09020104 (MN/ND) Upper Red River

The Upper Red River 8-Digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) subbasin occurs in west central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota. The majority of the watershed lies in the Glacial
Lake Agassiz ecoregion, while the extreme south-eastern portion of the basin lies in the North Central Hardwood Forests ecoregion.

The river has a poorly defined floodplain and low gradient that combine with extensive drainage, widespread conversion of tallgrass prairie to farmland, and urban/suburban development to leave the basin subject to frequent floods that affect urban and rural infrastructure and agricultural production.

The main resource concerns in the watershed are wind / water soil erosion, wetland management, surface water quality, flood damage reduction, and wildlife habitat. Many of the resource concerns relate directly to land use and development in the region, resulting in fragmentation and increased sediment and pollutant loadings to surface waters.