Agroecoregion: Coteau
Agroecoregion Characteristics Area (ac)* Percentage
Major Watersheds Cottonwood River 325,339 38.4
  Redwood River 217,091 25.6
  Hawk Creek-Yellow Medicine River 195,108 23.0
  Lac Qui Parle River 110,597 13.0
       
Counties Lincoln 294,990 34.8
  Lyon 255,156 30.1
  Cottonwood 97,965 11.6
  Murray 73,413 8.7
  Yellow Medicine 68,883 8.1
  Redwood 32,574 3.8
  Pipestone 16,470 1.9
  Lac Qui Parle 8,682 1.0
       
Slope Steepness 0-2 Percent 96,592 11.4
  2-6 Percent 694,989 81.9
  2-12 Percent 9,285 1.1
  6-12 Percent 6,442 0.8
  6-45 Percent 38,641 4.6
  Water 2,186 0.3
       
Internal Drainage Poorly drained 52,567 6.2
  Poor/Improved by tiling 44,025 5.2
  Well drained 749,356 88.4
  Water 2,186 0.3
       
Erosion Potential Extreme 0 0
  Very Severe 0 0
  Severe 190,755 22
  Very High 410,549 48
  High 222,297 26
  Moderate 21,028 2
  Slight 3,505 0
       
Proximity to Water Island Shoreline 195 0.0
  Lake Shoreline 24,505 2.9
  Permanent River 50,966 6.0
  Intermittent River 251,177 29.6
  Drainage Ditches 42,155 5.0
  Landlocked 476,950 56.2
  Water 2,186 0.3
       
Geomorphology Ianhoe-Worthington Coteau (068) 781,152 92.1
  Lake Benton-Adrian Coteau (067) 49,679 5.9
  Blue Earth Till Plain (066) 17,302 2.0
       
Crop Productivity Low productivity 49,753 5.9
  Medium productivity 795,525 93.8
  High productivity 2,855 0.3
       
Precipitation Between 24-26 inches 611,715 72.1
  Between 26-28 inches 236,419 27.9
       
Growing Degree Days 1750-2000 Degree Days 7,410 0.9
  2000-2250 Degree Days 43,067 5.1
  2250-2500 Degree Days 582,648 68.7
  2500-2750 Degree Days 215,009 25.4
       
* 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