Mississippi River - Winona

The Mississippi River - Winona watershed covers 419,200 acres in Wabasha, Winona, and Olmsted counties in southeast Minnesota. The Whitewater River falls within this watershed and is well known for its state park and trout fishing. A majority of the watershed is cropland, with forest and grassland covering large portions as well. Only a small percentage of the watershed is developed. The river discharges into the Mississippi River at Weaver Bottoms, an important Mississippi River backwater and waterfowl staging area. The largest city in the watershed is Winona (pop. 27,000), located on the Mississippi River.

The western portion of the watershed consists of gently rolling land that is heavily row cropped. The eastern portion of the watershed is more rolling, and is dissected by steep valleys with wooded slopes. The crop fields in the western portion are smaller, with more hay and pasture present. Dairy and beef are the major livestock types in the watershed.

The lower portion of the watershed supports a healthy population of brown trout, and flows through the Whitewater Wildlife Management Area. Picturesque limestone bluffs and deep ravines make Whitewater State Park a popular destination. Anglers find brown, brook and rainbow trout in the spring-fed Whitewater River and Trout Run Creek.

The watershed has a history of damaging floods, including one in 2007 that reshaped the river.