Editing Calhoun County, Iowa (section)

===Ecology===
Calhoun County is located entirely within the [[Western Corn Belt Plains#Des Moines Lobe (47b)|Des Moines Lobe]] of the [[Western Corn Belt Plains]] ecoregion, as defined by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA). One of the flattest regions in Iowa, the Des Moines Lobe ecoregion is a distinctive area naturally defined by [[Wisconsin glaciation]] but modified by humans for extensive agriculture. In general, the land is level to gently rolling with some areas of relief defined by glacial features like [[moraine]]s, [[hummock]]y knobs, and [[Kettle (landform)|kettle]]s, and [[Outwash plain|outwash deposits]]. The lobe does not have any [[loess]] deposits like the [[Loess Hills]] to the west.

The stream network is poorly developed and widely spaced, with major rivers carving valleys that are relatively deep and steep-sided. Almost all of the natural lakes of Iowa are found in the northern part of this region (the [[Iowa Great Lakes]]). Most of the region has been converted from [[wet prairie]] to agricultural use with substantial surface water drainage. Only a small fraction of the [[wetland]]s remain, and many natural lakes have been drained as a result of agricultural drainage projects via [[drainage tile]]s or [[ditch]]es.<ref name=iamo4>{{USGS|title=Ecoregions of Iowa and Missouri |comment=color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs |author= Chapman, S.S., Omernik, J.M., Griffith, G.E. |display-authors=et al |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Level_IV_ecoregions,_Iowa_and_Missouri.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308065741/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Level_IV_ecoregions,_Iowa_and_Missouri.pdf |archive-date=March 8, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>