Little Cottonwood River
Encyclopedia
The Little Cottonwood River is a tributary
of the Minnesota River
, 83 miles (133 km) long, in southwestern Minnesota
in the United States
. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed
of the Mississippi River
, draining an area of 230 square miles (596 km²) in an agricultural region.
The Little Cottonwood River rises south of Jeffers
in Amboy Township
in Cottonwood County
, beginning as a drainage ditch
constructed in 1997. In its upper course the stream flows swiftly in a northeastward course and passes rock outcrops, including the Jeffers Petroglyphs
. It flows generally east-northeastwardly through Brown County
into northwestern Blue Earth County
, where it joins the Minnesota River in Cambria Township
, approximately seven miles (11 km) southeast of New Ulm
. For much of its lower course, it roughly parallels the Cottonwood River
to the north at a distance of three to ten miles (5–15 km). The stream's watershed is narrow, with no major tributaries. Land within the watershed consists primarily of till plain
s; , 90% of the land was cultivated for agriculture.
Common fish in the river include black
and yellow bullhead
, rock bass
, golden redhorse
, and various species of darters
and shiners
.
's stream gauge
in Cambria Township, 0.7 miles (1.1 km) upstream from the river's mouth, the annual mean flow of the river between 1974 and 2005 was 72.5 cubic feet per second (2 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period was 3,520 ft³/s (100 m³/s) on June 20, 1993. The lowest recorded flow was less than 0.1 ft³/s (0 m³/s) on September 17, 1977.
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....
, 83 miles (133 km) long, in southwestern 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 230 square miles (596 km²) in an agricultural region.
The Little Cottonwood River rises south of Jeffers
Jeffers, Minnesota
Jeffers is a city in Amboy Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 369 at the 2010 census.Minnesota State Highway 30 and County Highway 4 are two of the main routes in the community. U.S. Route 71 is nearby.-Geography:...
in Amboy Township
Amboy Township, Minnesota
Amboy Township is a township in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 172 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
in Cottonwood County
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Cottonwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 11,687. Its county seat is Windom.-History:...
, beginning as a drainage ditch
Ditch
A ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel water.In Anglo-Saxon, the word dïc already existed and was pronounced 'deek' in northern England and 'deetch' in the south. The origins of the word lie in digging a trench and forming the upcast soil into a bank...
constructed in 1997. In its upper course the stream flows swiftly in a northeastward course and passes rock outcrops, including the Jeffers Petroglyphs
Jeffers Petroglyphs
The Jeffers Petroglyphs site is an outcrop in southwestern Minnesota with pre-contact Native American petroglyphs. The petroglyphs are pecked into rock of the Red Rock Ridge, a -long Sioux quartzite outcrop that extends from Watonwan County, Minnesota to Brown County, Minnesota. The exposed...
. It flows generally east-northeastwardly through Brown County
Brown County, Minnesota
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat is New Ulm.-Geography:...
into northwestern Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Blue Earth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 64,013. Its county seat is Mankato.Blue Earth County is part of the Mankato–North Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, where it joins the Minnesota River in Cambria Township
Cambria Township, Minnesota
Cambria Township is a township in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 271 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and is water...
, approximately seven miles (11 km) southeast of New Ulm
New Ulm, Minnesota
New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County....
. For much of its lower course, it roughly parallels the Cottonwood River
Cottonwood River (Minnesota)
The Cottonwood River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 152 miles long, in southwestern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in an agricultural region...
to the north at a distance of three to ten miles (5–15 km). The stream's watershed is narrow, with no major tributaries. Land within the watershed consists primarily of 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; , 90% of the land was cultivated for agriculture.
Common fish in the river include black
Black bullhead
The black bullhead, Ameiurus melas, is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid and/or very warm. It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins and no scales...
and yellow bullhead
Yellow bullhead
The yellow bullhead, is a species of bullhead catfish. Yellow bullhead are typically yellow-olive to slatey-black on the back and sometimes mottled depending on habitat. The sides are lighter and more yellowish while the underside of the head and body are bright yellow, yellow white, or bright...
, rock bass
Rock bass
The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...
, golden redhorse
Golden redhorse
The golden redhorse, Moxostoma erythrurum, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Ontario and Manitoba in Canada and the Midwestern, southern, and eastern United States. It lives in calm, often silty or sandy waters in streams, small to large rivers, and lakes.A bottom-feeder, it feeds on...
, and various species of darters
Etheostoma
Etheostoma is a diverse genus of small freshwater fish in the family Percidae. It contains nearly 140 member species. Most are native to North America. They are commonly known as darters although the term "darter" is shared by several other genera...
and shiners
Shiner (fish)
Shiner is a common name used for any of several kinds of small, usually silvery fish, in particular a number of cyprinids, but also e.g. the Shiner Perch .Cyprinid shiners are:* Eastern shiners, genus Notropis...
.
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 Cambria Township, 0.7 miles (1.1 km) upstream from the river's mouth, the annual mean flow of the river between 1974 and 2005 was 72.5 cubic feet per second (2 m³/s). The highest recorded flow during the period was 3,520 ft³/s (100 m³/s) on June 20, 1993. The lowest recorded flow was less than 0.1 ft³/s (0 m³/s) on September 17, 1977.