The Elk River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map , accessed November 29, 2012 river in east-central Minnesota in the United States. It is a tributary of the Mississippi River, draining a watershed of .Renwick, Mary E., and Eden, Susanna (1999). Minnesota Rivers: A Primer. St. Paul: Water Resources Center, College of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota.
Course The Elk River rises in northern Benton County, Minnesota and initially flows generally southward. In Sherburne County the river turns southeastward, paralleling the Mississippi River for the remainder of its course, past the communities of Becker and Big Lake.DeLorme (1994). Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. In his 1843 map of the Upper Mississippi, Joseph Nicollet recorded this river as "Kabitawi R[iver]", reflecting Gaa-biitawi-ziibi ("the parallelling river") in the Ojibwe) due to this parallel course with the Mississippi.Nicollet, Joseph N. (1843). Hydrographical Basin of the Upper Mississippi River. It joins the Mississippi at the city of Elk River, after passing through Orono Lake, which is formed by a municipal hydroelectric dam.Waters, Thomas F. (1977). The Streams and Rivers of Minnesota. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
At Big Lake, the river measures approximately 285 cubic feet per second.
Tributaries In Sherburne County's Big Lake Township, the Elk collects the St. Francis River and the Snake River; the latter is a minor stream which flows for its entire length in Sherburne County, generally southward through Santiago, Becker and Big Lake Townships in a straightened and channelized course.
See also List of rivers of Minnesota
References