Watershed : Lower Minnesota River
Watershed Characteristics Area (ac)* Percentage
       
Agroecoregions Wetter Clays and Silts 373,923 32.0
  Steep Wetter Moraine 323,335 27.7
  Rolling Moraine 244,910 21.0
  Alluvium and Outwash 95,456 8.2
  Steeper Till 88,895 7.6
  Steep Valley Walls 41,652 3.6
  Rochester Plateau 40 0.0
       
Counties Sibley 351,343 30.1
  Scott 224,530 19.2
  Le Sueur 152,048 13.0
  Carver 149,383 12.8
  Nicollet 89,876 7.7
  Hennepin 69,627 6.0
  Dakota 42,580 3.6
  Mcleod 41,400 3.5
  Rice 30,885 2.6
  Renville 16,302 1.4
  Ramsey 237 0.0
       
Slope Steepness 0-2 Percent 452,309 38.7
  2-6 Percent 125,777 10.8
  2-12 Percent 327,112 28.0
  6-12 Percent 192,907 16.5
  6-45 Percent 2,386 0.2
  12-45 Percent 62,755 5.4
  Water 4,965 0.4
       
Internal Drainage Poorly drained 47,063 4.0
  Poor/Improved by tiling 445,292 38.1
  Well drained 670,892 57.4
  Water 4,965 0.4
       
Proximity to Water Island Shoreline 519 0.0
  Lake Shoreline 75,303 6.5
  Permanent River 134,427 11.5
  Intermittent River 84,583 7.2
  Drainage Ditches 115,174 9.9
  Landlocked 753,241 64.5
       
Geomorphology Waconia-Waseca Moraine (034) 521,266 44.6
  Arlington-Matowan Ground Moraine (043) 212,445 18.2
  Minnesota Valley Outwash (032) 103,678 8.9
  Twin Cities Formation (045) 74,144 6.4
  Prior Lake Moraine (35A) 73,189 6.3
  Lonsdale-Lerdal Till Region (033) 63,570 5.4
  Olivia Till Plain (064) 52,211 4.5
  Wells-Rush River Ground Moraine (042) 37,354 3.2
  Mississippi Valley Outwash (029) 28,175 2.4
  Emmons-Faribault Moraine (35B) 2,179 0.2
       
Water Erosion Slight 2,690 0.2
  Moderate 12,577 1.1
  High 427,643 36.6
  Severe 357,609 30.6
  Extreme 367,692 31.5
       
Wind Erosion Group Extreme 20,926 1.8
  Very Severe 54,115 4.6
  Severe 405,880 34.7
  High 26,367 2.3
  Moderate 658,196 56.3
  No Data 2,727 0.2
       
Crop Productivity Low productivity 51,670 4.4
  Medium productivity 237,132 20.3
  High productivity 879,409 75.3
       
Precipitation Between 26-28 inches 20,741 1.8
  Between 28-30 inches 771,089 66.0
  Between 30-32 inches 376,381 32.2
       
Growing Degree Days 1750-2000 Degree Days 45,184 3.9
  2000-2250 Degree Days 584,120 50.0
  2250-2500 Degree Days 467,423 40.0
  2500-2750 Degree Days 71,484 6.1
       
* Expressed as acres or percent for major watershed area in the Minnesota River Basin


Last Updated on 3/7/00