Vermillion River (Minnesota)

For the river in northeast Minnesota named Vermilion with one l, see Vermilion River (Minnesota).

River in Minnesota, United States

Vermillion River

Vermillion Falls in Hastings

Mouth of the Vermillion River

Location
Country| United States
State| Minnesota
County| Goohue County, Dakota County, Scott County
Physical characteristics
Source|
• location| New Market, Minnesota
• coordinates| 44°35′10″N 93°20′10″W﻿ / ﻿44.5860751°N 93.3360562°W﻿ / 44.5860751; -93.3360562
Mouth|

• location

| Welch, Minnesota

• coordinates

| 44°37′14″N 92°40′01″W﻿ / ﻿44.6205230°N 92.6668629°W﻿ / 44.6205230; -92.6668629
Length| 59.6 mi (95.9 km)[1]
Basin size| 335 sq mi (870 km2)[2]
Basin features
River system| Mississippi River
Tributaries|
• right| South Branch Vermillion River
Waterfalls| Vermillion Falls

The Vermillion River is a 59.6-mile (95.9 km)[1] waterway that meanders through Scott County and Dakota County in Minnesota, entering the Mississippi River floodplain just south of Hastings. 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of it are designated as a trout stream, which is unusual for being so close to a metropolitan area. Trophy-sized trout used to be found in the river often but not much anymore.[2][3][4]

## Description[edit]

Vermillion, derived from the French for "red", was probably so named from deposits of ochre Indians used for body painting.[5]

The Vermillion is a state-designated trout stream, managed for catch-and-release fishing of brown trout. The portion of the river that supports trout is upstream, around the towns of Farmington; Empire, and the City of Lakeville.[4] After the waterfall in the city of Hastings, the water becomes too warm to support trout. Downstream from the falls on the south side of Hastings, the water becomes even warmer, supporting riverine species such as northern pike and freshwater drum. The Minnesota state record black crappie of 5.0 pounds was caught in the Vermillion River in 1940.[6] An old channel of the Vermillion River continues south from Hastings on the western edge of the Mississippi valley.

## Activities on the river[edit]

In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the river was used for water power, supplying power to gristmills. A park surrounding the falls preserves the remains of a mill operated by Alexander Ramsey, one of the leading citizens of early Minnesota.

The nonprofit conservation group Minnesota Trout Unlimited and its volunteers have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in physical restoration of the river and adjoining upland areas, funding four projects through grants from the state's Outdoor Heritage Fund. The Twin Cities chapter of Trout Unlimited sponsors a local community volunteer group called the Vermillion Riverkeepers. Volunteers work with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to remove invasive non-native species such as buckthorn from several state DNR Aquatic Management Areas (AMAs), in addition to fisheries research and stream restoration projects .[7]

Another group, Friends of the Mississippi River, engages people in cleanups, restoration events and educational activities through its Vermillion Stewards Program.

## Gallery of images[edit]

* Vermillion River upper falls in Hastings

* Vermillion River valley in Hastings

* Vermillion River valley in Hastings

* Ruin of the 1857 Ramsey Mill

## See also[edit]

* List of rivers of Minnesota

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed October 4, 2012
2. ^ a b Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization. "The Vermillion River Watershed". Dakota County. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Vermillion River
4. ^ a b "Vermillion River". Minnesota DNR. Retrieved April 3, 2021. "Brown Trout: average abundance, a wide variety of sizes are present, including some trophy size fish."
5. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 169.
6. ^ "State record fish". Minnesota DNR. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
7. ^ "Twin Cities Trout Unlimited". Retrieved 2015-12-12.

* 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

* v
* t
* e

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

National|

* Coldwater Spring
* Lock and Dam No. 1
* Lock and Dam No. 2
* Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
* St. Anthony Falls
* St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

State|

* Fort Snelling State Park
* Historic Fort
* Pike Island
* Mill City Museum
* Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area (Trail)
* Sibley Historic Site

Local|

* Banfill Tavern
* Bohemian Flats
* Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary
* Crosby Farm
* Fort Snelling unorganized territory
* Gold Medal Park
* Grand Rounds
* Harriet Island
* Hidden Falls
* Indian Mounds Park
* John H. Stevens House
* Longfellow House
* Meeker Island Lock and Dam
* Mill Ruins Park
* Minnehaha Park (Lower Glen Trail)
* Minnehaha Trail
* Mississippi Gorge Regional Park
* North Mississippi Regional Park
* Raspberry Island
* Boathouse
* Stone Arch Bridge
* Vermillion River
* Watergate Marina
* Winchell Trail
* Windego Park

Other|

* Kaposia
* Mississippi River Trail
* River Warren Falls
* Science Museum of Minnesota

Authority control databases |

* NARA

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template