Wapsipinicon River

Wapsipinicon River
Wapsie River, Wabespinicon River, Wapsiepinnecon River
Wapsipinicon River; Wapsie River, Wabespinicon River, Wapsiepinnecon River
	Wapsipinicon River in Independence, Iowa on August 25, 2013
	Wapsipinicon River highlighted
Location
Country	US
State	Iowa and Minnesota
District	Scott County, Iowa, Clinton County, Iowa, Cedar County, Iowa, Jones County, Iowa, Linn County, Iowa, Buchanan County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Bremer County, Iowa, Chickasaw County, Iowa, Howard County, Iowa, Mitchell County, Iowa, Mower County, Minnesota
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	3/4 mile south of Taopi, Minnesota
• coordinates	43°32′55″N 92°38′40″W / 43.54861°N 92.64444°W
• elevation	1,348 ft (411 m)
Mouth	Mississippi River
• coordinates	41°43′47″N 90°19′11″W / 41.72972°N 90.31972°W
• elevation	574 ft (175 m)
Length	299.5 mi (482.0 km)
Discharge
• location	De Witt, Iowa
• average	1,818 cu/ft. per sec.

The Wapsipinicon River (/wɒpsɪˈpɪnɪkɒn, -kən/,^[4] locally known as the Wapsi) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 300 miles (480 km) long,^[5] starting near the southeastern border of Minnesota and running through northeastern Iowa in the United States. It drains a rural farming region of rolling hills and bluffs north of Waterloo and Cedar Rapids.

Course

It rises in Mower County, Minnesota and enters Iowa in northern Mitchell County. It flows generally southeast across rural Chickasaw, Bremer, and Buchanan counties, past Independence and Anamosa. Along its lower 25 miles (40 km) it turns east, forming the boundary between Clinton and Scott counties. It joins the Mississippi from the west approximately 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Clinton.

It defines the western boundary of the Driftless Area. While the Wapsi has a soft, recent catchment, the Driftless, to the east and north, tumbles down to the Mississippi in rugged canyons.

Name

The name of the river in the Ojibwe language is Waabiziipiniikaan-ziibi ("river abundant in swan-potatoes"), on account of the large quantity of arrowheads or wild artichokes, known as "swan-potatoes" (waabiziipiniin, singular waabiziipin), once found near its banks.^[6] Severe flooding on the river in 1993, as part of the larger floods in region, caused widespread damage to the surrounding cropland.^[7]

Cities

The Wapsipinicon River runs alongside the Iowa cities and communities of McIntire, Riceville, Deerfield, Elma, Frederika, Tripoli, Littleton, Otterville, Independence, Quasqueton, Troy Mills, Paris, Central City, Waubeek, Stone City, Anamosa, Olin, Oxford Junction, Oxford Mills, Massillon, Toronto, Wheatland, McCausland, Folletts, and Shaffton before emptying into the Mississippi River. Cedar Rock State Park is located on the Wapsipinicon near Quasqueton. Wapsipinicon State Park is located along its southern bank at Anamosa. Many regional parks also border the river.^[8]

Fishing

The Wapsipinicon is known for excellent fishing for catfish, although it also contains abundant northern pike, carp, sunfish, and walleye (in some areas).^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Adams, MN, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1965 (1978 rev.)
^ ^a ^b ^c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wapsipinicon River
^ "Wapsipinicon River". USGS.
^ "Wapsi". Iowa Public Radio.
^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 13, 2011
^ "Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary". Free Lang.
^ "History of Buchanan County, Iowa: Wapsipinicon River". USGennet.
^ ^a ^b "Wapsipinicon State Park". Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

External links

University of Iowa: Wapsipinicon River Archived 2004-10-10 at the Wayback Machine

[topo-1] Adams, MN, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1965 (1978 rev.)

[gnis-2] U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wapsipinicon River

[3] "Wapsipinicon River". USGS.

[4] "Wapsi". Iowa Public Radio.

[NHD-5] U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 13, 2011

[6] "Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary". Free Lang.

[7] "History of Buchanan County, Iowa: Wapsipinicon River". USGennet.

[Park-8] "Wapsipinicon State Park". Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

v t e Minnesota tributaries of the Upper Mississippi River below St Anthony Falls
Minnesota River	Little Minnesota River Pomme de Terre River Lac qui Parle River Chippewa River Yellow Medicine River Redwood River Cottonwood River Blue Earth River
St. Croix River	Kettle River Snake River
Cannon River	North Cannon River Little Cannon River Straight River Little Cannon River (Sabre Lake) Belle Creek
Zumbro River	North Fork Zumbro River Middle Fork Zumbro River North Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro River South Fork Zumbro River
Whitewater River	North Fork Whitewater River Middle Fork Whitewater River South Fork Whitewater River
Root River	South Fork Root River Badger Creek South Branch Root River Camp Creek North Branch Root River Middle Branch Root River Rush Creek Pine Creek Coolridge Creek Hemingway Creek
Upper Iowa River (Iowa, Minnesota)	Pine Creek Little Iowa River North Branch Upper Iowa River
Iowa River (Iowa)	Cedar River Shell Rock River Winnebago River (Iowa) Lime Creek Little Cedar River (Iowa and Minnesota) Little Cedar River (Dodge County, Minnesota)
Des Moines River (Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri)	East Fork Des Moines River Heron Lake Outlet Jack Creek Diversion Creek Okabena Creek Lime Creek Beaver Creek
Missouri River (Missouri, Iowa)	Little Sioux River Ocheyedan River West Fork Little Sioux River Big Sioux River (Iowa) Rock River Little Rock River East Branch Rock River Split Rock Creek Pipestone Creek Flandreau Creek
Other rivers and streams	Crooked Creek North Fork Crooked Creek South Fork Crooked Creek Hay Creek Pine Creek Vermillion River South Branch Vermillion River Wapsipinicon River Wells Creek Winnebago Creek
Streams by region	Driftless Area Counties Dakota Dodge Fillmore Goodhue Houston Mower Olmsted Rice Wabasha Winona
See also: List of rivers of Minnesota, North Shore Streams, Wisconsin rivers, Iowa rivers, North Dakota rivers