional park
maintained by the government of Anoka County. In New Brighton, the creek passes through Long Lake, which is bordered by Long Lake Regional Park, maintained by Ramsey County. In Fridley, the lower course of creek is roughly paralleled by the Rice Creek West Regional Trail, a biking
and hiking trail
.
Rice Creek's principal tributaries are Hardwood Creek, which drains an area of 44 square miles (114 km²) in the cities of Hugo
, Forest Lake, and Lino Lakes; and Clearwater Creek, 8.33 miles (13.4 km) long, which drains an area of 62 square miles (160.6 km²) in White Bear Lake
, White Bear Township
, Hugo, Lino Lakes, and Centerville. Both tributaries join Rice Creek in Anoka County as part of the chain of lakes.
, Rice Creek was named for Henry Mower Rice, one of the first pair of U.S. Senator
s sent to represent Minnesota upon its statehood, who acquired extensive lands near the lower course of the creek in 1849.
Rice Creek was known in Dakota
as "Psin ta wak pa dan" or Psiŋta wakpadaŋ, meaning "Wild Rice Rivulet". Early surveys conducted by Joseph Nicollet
record the name of Rice Creek as "Ottonwey River" or Atoonowe-ziibi in the Ojibwe language
meaning "River for making Canoes." However, its Ojibwe language name has also been recorded as "Manominikan Sibi" or Manoominikaan-ziibi, meaning "river full of wild rice
," which is known to have grown plentifully in the lakes of the watershed. Nicollet described the creek as: "At 2:45, as we left the islands behind, a rivulet about thirty feet wide entered the river from the left. Its shores are adorned with beautiful white lilies. Chagobay
told me that it winds back to the vicinity of the Falls of the St. Croix River, being separated from the latter by only a short portage. Its course links several lakes, while irrigating a land abundant with wild rice where the Sioux gather their yearly provisions. The Sioux call it in their language Wild Rice River, and the Chippewa Manominikan Sibi, which means river where one reaps wild rice." "Manomin" (wild rice) was also the basis for the naming of the former Manomin County
, which later was incorporated into Anoka County and ultimately became, in part, the city of Fridley, where the creek joins the Mississippi River.
Archaeological evidence exists that suggests ancestors of the Sioux
hunted and fished in the vicinity of Bald Eagle Lake (approximately present-day White Bear Township
) in the Rice Creek watershed, and had a summer village in the present-day city of Centerville
as early as 2000 B.C.
A series of burial mounds (one linear and twelve conical) on the north side of Centerville Lake along the creek's course through Centerville are believed to have been built by people of the Mississippian culture
who arrived in the area around the year 1400.
The watershed occupies portions of the following jurisdictions:
About 10 percent, or approximately 19 mi² (49 km²), of the watershed's surface area is occupied by lakes, the largest of which are White Bear Lake at 2140 acres (8.7 km²); and Bald Eagle Lake at 1046 acres (4.2 km²). Twenty-eight lakes in the watershed exceed 100 acre (0.404686 km²) in size. About 13 percent, or approximately 26 mi² (67 km²), of the watershed consists of wetland
s.
The Rice Creek Watershed District
was established in 1972 to "conserve and restore the water resources of the District for the beneficial use of current and future generations." It is a government
al organization managed by a Board of Managers appointed by the county commission
s of Anoka, Ramsey, and Washington Counties.
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 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...
in the northern suburbs of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of 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 approximately 28 miles (45 km) long and drains a 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 201 square miles (520.6 km²).
Course
Rice Creek has its sourceSource (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
at Clear Lake in the city of Forest Lake
Forest Lake, Minnesota
Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 18,375 at the 2010 census. It is located on Minnesota's 94th largest lake .Interstate 35 and U.S...
in Washington County
Washington County, Minnesota
Washington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...
and flows generally southwestwardly through Anoka
Anoka County, Minnesota
Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...
and Ramsey
Ramsey County, Minnesota
Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...
Counties, through the cities of Columbus, Lino Lakes
Lino Lakes, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,791 people, 4,857 households, and 4,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 595.1 people per square mile . There were 4,921 housing units at an average density of 174.4 per square mile...
, Circle Pines
Circle Pines, Minnesota
Circle Pines is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,918 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Lake Drive / County 23 serves as a main route in the...
, Shoreview
Shoreview, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile...
, Arden Hills
Arden Hills, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile...
, Mounds View
Mounds View, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,738 people, 5,018 households, and 3,387 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,096.6 people per square mile . There were 5,130 housing units at an average density of 1,247.1 per square mile...
, New Brighton
New Brighton, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile...
and Fridley
Fridley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,449 people, 11,328 households, and 7,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,701.3 people per square mile . There were 11,504 housing units at an average density of 1,132.1 per square mile...
. It joins the Mississippi River at Manomin County Park in Fridley, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the I-694 Bridge
I-694 Bridge
The I-694 Bridge is a pair of girder bridges that spans the Mississippi River between the cities of Brooklyn Center and Fridley in Minnesota. The westbound bridge was built in 1963 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and widened in 1987 with a new structure above the piers...
. The creek drops about 84 feet (26 m) along its course, from its source elevation of 890 feet (271 m) to its mouth at 806 feet (246 m), with most of the drop (64 ft/20 m) occurring in the 8 miles (13 km) upstream of its mouth; a lowland floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
adjoins the stream in this reach.
In Anoka County, Rice Creek passes through an extensive network of lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s known as the Lino Lakes Chain of Lakes, a portion of which is preserved in the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve, a regional park
Regional park
Regional park is a term used for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.-Definition:...
maintained by the government of Anoka County. In New Brighton, the creek passes through Long Lake, which is bordered by Long Lake Regional Park, maintained by Ramsey County. In Fridley, the lower course of creek is roughly paralleled by the Rice Creek West Regional Trail, a biking
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
and hiking trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
.
Rice Creek's principal tributaries are Hardwood Creek, which drains an area of 44 square miles (114 km²) in the cities of Hugo
Hugo, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,363 people, 2,125 households, and 1,742 families residing in the city. The population density was 187.2 people per square mile . There were 2,174 housing units at an average density of 64.0 per square mile...
, Forest Lake, and Lino Lakes; and Clearwater Creek, 8.33 miles (13.4 km) long, which drains an area of 62 square miles (160.6 km²) in White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 23,797 at the 2010 census. The city is located on White Bear Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Minneapolis-St...
, White Bear Township
White Bear Township, Minnesota
White Bear Township is a township in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 10,949 at the 2010 census. The township was established in 1858. Over the years, the cities of White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, and North Oaks were carved out of the township's original . It...
, Hugo, Lino Lakes, and Centerville. Both tributaries join Rice Creek in Anoka County as part of the chain of lakes.
History
According to the Minnesota Historical SocietyMinnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
, Rice Creek was named for Henry Mower Rice, one of the first pair of U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
s sent to represent Minnesota upon its statehood, who acquired extensive lands near the lower course of the creek in 1849.
Rice Creek was known in 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:...
as "Psin ta wak pa dan" or Psiŋta wakpadaŋ, meaning "Wild Rice Rivulet". Early surveys conducted by Joseph Nicollet
Joseph Nicollet
Joseph Nicolas Nicollet , also known as Jean-Nicolas Nicollet, was a French geographer and mathematician known for mapping the Upper Mississippi River basin during the 1830s....
record the name of Rice Creek as "Ottonwey River" or Atoonowe-ziibi in the Ojibwe language
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
meaning "River for making Canoes." However, its Ojibwe language name has also been recorded as "Manominikan Sibi" or Manoominikaan-ziibi, meaning "river full of wild rice
Wild rice
Wild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
," which is known to have grown plentifully in the lakes of the watershed. Nicollet described the creek as: "At 2:45, as we left the islands behind, a rivulet about thirty feet wide entered the river from the left. Its shores are adorned with beautiful white lilies. Chagobay
Chief Shakopee
Chief Shakopee may refer to any of the three Mdewakanton Dakota chiefs who lived in the early 19th century. The name comes from the Dakota Shák'pí meaning "Six".-Shakopee I:...
told me that it winds back to the vicinity of the Falls of the St. Croix River, being separated from the latter by only a short portage. Its course links several lakes, while irrigating a land abundant with wild rice where the Sioux gather their yearly provisions. The Sioux call it in their language Wild Rice River, and the Chippewa Manominikan Sibi, which means river where one reaps wild rice." "Manomin" (wild rice) was also the basis for the naming of the former Manomin County
Manomin County, Minnesota
Manomin County was a county in Minnesota that existed separately for about one year from 1857 to 1858. The land shifted hands among three other counties for the next decade. When it was formed, it was the smallest county in the United States at roughly 18 square miles...
, which later was incorporated into Anoka County and ultimately became, in part, the city of Fridley, where the creek joins the Mississippi River.
Archaeological evidence exists that suggests ancestors of 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...
hunted and fished in the vicinity of Bald Eagle Lake (approximately present-day White Bear Township
White Bear Township, Minnesota
White Bear Township is a township in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 10,949 at the 2010 census. The township was established in 1858. Over the years, the cities of White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, and North Oaks were carved out of the township's original . It...
) in the Rice Creek watershed, and had a summer village in the present-day city of Centerville
Centerville, Minnesota
Centerville is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,792 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Main Street / County 14 serves as a main route in the...
as early as 2000 B.C.
A series of burial mounds (one linear and twelve conical) on the north side of Centerville Lake along the creek's course through Centerville are believed to have been built by people of the Mississippian culture
Mississippian culture
The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 800 CE to 1500 CE, varying regionally....
who arrived in the area around the year 1400.
Watershed
The Rice Creek watershed drains portions of Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington Counties:- Anoka CountyAnoka County, MinnesotaAnoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...
- 76 mi² (197 km²) - Hennepin CountyHennepin County, MinnesotaHennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
- less than 0.1 mi² (<0.2 km²) - Ramsey CountyRamsey County, MinnesotaRamsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...
- 48 mi² (124 km²) - Washington CountyWashington County, MinnesotaWashington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...
- 77 mi² (199 km²)
The watershed occupies portions of the following jurisdictions:
|
Fridley, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 27,449 people, 11,328 households, and 7,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,701.3 people per square mile . There were 11,504 housing units at an average density of 1,132.1 per square mile... Grant, Minnesota Grant is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States and a suburb of St. Paul. The population was 4,096 at the 2010 census.-Geography:... Hugo, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 6,363 people, 2,125 households, and 1,742 families residing in the city. The population density was 187.2 people per square mile . There were 2,174 housing units at an average density of 64.0 per square mile... Lauderdale, Minnesota Lauderdale is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,379 at the 2010 census. Lauderdale is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and is surrounded by Minneapolis, St... Lexington, Minnesota Lexington is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,049 at the 2010 census. There is also Lexington Township in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.-Geography:... Lino Lakes, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 16,791 people, 4,857 households, and 4,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 595.1 people per square mile . There were 4,921 housing units at an average density of 174.4 per square mile... Mahtomedi, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 7,563 people, 2,503 households, and 2,027 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,095.4 people per square mile . There were 2,581 housing units at an average density of 715.1 per square mile... May Township, Washington County, Minnesota May Township is a township in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,928 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 37.6 square miles , of which, 35.3 square miles of it is land and... Mounds View, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 12,738 people, 5,018 households, and 3,387 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,096.6 people per square mile . There were 5,130 housing units at an average density of 1,247.1 per square mile... |
New Brighton, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 22,206 people, 9,013 households, and 5,903 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,343.9 people per square mile . There were 9,121 housing units at an average density of 1,373.5 per square mile... Roseville, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile... Shoreview, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile... Spring Lake Park, Minnesota Spring Lake Park is a city in Anoka and Ramsey counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 6,412 at the 2010 census. The city lies mainly in Anoka County.... White Bear Lake, Minnesota White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 23,797 at the 2010 census. The city is located on White Bear Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Minneapolis-St... White Bear Township, Minnesota White Bear Township is a township in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 10,949 at the 2010 census. The township was established in 1858. Over the years, the cities of White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, and North Oaks were carved out of the township's original . It... Willernie, Minnesota Willernie is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. It is bordered on all sides by the city of Mahtomedi. The population was 507 at the 2010 census.-Geography:... |
About 10 percent, or approximately 19 mi² (49 km²), of the watershed's surface area is occupied by lakes, the largest of which are White Bear Lake at 2140 acres (8.7 km²); and Bald Eagle Lake at 1046 acres (4.2 km²). Twenty-eight lakes in the watershed exceed 100 acre (0.404686 km²) in size. About 13 percent, or approximately 26 mi² (67 km²), of the watershed consists of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s.
The Rice Creek Watershed District
Watershed district
Watershed districts are special government entities in the U.S. state of Minnesota that monitor and regulate the use of water in watersheds surrounding various lakes and rivers in the state. The districts cover the natural regions of the watersheds, rather than politically-defined regions...
was established in 1972 to "conserve and restore the water resources of the District for the beneficial use of current and future generations." It is a government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
al organization managed by a Board of Managers appointed by the county commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
s of Anoka, Ramsey, and Washington Counties.