Lake Itasca

Lake Itasca is a glacial lake found in north Minnesota. It is the primary source for the Mississippi River. Although the river has tributaries which contribute a large volume of water to it, none are as dramatic as the lake's. Many science experiments are carried out here because of the lake's surrounding ecology and geography.

The Mississippi River near its source, Lake Itasca, with is not visible in this image.

Lake Itasca
The primary source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca Show map of Minnesota Lake Itasca Show map of the United States
Location	Itasca State Park, Clearwater County, Minnesota, US
Coordinates	47°13′05″N 95°12′26″W
Type	Glacial
Native name	Omashkoozo-zaaga'igan  (Ojibwe)
Primary inflows	Nicolet Creek, Elk Lake outlet stream
Primary outflows	Mississippi River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2)
Average depth	20–35 ft (6–11 m)
Surface elevation	1,475 ft (450 m)
Islands	Schoolcraft Island