Pine River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report

The Pine River Watershed lies within the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion of north central Minnesota. Encompassing an area of 562 square miles, this heavily forested watershed contains over 500 miles of streams and rivers, numerous wetlands, and over 400 lakes greater than 10 acres in size. The Whitefish Chain of Lakes and Pelican Lake, two prominent lakes used heavily for recreation, are located within the Pine River Watershed. Major rivers and streams include the Pine River, Little Pine River, South Fork Pine River, Daggett Brook, and Mud Brook. Residential development within the watershed is fairly light and primarily located around the communities of Breezy Point and Pine River. Limited amounts of agricultural land use, primarily pasture and hay, occur in the southeast portion of the watershed. The relative lack of development in the Pine River Watershed promotes good water quality and diverse biological communities.