Grand Marais Creek facts for kids

Grand Marais Creek is a stream located in the northwestern part of Minnesota, United States. It is about 41.1 miles (66.1 kilometers) long. This creek is an important part of a larger water system.

What is Grand Marais Creek?

Grand Marais Creek is a tributary of the Red River of the North. A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one. Think of it like a small road connecting to a bigger highway. The creek helps carry water from the land into the Red River.

Part of a Big Water System

The water from Grand Marais Creek eventually travels a very long way. After joining the Red River, its water flows into Lake Winnipeg in Canada. From there, it continues into the Nelson River. Finally, the Nelson River empties into Hudson Bay. This entire journey means Grand Marais Creek is part of the huge Hudson Bay watershed.

Understanding a Watershed

A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a common outlet. This outlet could be a river, lake, or ocean. Imagine a giant bowl: all the rain and snow that falls inside the bowl will eventually flow to the lowest point. For Grand Marais Creek, its "bowl" is part of the much larger Hudson Bay watershed.

Where Does Grand Marais Creek Flow?

Grand Marais Creek starts in southeastern Minnesota. It flows generally from the southeast towards the northwest. The creek actually begins less than half a mile (0.8 kilometers) east of another river, the Red Lake River. It then runs almost side-by-side with the Red Lake River for some distance.

Journey to the Red River

As it flows, Grand Marais Creek passes to the northeast of a city called East Grand Forks. After its journey, the creek finally meets and joins the Red River. This meeting point is about 7 miles (11 kilometers) north of East Grand Forks.