Editing Steele County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
{{Stack|[[File:Steele Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Steele County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 43-48. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]}}
The [[Straight River (southern Minnesota)|Straight River]] rises in [[Freeborn County, Minnesota|Freeborn County]] and flows northward through the central part of Steele County, continuing into [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice County]] on the north. The [[Zumbro River#Course|South Branch of the Middle Fork of the Zumbro River]] rises in Steele County and flows eastward into [[Dodge County, Minnesota|Dodge County]]. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched with drainages, completely devoted to agriculture where possible.<ref name=SCM>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Steele+County,+MN/@44.0225793,-93.3661423,53529m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f6de9907a28907:0xd252a13124bb1b5b!8m2!3d43.9758523!4d-93.1779659 Steele County MN Google Maps (accessed April 19, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point near the midpoint of its south border, at {{convert|1,293|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>[https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Steele County MN"  Google Maps (accessed April 19, 2019)]</ref> The county has an area of {{convert|432|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|430|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|2.7|sqmi}} (0.6%) are water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 25, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|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}}</ref>

The [[Straight River (southern Minnesota)|Straight River]] flows northward through the county, and the [[Le Sueur River]] flows through its southwestern corner. The Middle Fork of the [[Zumbro River]] rises in NE Steele County.<ref>{{cite book|title= Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer|year=1994|publisher=[[DeLorme]]|location=Yarmouth ME|isbn=0-89933-222-6|pages=24, 33}}</ref>

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

===Major highways===
* [[Image:I-35.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 35 in Minnesota|Interstate 35]] – runs north–south through west-central portion of county. Passes [[Medford, Minnesota|Medford]], [[Clinton Falls, Minnesota|Clinton Falls]], Owatonna, [[Hope, Minnesota|Hope]] and [[Ellendale, Minnesota|Ellendale]].
* [[Image:US 14.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 14 in Minnesota|U.S. Route 14]] – runs east–west through upper central portion of county; passes Owatonna.
* [[Image:US 218 (MN).svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 218]] – runs north-northwest from southeast corner of county to intersection with US 14, southeast of Owatonna.
* [[Image:MN-30.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 30]] – runs east–west across south part of county; passes Ellendale.

===Airports<ref name=SCM/>===
* [[Owatonna Degner Regional Airport]] (OWA) - northwest of Owatonna

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Rice County, Minnesota|Rice]] – north
* [[Dodge County, Minnesota|Dodge]] – east
* [[Mower County, Minnesota|Mower]] – southeast
* [[Freeborn County, Minnesota|Freeborn]] – south
* [[Waseca County, Minnesota|Waseca]] – west
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas<ref name=SCM/>===
{{div col}}
* Aurora State Wildlife Management Area
* Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area
* Rice Lake State Park
* Somerset State Wildlife Management Area
* Swan Lake State Wildlife Management Area
{{div col end}}

===Lakes<ref name=SCM/>===
{{div col}}
* Beaver
* Fosilen
* [[Lake Kohlmeier|Kohlmeier]]
* Lonergan
* Oak Glen
* Rice (part)
* Rickert
* Swan
{{div col end}}