Editing Dodge County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
The [[Zumbro River#Courses|South Branch of the Middle Fork of the Zumbro River]] flows east-northeast through the upper central part of Dodge County. Salem Creek and [[Harkcom Creek]] drain the county to the east. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture where possible.<ref name="DCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dodge+County,+MN/@43.9935267,-92.775408,21788m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f73db3616dde2f:0x138b8aecc9a91153!8m2!3d43.9842889!4d-92.8577105 ''Dodge County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 7, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the northeast; its highest point is on the eastern part of its southern border, at {{convert|1,352|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>[https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Dodge County MN"  Google Maps (accessed March 7, 2019)]</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|440|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|439|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi}} (0.07%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102023/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 15, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

Dodge County is in southeastern Minnesota and is {{convert|24|mi|km}} long and {{convert|18|mi|km}} wide. The central and northern parts are hilly and thickly wooded with pebbly, loose soil that allows for wheat agriculture. The southern part, in contrast, is flat and wet, more suited to grazing livestock. The soil is very fertile, with heavy black loam. Dodge is one of seven southern Minnesota counties that have no forest ecosystems; only prairie and savanna soils exist here.

Dodge County's plentiful sand and rock also make the area a center for building. [[Quarry|Quarries]] in Mantorville were once enterprises and consist of layers of thick stone that can be cut into any desired shape. Wasioja is known nationwide for its excellent "[[Wasioja]] stone."

===Streams===
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* Dodge Center Creek
* Harkcom Creek
* Henslin Creek
* [[Little Cedar River (Dodge County, Minnesota)|Little Cedar River]]
* [[Masten Creek]]
* [[Milliken Creek (Minnesota)|Millikin Creek]]
* Salem Creek
* Tompkins Creek
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===Lakes===
* Rice Lake (part)
* Zumbro River Reservoir

===Major highways===
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* [[Image:US 14.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 14 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 14]]
* [[Image:US 218 (MN).svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 218#Minnesota|U.S. Highway 218]]
* [[Image:MN-30.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 30]]
* [[Image:MN-56.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 56]]
* [[Image:MN-57.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 57]]
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===Airport===
* [[Dodge Center Municipal Airport]]

===Adjacent counties===
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* [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]] - northwest
* [[Goodhue County, Minnesota|Goodhue County]] - northeast
* [[Olmsted County, Minnesota|Olmsted County]] - east
* [[Mower County, Minnesota|Mower County]] - south
* [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]] -west
{{div col end}}