Little Cottonwood River facts for kids
The Little Cottonwood River is a cool river in southwestern Minnesota, United States. It's about 83 miles (133 km) long. This river is a tributary, which means it's a smaller river that flows into a bigger one. The Little Cottonwood River flows into the Minnesota River.
When the Little Cottonwood River joins the Minnesota River, its water eventually makes its way to the huge Mississippi River! The area of land that drains water into the Little Cottonwood River is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 230 square miles (596 km²) and is mostly farmland.
Quick facts for kids Little Cottonwood River |
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The Little Cottonwood River near its mouth in Cambria Township in 2007
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Amboy Township, Cottonwood County 1,467 ft (447 m) 44°02′28″N 95°11′35″W / 44.04111°N 95.19306°W |
| River mouth | Minnesota River Cambria Township, Blue Earth County 787 ft (240 m) 44°15′05″N 94°19′47″W / 44.25139°N 94.32972°W |
| Length | 82.9 mi (133.4 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 230 sq mi (600 km2) |
The River's Journey
The Little Cottonwood River starts in Cottonwood County. It begins as a drainage ditch in Amboy Township. When it first starts, the river flows quickly to the northeast. Along the way, you can see cool rock formations. These include the famous Jeffers Petroglyphs, which are ancient rock carvings.
The river then flows generally east through Brown County. Finally, it reaches northwestern Blue Earth County. Here, it meets the Minnesota River in Cambria Township. This spot is about seven miles (11 km) southeast of New Ulm.
For much of its path, the Little Cottonwood River flows somewhat parallel to the Cottonwood River. The Cottonwood River is to the north, usually 3 to 10 miles (5–15 km) away. The Little Cottonwood River's watershed is quite narrow. It doesn't have any big rivers flowing into it. Most of the land around the river is flat farmland. In 1990, about 90% of the land was used for growing crops.
Fish and Wildlife
Many different kinds of fish live in the Little Cottonwood River. Some common fish you might find include black bullheads and yellow bullheads. You can also spot rock bass, golden redhorse, and various types of darters and shiners. These fish are an important part of the river's ecosystem.
How Much Water Flows?
Scientists measure how much water flows in the river. At a special measuring station in Cambria Township, they've been tracking the flow since 1974. On average, the river carries about 72.5 cubic feet per second (2 m³/s) of water.
The most water ever recorded flowing through the river was on June 20, 1993. On that day, a huge 3,520 cubic feet per second (100 m³/s) rushed by! The least amount of water was recorded on September 17, 1977. On that day, there was less than 0.1 cubic feet per second (0 m³/s) flowing, meaning the river was almost dry in some spots.
