Agroecoregion: Alluvial and Outwash
Agroecoregion Characteristics Area (ac)* Percentage
       
Major Watersheds Chippewa River 241,077 36.8
  Upper Minnesota River 97,125 14.8
  Lower Minnesota River 95,382 14.5
  Middle Minnesota River 95,377 14.5
  Watonwan River 67,742 10.3
  Pomme De Terre River 29,927 4.6
  Cottonwood River 23,665 3.6
  Hawk Creek-Yellow Medicine River 4,700 0.7
  Blue Earth River 1,023 0.2
       
Counties Swift 156,055 23.8
  Pope 94,764 14.5
  Brown 54,165 8.3
  Watonwan 50,768 7.7
  Blue Earth 46,868 7.1
  Big Stone 36,541 5.6
  Hennepin 35,934 5.5
  Chippewa 35,341 5.4
  Scott 34,424 5.3
  Nicollet 23,023 3.5
  Le Sueur 20,185 3.1
  Lac Qui Parle 17,880 2.7
  Dakota 12,239 1.9
  Ottertail 8,408 1.3
  Stevens 7,615 1.2
  Kandiyohi 7,454 1.1
  Douglas 6,706 1.0
  Sibley 4,117 0.6
  Traverse 1,803 0.3
  Carver 1,228 0.2
  Stearns 262 0.0
  Ramsey 237 0.0
       
Slope Steepness 0-2 Percent 317,741 48.4
  2-6 Percent 264,021 40.3
  2-12 Percent 37,277 5.7
  6-12 Percent 19,063 2.9
  6-45 Percent 4,108 0.6
  12-45 Percent 8,941 1.4
  Water 4,866 0.7
       
Internal Drainage Poorly drained 59,307 9.0
  Poor/Improved by tiling 221,821 33.8
  Well drained 370,023 56.4
  Water 4,866 0.7
       
Erosion Potential Extreme 1,491 0
  Very Severe 4,970 1
  Severe 92,936 14
  Very High 54,171 8
  High 189,350 29
  Moderate 304,650 46
  Slight 8,449 1
       
Proximity to Water Island Shoreline 1,944 0.3
  Lake Shoreline 41,805 6.4
  Permanent River 82,244 12.5
  Intermittent River 68,081 10.4
  Drainage Ditches 32,666 5.0
  Landlocked 424,413 64.7
  Water 4,866 0.7
       
Geomorphology Minnesota Valley Outwash (032) 233,509 35.6
  Appleton-Clontarf Outwash Plain (065) 223,266 34.0
  Belgrade-Glenwood Outwash Plain (063) 81,636 12.4
  Blue Earth Till Plain (066) 20,494 3.1
  Mississippi Valley Outwash (029) 20,140 3.1
  Waconia-Waseca Moraine (034) 15,274 2.3
  Twin Cities Formation (045) 13,486 2.1
  Emmons-Faribault Moraine (35B) 13,476 2.1
  Big Stone Moraine (051) 9,774 1.5
  Detroit Lakes Pitted Outwash Plain (004) 8,055 1.2
  Benson Lacustrine Plain (050) 5,088 0.8
  Alexandria Moraine Complex (003) 3,154 0.5
  Graceville Till Plain (02E) 2,811 0.4
  Blue Earth-Garden City Ground Moraine (044) 2,712 0.4
  Wells-Rush River Ground Moraine (042) 1,781 0.3
  Osakis Till Plain (055) 1,013 0.2
  Fergus Falls Till Plain (002) 222 0.0
  Prior Lake Moraine (35A) 96 0.0
  Clayey Olivia Till Plain (64A) 30 0.0
       
Crop Productivity Low productivity 223,575 34.1
  Medium productivity 267,513 40.8
  High productivity 164,430 25.1
       
Precipitation Between 22-24 inches 9,374 1.4
  Between 24-26 inches 240,067 36.6
  Between 26-28 inches 171,798 26.2
  Between 28-30 inches 212,946 32.5
  Between 30-32 inches 21,333 3.3
       
Growing Degree Days L.T. 1500 Degree Days 21,225 3.2
  1500-1750 Degree Days 24,194 3.7
  1750-2000 Degree Days 33,333 5.1
  2000-2250 Degree Days 74,782 11.4
  2250-2500 Degree Days 258,851 39.5
  2500-2750 Degree Days 243,633 37.1
       
* Expressed as acres or percent for agroecoregions area in the Minnesota River Basin


Last Updated on 11/2/97
By Ananda Mallawatantri
Email: ananda@soils.umn.edu