[1] Named after the Menomonee (also spelled Menominee) Indians, the word was given to the Menomonee people by the Chippewa people, and in the Chippewa language literally means "rice eaters" referring to the abundant wild rice that once grew along its shores in the Menomonee Valley.

The Menomonee River is 33.0 miles (53.1 km) long,[2] and empties into Lake Michigan at Milwaukee.

With a watershed that covers approximately 140 square miles (360 km2) of urban landscape, it is home to a population of more than 336,670 people.

This includes portions of Washington, Ozaukee, Waukesha, and Milwaukee counties.

A large swath of the river has been heavily channelized and industrialized as it runs through the Menomonee Valley.