Agroecoregion: Dryer Clays and Silts
Agroecoregion Characteristics Area (ac)* Percentage
Major Watersheds Chippewa River 263,440 45.1
  Pomme De Terre River 198,064 33.9
  Hawk Creek-Yellow Medicine River 64,299 11.0
  Upper Minnesota River 58,539 10.0
       
Counties Chippewa 191,220 32.7
  Stevens 155,138 26.6
  Swift 110,577 18.9
  Big Stone 63,509 10.9
  Grant 33,261 5.7
  Pope 29,195 5.0
  Ottertail 1,334 0.2
  Renville 109 0.0
       
Slope Steepness 0-2 Percent 216,587 37.1
  2-6 Percent 353,961 60.6
  2-12 Percent 3,243 0.6
  6-12 Percent 3,656 0.6
  6-45 Percent 4,466 0.8
  Water 2,430 0.4
       
Internal Drainage Poorly drained 235,747 40.3
  Poor/Improved by tiling 299,488 51.3
  Well drained 46,678 8.0
  Water 2,430 0.4
       
Erosion Potential Extreme 0 0
  Very Severe 0 0
  Severe 110,058 19
  Very High 34,547 6
  High 335,109 57
  Moderate 97,719 17
  Slight 6,909 1
       
Proximity to Water Island Shoreline 235 0.0
  Lake Shoreline 31,102 5.3
  Permanent River 18,357 3.1
  Intermittent River 99,993 17.1
  Drainage Ditches 51,245 8.8
  Landlocked 380,980 65.2
  Water 2,430 0.4
       
Geomorphology Benson Lacustrine Plain (050) 317,553 54.3
  Fergus Falls Till Plain (002) 146,056 25.0
  Graceville Till Plain (02E) 99,054 17.0
  Big Stone Moraine (051) 7,405 1.3
  Alexandria Moraine Complex (003) 6,634 1.1
  Olivia Till Plain (064) 4,357 0.8
  Appleton-Clontarf Outwash Plain (065) 2,312 0.4
  Minnesota Valley Outwash (032) 971 0.2
       
Crop Productivity Low productivity 8,198 1.4
  Medium productivity 569,078 97.4
  High productivity 7,067 1.2
       
Precipitation Between 22-24 inches 83,380 14.3
  Between 24-26 inches 201,589 34.5
  Between 26-28 inches 299,374 51.2
       
Growing Degree Days 1500-1750 Degree Days 4,006 0.7
  1750-2000 Degree Days 67,498 11.6
  2000-2250 Degree Days 91,983 15.7
  2250-2500 Degree Days 295,536 50.6
  2500-2750 Degree Days 125,320 21.5
       
* 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