Editing Mower County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Mower Co pie chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Mower County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 43-48. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]
Mower County lies on Minnesota's border with [[Iowa]]. The [[Cedar River (Iowa River)|Cedar River]] flows south through the western part of the county, into [[Mitchell County, Iowa]]. The [[Upper Iowa River]] rises in Mower County. Its branches, the Little Iowa and Upper Branch Upper Iowa, merge near [[Le Roy, Minnesota|Le Roy]] and flow east-southeast out of the county's southeast corner into Mitchell County, Iowa. Deer Creek drains the southeastern part of the county, flowing northeast into [[Fillmore County, Minnesota|Fillmore County]]. Bear Creek drains the northern part of the county, flowing east into Fillmore County. Carey Creek drains the northeastern part of the county, flowing northeast into [[Olmsted County, Minnesota|Olmsted County]]. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched with drainages and gullies. The area is devoted to agriculture where possible.<ref name="MCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mower+County,+MN/@42.9376912,-92.612265,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f0b7c29c66cc7b:0xb5b9b046a312f1ef!8m2!3d43.6824988!4d-92.6983868 Mower County MN Google Maps (accessed May 3, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the east and south from an elevated center ridge running west–east,<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Mower County MN" Google Maps (accessed May 3, 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=May 3, 2019}}</ref> with its highest point {{convert|1.6|mi|km}} east of [[Elkton, Minnesota|Elkton]], at {{convert|1,440|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>[https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6409 Mower County High Point, Minnesota PeakBagger.com (accessed May 3, 2019)]</ref> The county has an area of {{convert|712|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|711|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi}} (0.03%) 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/20130921060200/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=October 21, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

===Lakes===
One of only four [[List of lakes in Minnesota|counties in Minnesota without any natural lakes]] (along with Olmsted, Pipestone, and Rock), Mower County does have four small [[pond]]s and [[lake]]s created by [[dam]]s:
*[[East Side Lake]]: in the northeast quadrant of [[Austin, Minnesota|Austin]]
*Lake Louise: in [[Lake Louise State Park]] near [[Le Roy, Minnesota|Le Roy]]
*Mill Pond: in downtown [[Austin, Minnesota|Austin]] near the [[Hormel]] plant
*Ramsey Mill Pond: in Ramsey Golf Course, near the [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] settlement of [[Lansing Township, Mower County, Minnesota#Ramsey|Ramsey]]
The [[Cedar River (Iowa River)|Cedar River]] (sometimes called the Red Cedar River) flows south into the county from its source in [[Dodge County, Minnesota|Dodge County]] and continues through the county into [[Mitchell County, Iowa]]. It flows through Mower County's four westernmost townships: [[Udolpho Township, Mower County, Minnesota|Udolpho]], [[Lansing Township, Mower County, Minnesota|Lansing]], [[Austin Township, Mower County, Minnesota|Austin]], and [[Lyle Township, Mower County, Minnesota|Lyle]].

===Transit===
*[[Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit]]

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* {{jct|state=MN|I|90}}
* {{jct|state=MN|BL|90|dab1=Austin}}
* {{jct|state=MN|US|63}}
* {{jct|state=MN|US|218}}
* [[Image:MN-16.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 16]]
* [[Image:MN-56.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 56]]
* [[Image:MN-105.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 105]]
* [[Image:MN-251.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 251]]
{{div col end}}

===Airports===
* [[Austin Municipal Airport]] (AUM) - east of [[Austin, Minnesota|Austin]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Dodge County, Minnesota|Dodge County]] - north
* [[Olmsted County, Minnesota|Olmsted County]] - northeast
* [[Fillmore County, Minnesota|Fillmore County]] - east
* [[Howard County, Iowa]] - southeast
* [[Mitchell County, Iowa]] - south
* [[Worth County, Iowa]] - southwest
* [[Freeborn County, Minnesota|Freeborn County]] - west
* [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
Source:<ref name=MCM/>
{{div col}}
* [[Lake Louise State Park]]
* Larson State Wildlife Management Area
* Red Cedar State Wildlife Management Area
* Rose State Wildlife Management Area
{{div col end}}