The Root River flows for 80 miles (130km) through the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota and is a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River. The Root River is formed by three branches, the North, South and Middle branches of the Root River and the South Fork Root River. It is an excellent river for canoeing and fishing. The gentle to moderate flowing river drops an average of 3.4ft/mile from Chatfield, Minnesota, to its pour point in the Mississippi River into Navigation Pool 7 just south of La Crosse, Wisconsin and east of Hokah, Minnesota.
History and description
Root River is an English translation of the Dakota-language name Hokah.
The Root River is formed by the merger of the North Branch Root River and Middle Branch Root River in Chatfield, Minnesota. A mile and a half north of Lanesboro, Minnesota it is joined by the South Branch Root River. The South Fork Root River later joins the Root River near Houston, Minnesota.
The South Branch Root River rises in Mower County as agricultural drainage ditches, which disappear underground, re-emerging as a much cooler stream at Mystery Cave near Preston, Minnesota.
The Root River and its tributaries lie within Minnesota's Driftless Area.
As a result of the 2007 Midwest flooding, the river rose to 19 feet (5.8m), about a foot short of the height of the dike protecting the town of Houston.
Geology
Root river primarily flows through the prairie du chien formation and through the cedar valley group. Ca 450 Million years ago the area was a shallow OrdovicianSea, It had many fossils types primarily Cephalopods, Gastropods, Fisherites (Algae that resembled sunflower shapes and was a plant that was roughly 6 inch's in diameter on average yet varys slightly.) More specifically it flows through the Dubuque Formation, Stewartville Formation. The Root river has many many karst features such as caves, sinkholes, springs and more. Some branches of the river seemingly disappear, This is because the riverbed has microscopic cracks within the limestone that the water disappears into and then the numerous caves take that water and move it to a place where eventually it is released through a spring.
South branch root river
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Description
The south branch root river is a subsection of the Root River, it starts west of Whalan, Minnesota but slightly east and more north of lanesboro. The south branch root river briefly disappears underground and resurfaces further east. This is by far one of the most popular tributaries of the Root River, It receives thousands of visitors and tourists a year most attending Niagara cave, Mystery cave, Forestville, Or in general the state parks and recreational areas around the area.
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