Des Moines River

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Des Moines River
Basin of the Des Moines River

Basin of the Des Moines River

Data
Water code US :  465582
location Minnesota , Iowa (USA)
River system Mississippi River
Drain over Mississippi  → Gulf of Mexico
origin Lake Shetek
44 ° 5 ′ 2 ″  N , 95 ° 41 ′ 17 ″  W.
Source height 452  m
muzzle Mississippi River at Keokuk Coordinates: 40 ° 22 ′ 52 "  N , 91 ° 25 ′ 20"  W 40 ° 22 ′ 52 "  N , 91 ° 25 ′ 20"  W
Mouth height 182  m
Height difference 270 m
Bottom slope 0.32 ‰
length 845 km
Catchment area 38,340 km²
Drain MQ
 246 m³ / s
Left tributaries Boone River
Right tributaries Raccoon River
Reservoirs flowed through Saylorville Lake , Lake Red Rock
Big cities Des Moines
Medium-sized cities Ottumwa
Small towns Keokuk
The Des Moines River above Ottumwa, Iowa

The Des Moines River above Ottumwa, Iowa

The Des Moines River is about 845 km (525 miles) long right tributary of the Mississippi River in the upper Midwest of the United States .

It rises in southern Minnesota , flows through Iowa from northwest to southeast and finally flows into the Mississippi at Keokuk . The state capital Des Moines owes its name to this largest river in the Iowa.

The origin of the name is not entirely clear. Originally it was probably called by French explorers La Rivière des Moines , ie "Monk's River". According to other theories, the name comes from Moingona , a subgroup of the Peoria Indians originally living in the area .

Before the construction of the major railroad lines (around 1860), the Des Moines was the main route through Iowa. During a historic flood in 1993, the city of Des Moines and neighboring communities had to be partially evacuated.

Places that are on this river

other names

According to the Geographic Names Information System , the Des Moines River is / was also known as:

  • La Riviere des Moins
  • Le Moine River
  • Monk River
  • Nadouessioux River
  • Outontantes River
  • River Demoin
  • River of the Maskoutens
  • River of the Peouareas

See also

Web links

Commons : Des Moines River  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Lake Shetek in the Geographic Names Information System of the United States Geological Survey
  2. ↑ Des Moines River in the United States Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System