The Long Prairie River watershed covers approximately 565,078 acres (883 square miles) and is located in the central part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin in central Minnesota. The watershed encompasses parts of Douglas, Otter Tail, Todd, Morrison and Wadena counties.
The watershed includes more than 220 lakes greater than 10 acres in size and 965 miles of rivers and streams. The Long Prairie River begins in Douglas County and flows through Todd and Morrison counties before entering the Crow Wing River south of Motley. The dominant land use within the watershed is agricultural (47%), while grasslands and forests make up 8% and 20% respectively, water and wetlands 18%, and 7% is urban. The watershed is within the North Central Hardwood Forest as well as the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregions.
Stars of the North: Vineyard owners doing their part to protect Lake Irene
The L’Etoile du Nord Vineyard is featured in the traveling We Are Water MN exhibit, which is stopping at the the Legacy of the Lakes Museum in Alexandria through August 15.
What's being done
What's being done
Watersheds: Tracking the actions taken
See actions taken in Minnesota’s watersheds to meet water-quality goals and milestones: WRAPS, TMDLs, best practices, wastewater, and money spent.
Water quality assessment data for government partners
Tribal, federal, state and local partners: View and download results of monitoring and assessment decisions for Minnesota waters based on designated uses and watersheds.
Monitoring and assessment
HSPF Watershed Modeling Report: Crow Wing, Redeye, and Long Prairie River watersheds (wq-ws1-14)- Long Prairie River Watershed Stressor Identification Report Summary
- Long Prairie River Watershed Stressor Identification Report
- Long Prairie River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report
Strategies for restoration and protection
- Our Upper Mississippi River Large River and Basin Restoration and Protection Strategies (wq-ws4-38b)
- Summary: Long Prairie River WRAPS report (wq-ws4-19b)
- Long Prairie River Watershed WRAPS (wq-ws4-19a) (MPCA approval 4/21/2017)
- Long Prairie River Watershed TMDL Study (wq-iw8-49e) (EPA approval 1/12/2017)
- Long Prairie River Watershed TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-49g)
- Revised EPA Decision Document (wq-iw8-49n)
- Lake Winona Phosphorus TMDL report (wq-iw8-32e) (EPA approval 7/28/2021)
- Lake Winona Phosphorus TMDL: EPA approval letter and decision document (wq-iw8-32g)
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Dissolved oxygen problem in the Long Prairie River (wq-iw8-01a)
- Long Prairie River Low Dissolved Oxygen TMDL report (wq-iw8-01e) (EPA approval 8/5/2005)
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Long Prairie River Low Dissolved Oxygen TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-01g)
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Long Prairie River Low Dissolved Oxygen TMDL: Implementation plan (wq-iw8-01c)
More information
Contact
- Watershed project manager Bonnie Finnerty, 218-316-3897
The MN Department of Agriculture maintains the Minnesota Water Research Digital Library, an inventory of water research relevant to the state with a particular focus on publications since 2000.