4.2 Basins and Watersheds

A basin (or drainage basin) is the area of land drained by a river or lake and its tributaries. Minnesota has 10 major drainage basins (see map below). Each drainage basin is made up of smaller units called watersheds, which correspond to the drainage of a tributary or lake system.

The Pelican group of lakes is located at the bottom of the Pelican River watershed in the Red River Basin . The Pelican River watershed is encompassed by the Otter Tail River watershed.

4.2.1 Red River Basin

The Red River of the North Basin stretches from northeastern South Dakota and west-central Minnesota northward through eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota into southern Manitoba . It ends where the Red River empties into the southern end of Lake Winnipeg .

The Minnesota portion of the Red River Basin covers about 37,100 square miles in northwestern Minnesota in all or part of 21 counties. It is home to about 17,842 miles of streams and 668,098 acres of lakes.

Runoff Levels

Runoff levels increase dramatically across the Red River Basin moving generally from west to east. Annual runoff in North Dakota ranges from as little as 15 acre-feet per mile in the southwest to as much as 50 acre-feet per mile in the northwest. In Minnesota , annual runoff levels are much higher, ranging from 50 acre feet per mile in the west to over 200 acre-feet per square mile in the eastern part of the Basin.

      Fig. 4.3. The Red River basin                               Fig.4.4. Average annual runoff levels

Water Use

The primary use of surface water in the Otter Tail River Watershed is power generation and waterworks. The primary use of ground water is major crop irrigation, waterworks, and industrial use.

4.2.2 Ottertail Tail Watershed

The Otter Tail River Watershed represents an area of about 1,920 square miles, including areas of substantial portions of Otter Tail, Becker and Wilkin counties, and very small portions of Clay and Clearwater counties.

The watershed is a drainage basin of the Red River and the major tributaries of the watershed are the Ottertail and Pelican Rivers . Where the Otter Tail River joins the Bois de Sioux River is considered to be the headwaters of the Red River . The majority of the lakes in the Red River Basin are found in this watershed.

Three different ecoregions occur in the watershed. The southwest portion of the watershed - the mouth of the watershed, is located in the Red River Valley ecoregion. The northeast portion of the watershed - the headwaters of the watershed, is in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion. The majority of the watershed found between these two areas is characterized by the North Central Hardwood Forest ecoregion. The eastern three-fourths of the watershed contain thousands of lakes and wetlands.

Much of the glacial deposits in the watershed are till, made up of clay, silt, sand and gravel. Also, in the east-central portion of the watershed, outwash, ice-contact, terrace and alluvium deposits made of mostly sand and gravel are plentiful. Glacial lake deposits of clay and silt are found at the mouth of the watershed. Soils vary widely from clayey soils of the lakeplain and black, limey and clayey soils at the mouth of the watershed; to black, loamy soils and sandy soils in the west central portion of the watershed; and rolling, wooded soils, sandy soils and loamy soils in the northeastern portion of the watershed.

Historically, watershed land cover was dominated by forest (50%), prairie/grassland (20%), and wetland (13%). Currently, land use is now dominated by cropland (43%), deciduous forest (20%), open water (14%), and wetland (13%), with the main conversion being of forested land to cropland. Land cover in the riparian areas of rivers (1,000 feet on either side of rivers) of the watershed is mainly wetland (37%), cultivated land (34%) and forest (15%). Primarily to accommodate agriculture, the mouth of the watershed is extensively drained.

The central, east and northeast portions of the watershed are underlain with a surficial aquifer. Large amounts of ground water are available from sand and gravel deposits throughout much of the watershed. The glacial lake plain and glacial till areas have more limited supplies. Except for the southwestern corner of the glacial lake plain, most of the watershed provides ground water recharge from precipitation. The same area is a discharge area to lakes and streams. Ground water is used primarily for irrigation, public water supplies and industrial uses, and averages 18,000 acre-feet per year.

Of all of the watersheds in the Red River Basin, the Otter Tail River Watershed is one of the least impacted by flooding. Annual average flood damage (in 1996 dollars) in the watershed is estimated at $457,784 with 99% of the damages being rural. The watershed suffers 2.3% of flood damages occurring in the Red River Basin , outside of damages occurring along the main stem of the Red River.

The watershed does not have a watershed district to oversee water management for the entire watershed. However, the Pelican River Watershed District oversees the north-central portion of the watershed along the upper reaches of the Pelican River in the vicinity of Lakes Detroit, Sallie and Melissa; and the Cormorant Lakes Watershed district oversees water management activities in the Cormorant Lakes area, west of Detroit Lakes.

4.2.3 Pelican River Watershed

The Pelican River Watershed is composed of the 12 minor watersheds. The river starts at Campbell Lake but significantly widens at Detroit Lake. The Pelican River exits Pelican Lake into Lake Lizzie at Dunvilla. The total area of the Pelican River watershed is 162,190 acres. The Pelican Lake watershed is a total of 28,209 acres.

The Pelican Lake watershed drains precipitation directly into the lake. The rest of the watersheds drain into other lakes and streams that flow into the Pelican group of lakes.

Flow

Water from the watersheds that are outlined in black below flow into the Pelican Rivers and into Little Pelican Lake. Water from the watersheds outlined in orange flow into Spring Creek and flow into the North West side of Big Pelican Lake . Bob Creek watershed (blue) drains into Bob Creek that flows into Big Pelican Lake on the West side. The smallest watershed Duck Lake drains into Big Pelican Lake near Bob Creek.

Districts

The Pelican River watershed is governed by the Pelican River Watershed District (PRWD) established: May 27, 1966. Watershed districts are local units of government that work to solve and prevent water-related problems. The boundaries of the districts follow those of a natural watershed, and the districts are usually named after that watershed. 

Because water does not follow political boundaries, it makes sense to manage natural resources on a watershed basis. This type of management allows for an overall, holistic approach to resource conservation. 

Minnesota 's 46 watershed districts are each governed by a board of managers appointed by the boards of commissioners of the counties that have land in the district. Chapter 103D of Minnesota Statutes is the enabling statute for watershed districts. 

To form a watershed district, local residents, cities or county boards may petition the Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR). Watershed districts are formed for reasons ranging from flood control to water quality protection. 

Watershed Districts are special purpose units of local government whose boundaries follow those of a natural watershed (and are of land in which all water flows to one outlet. 

All other government units, such as states, counties and cities have political boundaries. But water knows no boundaries - it goes where it wants to. 

• Watershed Districts are established when water management problems become greater than one community can handle. Water management on a watershed basis is important for uniform and effective controls, not only to correct problems but to prevent them.
   
• Watershed Districts were authorized by the Legislature in 1955 when it passed the Watershed Act, MSA103D. This legislation sets out the role and responsibilities for watershed districts in Minnesota.
   
• Watershed Districts are formed at the request of local citizens, county boards or cities by petitioning the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) under the procedures set forth in the Watershed Act.
   
• Watershed Districts are governed by a Board of Managers appointed by the Boards of County Commissioners. All watershed district meetings are open to the public.

Watershed Districts in Minnesota

• Utilize a variety of water management tools to meet their goals and purpose of their district.
   
• There are 46 watershed districts in Minnesota . They range in size from the Carnelian-Marine District with 43 square miles, to the Red Lake Watershed District with 5990 square miles.
   
• The name of the primary lake or river in the watershed is usually selected as the name of the watershed district.

• Are partners in water planning and management with the state, counties, cities and soil and water conservation districts.
   
• Are partners in wetlands protection and management with the state, counties, cities, and soil and water conservation districts;
   
• Conduct water quality surveys of lakes and streams within the district.
   
• Monitor groundwater levels.
   
• Manage draining systems.
   
• Regulate, conserve and control the use of water within the district.
   
• Provide for wildlife and enhance recreational opportunities as benefit of projects to improve water quality and provide flood protection.
   
• Establish, record and maintain hydrological data.
   
• Approve culvert size and placement in all roads of the district.
  
• Other projects related to meeting the purposes of the district.

Link to map of MN Watershed Districts

Next page: Chapter 4.3 Demographics