The James River (also known as the Jim River or the Dakota River) is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 710 miles (1,140 km) long, draining an area of 20,653 square miles (53,490 km2) in the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota.[1] About 70 percent of the drainage area is in South Dakota.[2] The river provides the main drainage of the flat lowland area of the Dakotas between the two plateau regions known as the Missouri Coteau and the Coteau des Prairies. This narrow area was formed by the James lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the last ice age, and as a consequence the watershed of the river is slender and it has few major tributaries for a river of its length.
The James drops approximately 5 inches (130 mm) per 1 mile (1.6 km), and this low gradient sometimes leads to reverse flow. Reverse flow occurs when high inflow from tributaries leads to James River water flowing upstream for several miles above the joining water. This happens most frequently north of Huron, South Dakota.[2]
The river arises in Wells County, North Dakota, approximately 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Fessenden. It flows briefly east towards New Rockford, then generally SSE through eastern North Dakota, past Jamestown, where it is first impounded by a large reservoir (the Jamestown Dam), and then joined by the Pipestem River. It enters northeastern South Dakota in Brown County, where it is impounded to form two reservoirs northeast of Aberdeen.
At Columbia, it is joined by the Elm River. Flowing southward across eastern South Dakota, it passes Huron and Mitchell, where it is joined by the Firesteel Creek. South of Mitchell, it flows southeast and joins the Missouri just east of Yankton.
The James River flows fully across the state of South Dakota, the only river other than the Missouri to do so.[2]
River conditions during normal years include still water on both the James and its tributaries as well as flooding. Floods occur after snowmelt or heavy rains, as water easily breaches the James' low banks, and such floods tend to cover a significant portion of the floodplain. When the river is still, water quality drops.[2]
Historyedit
This excerpt from the Lewis and Clark map of 1814 shows the rivers of western Iowa and eastern South Dakota. The James (Jacque) is seen near the left center of the map.
Originally called E-ta-zi-po-ka-se Wakpa ("unnavigable river") in the Sioux language, the river was given the name Riviere aux Jacques in 1794 by Jean Trudeau, a French trader. This name was subsequently anglicized to James River,[3][4][5] which was the name used by local whites at the time Dakota Territory was incorporated. However, the Dakota Territory Organic Act of 1861 renamed it the Dakota River. The new name failed to gain popular usage and the river retains its pre-1861 name.
^ abcdHogan, Edward Patrick; Fouberg, Erin Hogan (2001). The Geography of South Dakota (Third ed.). Sioux Falls, SD: The Center for Western Studies – Augustana College. ISBN0-931170-79-6.
^South Dakota place-names. American guide series. University of South Dakota. 1940.
^Project, Federal Writers' (31 October 2013). The WPA Guide to South Dakota: The Prairie State. ISBN9781595342393.
November 20, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources James River Dakotas news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2010 template removal help The James River also known as the Jim River or the Dakota River is a tributary of the Missouri River approximately 710 miles 1 140 km long draining an area of 20 653 square miles 53 490 km2 in the U S states of North Dakota and South Dakota 1 About 70 percent of the drainage area is in South Dakota 2 The river provides the main drainage of the flat lowland area of the Dakotas between the two plateau regions known as the Missouri Coteau and the Coteau des Prairies This narrow area was formed by the James lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the last ice age and as a consequence the watershed of the river is slender and it has few major tributaries for a river of its length James RiverJim River Dakota RiverFlowing through Jamestown North DakotaThe course and watershed of the James River EtymologyFrench Riviere aux JacquesLocationCountryUnited StatesStateNorth Dakota South DakotaCitiesJamestown ND Aberdeen SD Huron SD Mitchell SD Yankton SDPhysical characteristicsSourceUnnamed pond locationWells County North Dakota coordinates47 40 47 N 99 50 55 W 47 67972 N 99 84861 W 47 67972 99 84861 elevation1 603 ft 489 m MouthMissouri River locationYankton County near Yankton South Dakota coordinates42 52 17 N 97 17 26 W 42 87139 N 97 29056 W 42 87139 97 29056 elevation1 152 ft 351 m Length710 mi 1 140 km Basin size20 942 sq mi 54 240 km2 Discharge locationScotland SD average646 cu ft s 18 3 m3 s minimum0 cu ft s 0 m3 s maximum29 400 cu ft s 830 m3 s The James drops approximately 5 inches 130 mm per 1 mile 1 6 km and this low gradient sometimes leads to reverse flow Reverse flow occurs when high inflow from tributaries leads to James River water flowing upstream for several miles above the joining water This happens most frequently north of Huron South Dakota 2 The river arises in Wells County North Dakota approximately 10 mi 16 km northwest of Fessenden It flows briefly east towards New Rockford then generally SSE through eastern North Dakota past Jamestown where it is first impounded by a large reservoir the Jamestown Dam and then joined by the Pipestem River It enters northeastern South Dakota in Brown County where it is impounded to form two reservoirs northeast of Aberdeen At Columbia it is joined by the Elm River Flowing southward across eastern South Dakota it passes Huron and Mitchell where it is joined by the Firesteel Creek South of Mitchell it flows southeast and joins the Missouri just east of Yankton The James River flows fully across the state of South Dakota the only river other than the Missouri to do so 2 River conditions during normal years include still water on both the James and its tributaries as well as flooding Floods occur after snowmelt or heavy rains as water easily breaches the James low banks and such floods tend to cover a significant portion of the floodplain When the river is still water quality drops 2 History edit nbsp This excerpt from the Lewis and Clark map of 1814 shows the rivers of western Iowa and eastern South Dakota The James Jacque is seen near the left center of the map Originally called E ta zi po ka se Wakpa unnavigable river in the Sioux language the river was given the name Riviere aux Jacques in 1794 by Jean Trudeau a French trader This name was subsequently anglicized to James River 3 4 5 which was the name used by local whites at the time Dakota Territory was incorporated However the Dakota Territory Organic Act of 1861 renamed it the Dakota River The new name failed to gain popular usage and the river retains its pre 1861 name Unrelated to the name of the river the settlement of Jamestown North Dakota was named by Thomas L Rosser a former Confederate general who helped to build the Northern Pacific Railroad across what became North Dakota after the English colony of Jamestown in his native Virginia See also editNew Rockford Bridge List of longest rivers of the United States by main stem List of rivers of North Dakota List of rivers of South DakotaReferences edit USGS 06478500 JAMES R NEAR SCOTLAND SD a b c d Hogan Edward Patrick Fouberg Erin Hogan 2001 The Geography of South Dakota Third ed Sioux Falls SD The Center for Western Studies Augustana College ISBN 0 931170 79 6 South Dakota place names American guide series University of South Dakota 1940 http www augie edu sites default files 2008dakconfpapers pdf bare URL PDF Project Federal Writers 31 October 2013 The WPA Guide to South Dakota The Prairie State ISBN 9781595342393 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James River Dakotas amp oldid 1076880823, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
