The River's Beginning

The other day in one of our elementary-aged river education programs, our staff over heard a few of the 2nd graders arguing over how the Crow River essentially became to be; even more specifically, how the river doesn’t run out of water if it is constantly moving (flowing). Some of them claimed that the water is simply just there because that’s how the earth works, while others stated that rivers get their water from the melted snow and that there’s enough to supply water for the rest of the year.

And in a sense, they weren’t wrong. There is some complicated biological/physical law of nature that causes rivers to behave in the way that they do. Additionally, the run-off from melting snow does contribute to the water levels of a river.

All of this got us thinking, however, that the community can learn about every single aspect of the relationship between the Crow and the town of Saint Michael, but they won’t be able to feel truly connected to the river if they don’t have a clear understanding of how and why the river exists and acts the way it does.

That’s why today, we are sharing with you the river’s beginning.

The Crow River, unlike most other rivers, is a part of a unique river system in that it does not have a true “headwaters.” Instead, the North Fork River and the South Fork River make their way towards each other where they meet up in Rockford, MN to form the last part of the system, the Crow River. Therefore, there isn’t one specific spot where the river begins. Rather, there are multiple beginnings that all come together to create one incredible part of nature.

Stemming from Grove Lake, the North Fork River is one of the major tributaries of the Crow River. It flows for 157.5 miles, making it the longest stretch of water in the Crow River system. Additionally, the North Fork makes its way through four Minnesota counties, running through Rice Lake and Lake Koronis so as to obtain strong water sources.

The other key contributor of the Crow is the South Fork River. This part of the Crow River system starts its flow from both the Wakanda and Little Kandiyohi lakes, and then makes its way eastward through five central Minnesota counties. Stretching 116 miles, many areas of the South Fork have been heavily straightened and channelized to better convenient the surrounding communities, as well as attempt to benefit the overall health of the river.

These two rivers then meet up in Rockford, MN, as mentioned earlier, to form our ever-so loved Crow River. It is here that the Crow River Environmental Education Center finds its ability to reconnect surrounding communities with the natural environment. And now you too, have the ability to join us in this journey.

Stay tuned, as for our next blog will reveal where the Crow River leads to and how the Crow River truly never comes to an end.