Zumbro River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report

The Zumbro River Watershed covers 1,422 mi2 of the Lower Mississippi Basin in southeastern Minnesota stretching from the far eastern boundaries of Rice and Steele counties through the southern third of Goodhue County and a majority of Dodge, Olmsted and Wabasha counties. The Zumbro River's three warmwater branches comprise the watershed's headwaters, emerging from heavily cultivated agricultural plains in the southern and western reaches of the watershed. Its branches converge in the center of the watershed forming the Zumbro River. The region's rugged bluff county and karst geology give rise to coldwater tributaries in the eastern reaches of the watershed, providing integral habitat for naturally reproducing brown and native brook trout populations. The watershed is also home to the state's third largest city, Rochester; which is expected to grow significantly by 2030. The Zumbro's landscape provides an important agricultural economy for the region vested in crop production and livestock, as well as rich natural resources valuable for both recreation and wildlife.