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MN Physical Geography
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Minnesota from Space
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Minnesota’s Natural Boundaries
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Northwest Angle
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Minnesota’s Topography
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Minnesota Relief (Elevation)
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Eagle Mountain Highest Point in MN (2,301’)
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Minnesota’s Glaciers 4 continental glaciers advanced and retreated across MN The Pleistocene ice age was the most recent and covered most of MN Along the way glaciers picked up rocks and soil and transported it to the south
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Minnesota’s Glaciers The rocks and soil left behind known as “glacial drift” The melting also left behind many shallow lakes Soils left behind are an “unsorted” mixture of soil, rocks and pebbles
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Glacier’s Southern Edge
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Canadian Shield Physical region of mostly bare bedrock and little topsoil Covers much of central Canada, northeastern MN and northern Wisconsin
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Glacial Abrasion Extreme weight of nearly a mile of moving ice wears away the surface known as an “ice-scoured” region
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“Ice-Scoured” Surface
Much of the Arrowhead is “ice-scoured”. Like sandpaper, glaciers have worn down the surface and smoothed it. Most of the Arrowhead region is “ice-scoured”
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Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Much bare bedrock Soil pushed to the south by glaciers Little soil left behind is thin and rocky BWCA is a good example of “ice-scoured” topography
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Minnesota Relief (Elevation)
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Glacial Moraines Moraines are belts of hills that form at the edges of melting glaciers when boulders, stones and soil accumulates Moraine Glacial Lakes
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MN Moraine Belts Glaciers moved across “Moraine and Lakes” region of central MN several times leaving many moraines Region is hilly with many shallow lakes Moraine and Lakes
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Moraine and Lakes Region
This region is covered by “Glacial drift” (soil, rocks, sand and pebbles) deposited on the land when glaciers melted Region is hilly with many shallow lakes Flattest areas are “outwash plains”
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MN Moraines Monticello’s “Little Mountain” Powder Ridge
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Minnesota Relief (Elevation)
Buffalo Ridge
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Buffalo Ridge Buffalo Ridge
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Minnesota Relief (Elevation)
Driftless Area
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Glacier’s Southern Edge
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Driftless Area SE MN is described as “Driftless” because it was never touched by glaciers
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Driftless Area Driftless area has no glacial drift
Few lakes and many rivers and streams Millions of years of erosion visible
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Minnesota Relief (Elevation)
Red River Valley Minnesota Relief (Elevation)
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Minnesota’s 3 Continental Divides
A continental divide is a high point of land separating the direction rivers flow Laurentian Divide Most of southern MN’s water drains into Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico Much of Arrowhead drains into Lake Superior eventually reaching Atlantic NW MN drains north to Lake Winnipeg and Hudson Bay
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Laurentian Divide From Lookout Mountain
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MN’s Glacial Lakes Lake Agassiz Lake Duluth Brown’s Valley
Lake Minnesota
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Glacial Lake Agassiz When last glacier melted the drainage path of the melt water was blocked Lake Agassiz formed until glacier melted Overflow created Minnesota River Sediments settled to the bottom filling in low spots and creating an extremely flat surface
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Red River Valley Red River Valley is an extremely flat area that was once covered by Lake Agassiz Sediments fell to bottom creating thick and sticky soils known as “gumbo”
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Red River of the North Why is the path of the Red River Valley so crooked? The land is so level the river struggles to find a consistent downhill slope
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Downtown Moorhead/Fargo
Red River of the North Downtown Moorhead/Fargo
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Moorhead Floods Spring 2009
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MN’s Physical Regions Arrowhead Red River Valley Moraine and Lakes
Buffalo Ridge Driftless
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MN Topography
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Minnesota’s Climate
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Wide ranges in temperatures
Minneapolis Climate Humid Continental Wide ranges in temperatures
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Hot Summers and Cold Winters
MN Temperatures Hot Summers and Cold Winters
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MN Precipitation Most of the moisture that falls in MN comes from Gulf of Mexico Precipitation greatest in the SE and least in the NW Jet Stream
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4 Distinct Seasons March 29, 1881
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Only southern MN has a long enough growing season for corn
MN Growing Season Consecutive Days Averaging 43oF or More Only southern MN has a long enough growing season for corn
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Minnesota’s Natural Vegetation
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MN Natural Vegetation
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Coniferous Forests
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Deciduous Forests
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Prairie
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MN Natural Vegetation Natural vegetation is an indicator of a region’s precipitation, temperatures and soil NE MN mostly coniferous forest Central MN mostly deciduous S & W MN mostly prairie
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Percent of MN in Commercial Forests
70% of MN’s commercial forest industry located in NE MN
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Natural Soil Fertility
Have students speculate on which regions will be highest in soil fertility
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MN Soil Fertility Best soils are found in the southern and western MN
Least fertile soils are found in northeast MN (thin, rocky and acidic podzol soils)
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Minnesota’s Natural Regions
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Arrowhead Red River Valley MN Natural Vegetation Dairy Belt Corn Belt
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MN’s Natural Regions Red River Valley Arrowhead Dairy Belt Corn Belt
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MN Topography
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Natural Soil Fertility
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Percent of Land in Farms
Arrowhead
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Arrowhead Ice-scoured by glaciers Thin and rocky soils
Cool temps and short growing season Coniferous forest Podzol (acidic) soils Little agriculture Much land remains in forests Paper, mining and tourism impotant economic activities
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MN’s Natural Regions Red River Valley Arrowhead Dairy Belt Corn Belt
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Dairy Belt Hilly topography Glacial moraines Many lakes and marshes
Soil better than Arrowhead but not as good as the Corn Belt Most farmers raise livestock, particularly dairy cattle
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MN’s Agricultural Regions
Red River Valley Arrowhead Dairy Belt Corn Belt
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Percent of Land in Farms
Red River Valley
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Red River Valley Once the bottom of glacial Lake Agassiz
Extremely flat Spring floods common Thick and sticky “gumbo” soils Soils are soil to dry in the spring Short growing season
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MN’s Natural Regions Red River Valley Arrowhead Dairy Belt Corn Belt
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Percent of Land in Farms
Corn Belt
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Corn Belt Buffalo Ridge Rock County
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Corn Belt Relatively flat topography except “Buffalo Ridge” in southwest corner Thick, black soils Long growing season Adequate precipitation One of the best agricultural regions in the nation
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MN’s Agricultural Regions
Red River Valley Arrowhead MN’s Agricultural Regions Dairy Belt Corn Belt
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