Buffalo Ridge
Encyclopedia
Buffalo Ridge is a large expanse of rolling hills in the southeastern part of the larger Coteau des Prairies
. It stands 1,995 feet (608 m) above sea level. The Buffalo Ridge is sixty miles long and runs through Lincoln County
, Pipestone County
, Murray County
, and Nobles County
in the southwest corner of Minnesota. It is located near the small towns of Hendricks
, Lake Benton
, and Worthington
.
Because of its high altitude and high average wind speed, Buffalo Ridge has been transformed into a place for creating alternative energy
. Currently, over 200 wind turbines stand along the Buffalo Ridge.
, Pipestone
, Murray
, Rock
, and Nobles
counties. It is a drainage divide
separating the watersheds
of the Mississippi
and Missouri River
s.
Buffalo Ridge is part of the inner coteau and is the highest point of the Coteau des Prairies
in Minnesota. Its bedrock
is formed of Cretaceous
shale, sandstone and clay that lie above the pinkish-red Upper Precambrian
Sioux Quartzite
. These units are covered in most areas by thick deposits of glacial drift, which consist of up to 800 feet (244 m) of pre-Wisconsin age glacial till
(generally considered Kansas drift) left after the glaciers receded. The inner coteau is made up of extremely stream-eroded glacial deposits of pre-Wisconsin glacial drift, which is then covered by a 6 to 15 foot (1.8 to 4.6 m) thick deposit of a wind-blown silt called loess
. This covering results in the creation of an area with long, gently sloping hills. Loess is an easily eroded material, and because of this there are few lakes and wetlands in the inner coteau area. Loess however promotes well established dendritic drainage networks, the majority of which flow into the Missouri River
and Minnesota River
systems. Loam
y, well-drained soils like Mollisols-Aquolls
and Udolls
containing Borolls
and Ustolls
dominate the soils of the inner coteau. On the areas of eroded glacial deposits, dry prairie and moist prairie soils like Cummins and Grigal are present. These soil types, along with the temperate climate, combine to make perfect growing conditions for tallgrass prairie
, which once covered almost the entire inner coteau.
climate with an average twenty-four to twenty-seven inches (0.6 to 0.7 m) of precipitation per year and thirty-six to forty inches (0.9 to 1.0 m) of snowfall per winter. The average spring thaw is around April 5 and the spring green-up generally occurs between May 1 and May 10. Peaking fall colors tend to occur around October 20 and there are generally forty to fifty thunderstorm days per year.
developed over the Northern Great Plains, resulting in severe weather in western South Dakota
. On June 16, another storm struck eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota destroying over one hundred homes and businesses. These supercell
s created many large damaging tornado
es. The first tornado formed in Charles Mix County and moved toward Mitchell, South Dakota
. The second formed in Miner County, South Dakota
and the third formed south of Pierre, South Dakota
both causing considerable property damage. The fourth tornado formed near the unincorporated town of Leota
in southwest Minnesota, spawning a "maxi" tornado that stayed on the ground for almost an hour and a half and did substantial damage to the cities of Chandler
and Lake Wilson
, Minnesota. In Chandler, the property damage was estimated at over fifteen million dollars. This tornado was classified as an F5 tornado on the Fujita Scale
and turned out to be the only F5 tornado documented in the United States in 1992. Another tornado formed in South Dakota later in the day and made its way to Minnesota where it struck the town of Chandler for the second time, along with Colton
and Dell Rapids
.
.
The land on Buffalo Ridge is mostly privately owned farmland. However, there is also an 800 acres (3,237,488 m²) tall grass prairie conservancy which is owned and protected by The Nature Conservancy
.
is a nature reserve created by the Nature Conservancy. It is located on the outer edge of Buffalo Ridge and is the headwaters of Flandreau Creek. It was created to preserve the diminishing tallgrass prairie and the insects and animals native to tallgrass prairie
s. In the past the area had been used as a grazing area for cattle
and sheep. The result being the almost extinction of the tallgrass prairie. Today the Nature Conservancy manages the Hole in the Mountain with controlled burning which have led to a remarkable recovery of the native prairie vegetation.
, and Fenton Wind Farm are several of them.
Coteau des Prairies
The Coteau des Prairies is a plateau approximately 200 miles in length and 100 miles in width , rising from the prairie flatlands in eastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, and northwestern Iowa in the United States...
. It stands 1,995 feet (608 m) above sea level. The Buffalo Ridge is sixty miles long and runs through Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,429 people, 2,653 households, and 1,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,043 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Pipestone County
Pipestone County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,895 people, 4,069 households, and 2,726 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, Murray County
Murray County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,165 people, 3,722 households, and 2,601 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 4,357 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, and Nobles County
Nobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
in the southwest corner of Minnesota. It is located near the small towns of Hendricks
Hendricks, Minnesota
Hendricks is a city in Lincoln County, Minnesota, in the United States. The population was 713 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 1.03% is water...
, Lake Benton
Lake Benton, Minnesota
Lake Benton is a city in Lincoln County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 683 at the 2010 census.Lake Benton is also the name of the approximately seven-mile-long lake adjacent to the city of Lake Benton...
, and Worthington
Worthington, Minnesota
Worthington is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 12,764 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nobles County.The city's site was first settled in the 1870s as Okabena Station on a line of the Chicago, St...
.
Because of its high altitude and high average wind speed, Buffalo Ridge has been transformed into a place for creating alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
. Currently, over 200 wind turbines stand along the Buffalo Ridge.
Geology
Buffalo Ridge is commonly considered the elevated land extending through Lincoln, LyonLyon County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,425 people, 9,715 households, and 6,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 10,298 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, Pipestone
Pipestone County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,895 people, 4,069 households, and 2,726 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, Murray
Murray County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,165 people, 3,722 households, and 2,601 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 4,357 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Rock
Rock County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,721 people, 3,843 households, and 2,705 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 4,137 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
, and Nobles
Nobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
counties. It is a drainage divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
separating the watersheds
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
s.
Buffalo Ridge is part of the inner coteau and is the highest point of the Coteau des Prairies
Coteau des Prairies
The Coteau des Prairies is a plateau approximately 200 miles in length and 100 miles in width , rising from the prairie flatlands in eastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, and northwestern Iowa in the United States...
in Minnesota. Its bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
is formed of Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
shale, sandstone and clay that lie above the pinkish-red Upper Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
Sioux Quartzite
Sioux Quartzite
The Sioux Quartzite is a Proterozoic quartzite that is found in region around the intersection of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa, and correlates with other rock units throughout the upper midwestern and southwestern United States...
. These units are covered in most areas by thick deposits of glacial drift, which consist of up to 800 feet (244 m) of pre-Wisconsin age glacial till
Till
thumb|right|Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material , and this characteristic, known as matrix support, is diagnostic of till....
(generally considered Kansas drift) left after the glaciers receded. The inner coteau is made up of extremely stream-eroded glacial deposits of pre-Wisconsin glacial drift, which is then covered by a 6 to 15 foot (1.8 to 4.6 m) thick deposit of a wind-blown silt called loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
. This covering results in the creation of an area with long, gently sloping hills. Loess is an easily eroded material, and because of this there are few lakes and wetlands in the inner coteau area. Loess however promotes well established dendritic drainage networks, the majority of which flow into the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and Minnesota River
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
systems. Loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
y, well-drained soils like Mollisols-Aquolls
Mollisols
Mollisols are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas, typically under a grassland cover. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes, namely in North America, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains, in South America in Argentina and Brazil, and in...
and Udolls
Mollisols
Mollisols are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas, typically under a grassland cover. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes, namely in North America, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains, in South America in Argentina and Brazil, and in...
containing Borolls
Mollisols
Mollisols are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas, typically under a grassland cover. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes, namely in North America, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains, in South America in Argentina and Brazil, and in...
and Ustolls
Mollisols
Mollisols are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. Mollisols form in semi-arid to semi-humid areas, typically under a grassland cover. They are most commonly found in the mid-latitudes, namely in North America, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains, in South America in Argentina and Brazil, and in...
dominate the soils of the inner coteau. On the areas of eroded glacial deposits, dry prairie and moist prairie soils like Cummins and Grigal are present. These soil types, along with the temperate climate, combine to make perfect growing conditions for tallgrass prairie
Tallgrass prairie
The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. In the past, tallgrass prairies covered a large portion of the American Midwest, just east of the Great Plains, and portions of the Canadian Prairies. They flourished in areas with...
, which once covered almost the entire inner coteau.
Climate
Buffalo Ridge has a temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
climate with an average twenty-four to twenty-seven inches (0.6 to 0.7 m) of precipitation per year and thirty-six to forty inches (0.9 to 1.0 m) of snowfall per winter. The average spring thaw is around April 5 and the spring green-up generally occurs between May 1 and May 10. Peaking fall colors tend to occur around October 20 and there are generally forty to fifty thunderstorm days per year.
Tornado of 1992
On the weekend of June 13, 1992 a large stormThunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
developed over the Northern Great Plains, resulting in severe weather in western South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. On June 16, another storm struck eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota destroying over one hundred homes and businesses. These supercell
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
s created many large damaging tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es. The first tornado formed in Charles Mix County and moved toward Mitchell, South Dakota
Mitchell, South Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
. The second formed in Miner County, South Dakota
Miner County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,884 people, 1,212 households, and 789 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were 1,408 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
and the third formed south of Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
both causing considerable property damage. The fourth tornado formed near the unincorporated town of Leota
Leota (CDP), Minnesota
Leota is a census-designated place in Leota Township, Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 230 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land...
in southwest Minnesota, spawning a "maxi" tornado that stayed on the ground for almost an hour and a half and did substantial damage to the cities of Chandler
Chandler, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 276 people, 113 households, and 72 families residing in the city. The population density was 342.7 people per square mile . There were 121 housing units at an average density of 150.2 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.46% White, 1.81%...
and Lake Wilson
Lake Wilson, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 270 people, 128 households, and 83 families residing in the city. The population density was 650.1 people per square mile . There were 135 housing units at an average density of 325.0 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.89% White, 0.37%...
, Minnesota. In Chandler, the property damage was estimated at over fifteen million dollars. This tornado was classified as an F5 tornado on the Fujita Scale
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
and turned out to be the only F5 tornado documented in the United States in 1992. Another tornado formed in South Dakota later in the day and made its way to Minnesota where it struck the town of Chandler for the second time, along with Colton
Colton, South Dakota
Colton is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 687 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Colton is located at ....
and Dell Rapids
Dell Rapids, South Dakota
Dell Rapids is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,633 at the 2010 census. It is known as "The little city with the big attractions."-Geography:...
.
Geography
Several towns are located on Buffalo ridge: Lake Benton, Pipestone, Spirit Lake, Storm Lake, and Worthington; as well as near the ridge: Hendricks and Ivanhoe. Before the settlers arrived and developed the towns on and surrounding Buffalo Ridge, the Dakota Native Americans inhabited the area. It was the Dakota who created intricate pipes out of the quartzite in the Buffalo Ridge area, which today are displayed at Pipestone National MonumentPipestone National Monument
Pipestone National Monument is located in southwestern Minnesota, just north of the city of Pipestone, Minnesota. It is located along the highways of U.S. Route 75, Minnesota State Highway 23 and Minnesota State Highway 30....
.
The land on Buffalo Ridge is mostly privately owned farmland. However, there is also an 800 acres (3,237,488 m²) tall grass prairie conservancy which is owned and protected by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
.
Hole in the Mountain Prairie
Hole in the Mountain PrairieHole in the Mountain Prairie
Hole in the Mountain Prairie is a preserved remnant of the tallgrass prairie in southwestern Minnesota. It is owned and administered by The Nature Conservancy.-Geography:...
is a nature reserve created by the Nature Conservancy. It is located on the outer edge of Buffalo Ridge and is the headwaters of Flandreau Creek. It was created to preserve the diminishing tallgrass prairie and the insects and animals native to tallgrass prairie
Tallgrass prairie
The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. In the past, tallgrass prairies covered a large portion of the American Midwest, just east of the Great Plains, and portions of the Canadian Prairies. They flourished in areas with...
s. In the past the area had been used as a grazing area for cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and sheep. The result being the almost extinction of the tallgrass prairie. Today the Nature Conservancy manages the Hole in the Mountain with controlled burning which have led to a remarkable recovery of the native prairie vegetation.
Wind farms
A number of wind farms are sited on the ridge because of the windy conditions in the area. Nobles Wind Farm, Buffalo Ridge Wind FarmBuffalo Ridge Wind Farm
Buffalo Ridge Wind Farm is a large wind farm near Lake Benton, Minnesota that is located on the geological Buffalo Ridge.- History :In 1994, a Minnesota legislative mandate increased the demand for wind power in Minnesota. Buffalo Ridge's geography is well suited for wind power and it has been...
, and Fenton Wind Farm are several of them.
See also
- Wind powerWind powerWind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
- Wind farmWind farmA wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
- Wind power in the United StatesWind power in the United StatesAs of the third quarter of 2011, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power in the United States was 43,461 megawatts , making it second in the world, behind China. In 2010 wind power accounted for 2.3% of the electricity generated in the United States...
- List of large wind farms
Works cited
- "Buffalo Ridge Wind Towers." HendricksMN. 2004. Hendricks, Minnesota. 22 Apr 2007
- "Couteau des Prairies." Wikipedia. 2007. Wikipedia Foundation Inc.. 22 Apr 2007
- Dieter, Charles and Higgins, Kenneth and Osbourn, Robert and Usgaard, Richard. "Bird Flight Characteristics Near Wind Turbines in Minnesota." The American Midland Naturalist 139Jan 1998 29-38. 26 Apr 2007
- Douglas, Paul. Prairie Skies. Voyageur Press Inc., 1990.
- "Regional Landscape Ecosystems of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin." Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. 03 Aug 2006. USGS. 22 Apr 2007
- Peterson, Dean and Gary Richter. Buffalo Ridge Tornado June 16, 1992. Walsworth Publ. 1994.
- "Wind Power on the Buffalo Ridge." The City of Lake Benton, Minnesota. govoffice.com. 22 Apr 2007