Watershed Info
Watershed Information
Our lakes are part of the Leech Lake Watershed which is a major watershed. The Leech Lake Watershed picture below shows the many minor watersheds that make up the major watershed. As you scroll down the page, you will see the minor watersheds for our association lakes and how they can affect the area and our lakes. Watershed health is vital to our lakes and streams.
Leech Lake Watershed
Leech Lake Watershed drains 1336.1 square miles. It encompasses 750,000 acres, 273 lakes, 120 miles of streams and 70,000 acres of wetlands. Leech Lake itself is 111,000 acres. This picture shows the minor watershed areas that make up the Leech Lake Watershed.
Cooper Lake Watershed
Cooper Lake has a surface area of 147 acres and a maximum depth of 70 feet. Cooper's watershed (shown in yellow) drains 1.41 square miles (over 900 acres).
Lake Wabedo Watershed
Lake Wabedo has a surface area of 1185 acres and a maximum depth of 95 feet. Wabedo's watershed (shown in yellow) drains 9.33 square miles and the total drainage area (including the three other watersheds shown in green that drain into Wabedo) is 32.11 square miles (over 20,500 acres).
Little Boy Lake Watershed
Little Boy Lake has a surface area of 1372 acres and a maximum depth of 74 feet. Little Boy's watershed (shown in yellow) drains 6.30 square miles and the total drainage area (including the six other watersheds shown in green that drain into Little Boy including Wabedo) is 40.91 square miles (over 26,000 acres).
Rice Lake Watershed
Rice Lake has a surface area of 248 acres and a maximum depth of 30 feet. Rice's watershed (shown in yellow) drains 6.23 square miles and the total drainage area (including the forty other watersheds shown in green that drain into Rice including Little Boy and Wabedo) is 212.30 square miles (over 135,500 acres).
Here, in this last picture of the Rice Lake watershed, you can see the potential impact of an environmental disaster happening on the west end of the watershed and how much area could potentially be affected. At the west end of the watershed is Ten Mile and Birch Lakes near Hackensack. All of the waters between Hackensack and Longville could be affected by an environmental disaster on the west end of the watershed. Everything from water quality to fisheries depends on people in the entire watershed area making environmentally correct choices. Definitely something to think about ! !