St. Croix River (Wisconsin–Minnesota)
| St. Croix River | |
|---|---|
St. Croix River at the St. Croix Crossing | |
Map of the St. Croix watershed. | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin, Minnesota |
| Cities | St. Croix Falls, WI, Taylors Falls, MN, Osceola, WI, Stillwater, MN, Hudson, WI, Afton, MN, Prescott, WI, Lindström, MN, Somerset, WI, Scandia, MN River Falls, WI |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Upper St. Croix Lake |
| • location | near Solon Springs, Wisconsin, Douglas County, WI |
| • coordinates | 46°23′19″N 91°45′34″W / 46.38861°N 91.75944°W |
| Mouth | Mississippi River |
• location | Prescott, WI, Pierce County, Washington, Dakota, MN, WI |
• coordinates | 44°44′45″N 92°48′10″W / 44.74583°N 92.80278°W |
| Length | 169 mi (272 km) |
| Basin size | 7,700 sq mi (20,000 km2) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Prescott, WI |
| • average | 6,374 cu ft/s (180.5 m3/s). |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Sunrise River, Snake River, Kettle River, Trout Brook |
| • right | Apple River, Yellow River, Namekagon River, Eau Claire River (St. Croix River), Kinnickinnic River |
| Type | Scenic, Recreational |
| Designated | October 2, 1968 |
| Part of | Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway |
The St. Croix River (/ˈseɪnt ˈkrɔɪ/ saynt KROY; French for 'Holy Cross') is a tributary of the Mississippi River, about 169 mi (272 km) long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower 125 mi (201 km) of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A hydroelectric plant at the Saint Croix Falls Dam supplies power to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.