Rice Creek (Minnesota)
Rice Creek in Fridley, Minnesota
The Rice Creek is a 45 km long tributary of the Mississippi River in the northern suburbs of the metropolitan area of Minneapolis -Saint Paul, Minnesota in the United States. It drains a catchment area of approximately 521 km ².
Run
The Rice Creek has its origin in the Clear Lake in the town of Forest Lake in Washington County and flows generally southward through the counties Anoka and Ramsey. He flows through the cities of Columbus, Lino Lakes, Circle Pines, Shoreview, Arden Hills, Mounds View, New Brighton and Fridley. It flows within the Manomin County Park in Fridley in the Mississippi River, about 2.4 km north of the I- 694 Mississippi Bridge. The creek has its course a gradient of 26 m, with the largest part, 20 m, which accounts for the last 13 km above the mouth. It rises at an altitude of 271 m. His mouth is 246 m.
In Anoka County, the Rice Creek flows through an extensive network of small lakes, known as Lino Lakes Chain of Lakes and some of which are a nature reserve, which is managed by the management of the Anoka County. In New Brighton Rice Creek to Long Lake, on the shores of Long Lake Regional Park is located, which is maintained by the Ramsey County flows through.
The most important tributaries of the Rice Creeks are the Hardwood Creek, which drains an area of 114 km ² within the villages Hugo, Forest Lake and Lino Lakes; and the 13.4 km long Clearwater Creek, which drains 161 km ² area within White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Hugo, Lino Lakes and Centerville. Both tributaries flow into the Rice Creek within the chain of lakes in Anoka County.
History
According to the Minnesota Historical Society was named the Rice Creek to Henry Mower Rice, one of the first two senators who sent Minnesota to its inclusion in the Union and acquired in 1849 extensive lands along the lower reaches of the creek. The first survey, conducted by Joseph Nicollet, recorded the Rice Creek as " Ottonwey River" or Atoonowe - ziibi in the language of Ojibwe ( roughly "river to make canoes " German ). However, the name of the water was recorded in the language of the Ojibwe as Manominiconsepi or Manoominikaan - ziibi, meaning "river full of wild rice ." Wild rice originally grew abundantly in the lakes of the catchment area. " Manomin " (wild rice) was also the basis for the naming of the former Manomin County, which was later integrated in the Anoka County and partly the current city Fridley formed where the creek empties into the Mississippi River.
Archaeological finds indicate that the ancestors of the Sioux from about 2000 BC in the vicinity of Bald Eagle Lakes have (today roughly the area of White Bear Township ) fished and hunted and a summer village inhabited that lies there, where today Centerville is located.
A group of grave hills on the north side of the Centerville Lakes along the river was probably created by members of the Mississippian culture, which were in the area since about 1400.
Catchment area
The Rice Creek drains portions of counties Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington:
- Anoka County - 197 km ²
- Hennepin County - <0.2 km ²
- Ramsey County - 124 km ²
- Washington County - 199 km ²
Within the catchment area are the following municipalities and townships:
- Arden Hills
- Birchwood
- Blaine
- Centerville
- Circle Pines
- Columbia Heights
- Columbus
- Dellwood
- Falcon Heights
- Forest Lake
- Fridley
- Grant
- Hugo
- Lauderdale
- Lexington
- Lino Lakes
- Mahtomedi
- May Township
- Mounds View
- New Brighton
- Roseville
- Saint Anthony Village
- Scandia
- Shoreview
- Spring Lake Park
- White Bear Lake
- White Bear Township
- Willernie
About 10 percent, or about 49 km ² of the catchment area consists of water surfaces, of which the White Bear Lake with 2140 acres and Bald Eagle Lake with 1046 acres are the greatest. Twenty-eight lakes in the area have an area exceeding 100 acres. Approximately 13 percent or 67 km ² of the catchment area consist of wetlands.