Lake Watersheds
The first 400 miles of the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca through the headwaters lakes region — Bemidji, Cass, Winnibigoshish, and dozens of source-water lakes.
The St. Croix River basin straddling the Minnesota–Wisconsin border, one of the cleanest large-river watersheds in the Upper Midwest and a National Scenic Riverway.
The Wisconsin River basin from the Northwoods through the Dells to the Mississippi confluence — covers the Northwoods lakes country including Vilas and Oneida counties.
The Wolf River and its tributaries draining northeast Wisconsin into Lake Winnebago — premier walleye and musky country.
The Chippewa River basin draining north-central Wisconsin, including the Hayward Lakes and Chippewa Flowage — world-class musky destination.
The Red River basin draining western Minnesota north into Lake Winnipeg, Canada. Includes the Red River Valley lakes and the Otter Tail headwaters.
The Minnesota River basin draining southern Minnesota — agricultural country with high phosphorus loading and a classic test case for nutrient-driven lake degradation.
The Rum River draining from Mille Lacs Lake south to the Mississippi — a State Wild and Scenic River with relatively undeveloped lake country.
The Crow River system draining central Minnesota agricultural counties — includes the Annandale and Buffalo lakes regions.
Lakes draining north into Lake Superior across the Arrowhead region of Minnesota and northern Wisconsin — including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness lakes.
Lake Winnebago and the Fox-Wolf system in east-central Wisconsin — the largest inland lake in Wisconsin and a major fishery.
The Sauk River chain of lakes in central Minnesota — popular cabin and resort destination west of St. Cloud.
The Pine River and Whitefish chain — Brainerd Lakes country, Gull, Pelican, and dozens of premier MN cabin lakes.
Rainy Lake and the Vermilion River basin draining north into Hudson Bay via the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods — the BWCA borderlands and Voyageurs National Park.
Lake Michigan tributaries draining east-central Wisconsin into Lake Michigan via Sheboygan and Manitowoc Rivers.