A complete county atlas provides information about the geology and groundwater resources of a county. Most atlases are produced in two parts.
Part A - Geology
The Minnesota Geological Survey produces the Part A atlas, which includes the geology, sand distribution, bedrock topography, and depth to bedrock. The Geologic Atlas User's Guide has a general overview of Minnesota geology and suggestions on how to use a county atlas (27 pages). For the Part A status map see the County Geologic Atlas website.
Part B - Groundwater/Hydrogeology
After Part A is completed, the DNR produces the Part B atlas, which includes maps and reports identifying the direction of groundwater flow, aquifer properties, groundwater chemistry, and pollution sensitivity of aquifers. In older atlases the groundwater information is included in Part A. See the Groundwater Atlas User Guide for an overview of reading Part B (8 pages).
Regional Hydrogeologic Assessment (RHA)
RHAs are larger areas (typically 4-9 counties) covered in less detail than a county atlas and do not include bedrock. These older assessments will be superseded by the county atlases as they are completed. See the RHA page.
Atlas status by county
Counties are added to the list as they are begun. Paper copies of atlases printed after 2022 can be obtained from OceanGrafix. Older atlases can be obtained from OceanGrafix or MGS Map Sales.
A
Aitkin, C-52
- Part A Geology: 2022
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Anoka, C-27
- Part A Geology: 2013
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2016
B
Becker, C-42
- Part A Geology: 2016
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2023
Benton, C-23
- Part A Geology: 2010
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2012
Blue Earth, C-26
- Part A Geology: 2011
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2016
Brown, C-37
- Part A Geology: 2016
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2020
C
Carlton, C-19
- Part A Geology: 2009
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2011
Carver, C-21
- Part A Geology: 2009
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2014
Cass, C-43
- Part A Geology: 2018
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2023
Chisago, C-22
- Part A Geology: 2010
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2014
- Plate 7 - Surficial aquifer hydrogeology (3 MB)
- Plate 7, Figure 1 - Water-table elevation with LiDAR (8 MB)
- Plate 8 - Quaternary and bedrock aquifer hydrogeology (2 MB)
-
Plate 9 - Hydrogeologic cross sections (2 MB)
- Cross section supplement (8 MB)
- Plate 10 - Pollution sensitivity (8 MB)
- GIS files
Clay, C-29
- Part A Geology: 2014
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2018
Crow Wing, C-16
- Part A Geology: 2004
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2007
D
Dakota, C-57
Dodge, C-50
- Part A Geology: 2019
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
F
Fillmore, C-08
- Part A Geology and C: 1995
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 1996
G
Goodhue, C-12
- Part A Geology: 1998
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2003
-
Plate 7 - Bedrock and water-table hydrogeology (6.9 MB)
Plate 7 Figure - Water table depth model (2.7 MB) - Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic cross sections (2.0 MB)
-
Plate 9 - Sensitivity to pollution of the uppermost bedrock aquifers (4.2 MB)
Plate 9 errata - Plate 10 - Sinkholes, sinkhole probability, and springs and seeps (3.0 MB)
- GIS files
-
Plate 7 - Bedrock and water-table hydrogeology (6.9 MB)
H
Hennepin, C-45
Houston, C-33
- Part A Geology: 2014
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Hubbard, C-41
- Part A Geology: 2018
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2024
I
Isanti, C-44
- Part A Geology: 2017
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
K
Kanabec, C-38
- Part A Geology: 2016
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2020
Kandiyohi, C46
- Part A Geology: 2019
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
L
Lac qui Parle, C-65
- Part A Geology: 2023
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Lake, C-54
- Part A Geology: 2022
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Lincoln, C-58
- Part A Geology: 2023
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
M
McLeod, C-20
- Part A Geology: 2009
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2013
Meeker, C-35
- Part A Geology: 2015
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2019
Morrison, C-31
- Part A Geology: 2014
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2019
Mower, C-11
- Part A Geology:1998, RI-50: 2000
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2002
- Plate 7 - Bedrock hydrogeology (2.3 MB)
- Plate 8 - Ground-water flow in bedrock aquifers (800 K)
- Plate 9 - Sensitivity to pollution of the uppermost bedrock aquifers (1.7 MB)
- Plate 10 - Karst hydrogeomorphic units (1.2 MB)
- Technical Appendix - Potentiometric surfaces of the uppermost bedrock aquifers (5.3 MB)
- GIS files
N
Nicollet, C-25
- Part A Geology: 2011
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2016
- Report (9 MB)
- Plate 7 - Chemical Hydrogeology
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections
- GIS files (5 MB)
- Supplemental GIS raster files (934 MB)
Nobles, C-48
- Part A Geology: 2020
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
O
Olmsted update, C-49
Otter Tail, C-55
- Part A Geology: 2023
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
P
Pennington
- Part A Geology: in progress
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Pine, C-13
- Part A Geology: 2001, RI-60: 2002
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2004
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeology of the unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers (1.7 MB)
- Plate 9 - Hydrogeologic cross sections (1.0 MB)
- Plate 10 - Sensitivity to pollution of the uppermost bedrock aquifers (4.8 MB)
- Part B Errata
- GIS files
Pope, C-15
- Part A Geology: 2003
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2006
R
Ramsey, C-07
- Part A Geology: 1992
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: included in Part A
Redwood, C-36
- Part A Geology: 2016
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2019
Renville, C-28
- Part A Geology: 2013
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2017
Rice, C-09
- Part A Geology: 1995
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 1997
- Plate 7 - Water-table hydrogeology (1.3 MB)
- Plate 8 - Bedrock hydrogeology (1.8 MB)
- Plate 9 - Sensitivity of bedrock aquifer systems to pollution (1.5 MB)
- Plate 9 Supplement - Sensitivity of near-surface aquifers to pollution (354 KB)
- GIS files
Rock, C-47
- Part A Geology: 2020
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
S
St. Louis, C-51
- Part A Geology: 2022
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Scott, C-17
- Part A Geology: 2006, OFR 08-02: 2008
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: included in Part A
- C-01 1982 archived
Sherburne, C-32
- Part A Geology: 2013
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2017
Sibley, C-24
- Part A Geology: 2011
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2017
- Report (9 MB)
- Plate 7 - Chemical Hydrogeology
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections
- GIS files (7 MB)
- Supplemental GIS raster files (934 MB)
Stearns, C-10
Part A Geology: 1995 and 1996
- Plate 1 Data base (1.8Mb)
- Plate 2 Bedrock geology (1.8Mb)
- Plate 3 Surficial geology (2Mb)
- Plate 4 Quaternary stratigraphy (1.8Mb)
- Plate 5 Depth to bedrock and thickness of Cretaceous strata (1.3Mb)
- Plate 6 Bedrock topography (1.5Mb)
- Plate 7 Geologic resources (2Mb)
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 1998
- Plate 8 Hydrogeology of the Quaternary water-table system (shaded relief map not included) (1.4 Mb)
- Plate 9 Hydrogeology of the Quaternary confined aquifers and bedrock aquifers (2.1Mb)
- Plate 10 Sensitivity of ground-water systems to pollution (1.8Mb)
- GIS files
Buried aquifer supplement and cross sections: 2007
- Preliminary maps of shallow buried sand and gravel aquifer systems of Stearns County, Minnesota, and adjoining areas
- Northern Stearns County 002 to 056, 7 cross-section sheets (ZIP file 3.7Mb)
- Southern Stearns County 058 to 102, 6 cross-section sheets (ZIP file 3.5Mb)
- Legend (213 Kb)
- Composite maps of surficial and shallow buried aquifers: High-resolution (5.39 Mb)
- Composite maps: Low-resolution | High-resolution
Steele, C-53
- Part A Geology: 2022
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
T
Todd, C-18
- Part A Geology: 2007
-
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2010
- Plate 7 - Distribution of the Surficial and Buried Sand Aquifers (5 MB)
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections (1.8 MB)
- Plate 9 - Hydrogeology of the Surficial and Buried Sand Aquifers (9.6 MB)
- Plate 10 - Pollution Sensitivity of the Buried Sand Aquifers and the Near-Surface Materials (8.1 MB)
- GIS files
W
Wabasha, C-14
- Part A Geology: 2001, RI-59: 2002
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2005
Wadena, C-40
- Part A Geology: 2016
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress