Editing Clay County, South Dakota (section)

==Geography==
Clay County lies on the south line of South Dakota. The south boundary line of Clay County abuts the north line of the state of Nebraska (across the Missouri River). The [[Missouri River]] flows southeast along the south boundary line of Clay County. A small drainage creek flows into the county from Turner County, draining the central and eastern portions of the county and discharging into the river. Smaller drainages move water from the western county areas into the river. In addition to sloping into the drainage through the center of the county, the terrain generally slopes to the south.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude"  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019) |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=February 1, 2019}}</ref> The area is largely devoted to agriculture.<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Clay+County,+SD/@42.8996527,-97.1909635,14807m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x878f82a841efc0f9:0x26fd057236b2a682!8m2!3d42.8829344!4d-97.0068393 ''Clay County SD''  Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)]</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|417.419|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|412.022|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.397|sqmi}} (1.3%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2024 County Gazetteer Files – South Dakota|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_gaz_counties_46.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 18, 2025}}</ref> It is the 66th largest county in South Dakota by total area. It is the smallest county by area in South Dakota.

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Turner County, South Dakota|Turner County]] - north
* [[Lincoln County, South Dakota|Lincoln County]] - northeast
* [[Union County, South Dakota|Union County]] - east
* [[Dixon County, Nebraska]] - southeast
* [[Cedar County, Nebraska]] - southwest
* [[Yankton County, South Dakota|Yankton County]] - west
{{div col end}}

===Major highways===
* [[Image:SD 19.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 19]]
* [[Image:SD 46.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 46]]
* [[Image:SD 50.svg|20px]] [[South Dakota Highway 50]]

===Protected areas===
* [[Missouri National Recreational River]] (part)
* [[Spirit Mound Historic Prairie|Spirit Mound State Historic Prairie]]