Rock River

The Rock River watershed covers 1,075,032 acres in Rock, Nobles, Pipestone and Murray counties in southwestern Minnesota. It is the largest of the four watersheds in Minnesota that are part of the Missouri River Basin, extending south into Iowa.

Land use in this watershed is primarily agriculture, with most land in row crop production. Pastureland is also prevalent throughout the watershed. There are no natural lakes in this watershed. Some of the larger communities in the watershed are Luverne, Adrian, Edgerton and Wilmont.

What's being done

Healthier watersheds - embed

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

• Missouri River Basin Watersheds Monitoring and Assessment Summary
• Missouri River Basin (Upper Big Sioux, Lower Big Sioux, Little Sioux, and Rock River Watersheds) Monitoring and Assessment Report
• Rock River Watershed Biotic Stressor Identification Report
• Missouri River Basin Hydrology, Connectivity, and Geomorphology Assessment Report
• Summary — Rock River Watershed Biotic Stressor Identification Report (wq-ws5-10170204c)

Water quality model supporting documents

• Model Development for the Minnesota Portions of the Big Sioux and the Little Sioux-Missouri River Watersheds (wq-iw7-44n)

• HSPF QAQC Big Sioux River Watershed (wq-iw7-44o)

• Missouri River Basin HSPF Model Description (wq-iw7-44p)

• HSPF QAQC Calibration for Rock River and Little Sioux River watersheds (wq-iw7-44q)

• Hydrology and Water-Quality Calibration and Validation of Big Sioux and the Little Sioux-Missouri River Watershed Model Applications (wq-iw7-44r)

Strategy development for restoration and protection

• Missouri River Basin TMDL report (wq-iw7-44e) (EPA approval 2/15/2018)
• Appendices for Missouri River Basin TMDL report (wq-iw7-44h)
• Missouri River Basin TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw7-44g)
• Missouri River Basin WRAPS Report (wq-ws4-40a) (MPCA approval 1/18/2018)
• Summary - Missouri River Basin Watersheds-Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (wq-ws4-40b)

Rock River Bacteria and Turbidity TMDL

A TMDL report was completed for a portion of the Rock River watershed in 2008. Since then, the area has received grant and loan dollars to target the bacteria and turbidity impairments in the watershed.

• Fact sheet on the Rock River Watershed Fecal Coliform and Turbidity TMDL (wq-iw7-11a)
• Rock River Watershed Fecal Coliform and Turbidity TMDL report (wq-iw7-11e) (EPA approval 4/23/2008)
• Rock River Watershed Fecal Coliform and Turbidity TMDL report - Appendix (wq-iw7-11f)
• Rock River Watershed Fecal Coliform and Turbidity TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw7-11g)
• Rock River Watershed Fecal Coliform and Turbidity TMDL implementation plan (wq-iw7-11c)