red river of the north

For other things named Red River, see the Red River disambiguation page.

The Red River, one of several by that name, is a North American river. It flows northward through the Red River Valley, forming much of the border between the U.S. states Minnesota and North Dakota, and then flowing into Manitoba, Canada. It empties into Lake Winnipeg. It was a key river in the early settlement of Canada, notably being home to the Red River Colony that later became Winnipeg. In the United States it is called the Red River of the North, to distinguish it from another Red River (a tributary of the Mississippi River that forms part of the border between Texas and Oklahoma). It is formed at Wahpeton, North Dakota and Breckenridge, Minnesota by the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Rail rivers. The Red River passes Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota, then enters the province of Manitoba in Canada. That province's capital, Winnipeg, is at its confluence with the Assiniboine River. The river drains into Lake Winnipeg and is part of the Hudson Bay watershed. The Red River is one of the remnants of the ancient Lake Agassiz. The Red River famously flooded in April 1997, causing $2 billion USD in damage to Grand Forks, North Dakota. Winnipeg, though downstream, suffered only $51 million CDN in damage, because the city is protected by the Red River Floodway which diverted most of the water around it. Other major floods occurred in 1826 and 1950.

See also