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 These older assessments will be superseded by the county atlases as they are completed.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.
Atlases by county
Access digital files from the list below. 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: in progress
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
Beltrami
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Benton, C-23
Part A Geology: 2010
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2012
Big Stone
No atlas
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
Chippewa
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Chisago, C-22
Part A Geology: 2010
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2014
Plate 7 - Surficial aquifer hydrogeology
Plate 7, Figure 1 - Water-table elevation with LiDAR
Plate 8 - Quaternary and bedrock aquifer hydrogeology
Plate 9 - Hydrogeologic cross sections
Plate 10 - Pollution sensitivity
Clay, C-29
Part A Geology: 2014
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2018
Clearwater
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Cook
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Cottonwood
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
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: 2024
Douglas
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
F
Faribault
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Fillmore, C-08
Part A Geology and C: 1995
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 1996
Freeborn
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
G
Goodhue, C-12
Part A Geology: 1998
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2003
Plate 7 - Bedrock and water-table hydrogeology
Plate 7 Figure - Water table depth modelPlate 8 - Hydrogeologic cross sections
Plate 9 - Sensitivity to pollution of the uppermost bedrock aquifers
Plate 9 errataPlate 10 - Sinkholes, sinkhole probability, and springs and seeps
Grant
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
H
Hennepin, C-45
Houston, C-33
Part A Geology: 2014
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2025
Hubbard, C-41
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2024
I
Isanti, C-44
Part A Geology: 2017
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2025
Itasca
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
J
Jackson
No atlas
K
Kanabec, C-38
Part A Geology: 2016
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2020
Kandiyohi, C-46
Part A Geology: 2019
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Kittson
No atlas
Koochiching
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
L
Lac qui Parle, C-65
Part A Geology: 2023
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Lake, C-54
Part A Geology: 2022
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Lake of the Woods
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Le Sueur
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Lincoln, C-58
Part A Geology: 2023
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Lyon
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
M
Mahnomen
No atlas
Marshall
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Martin
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
McLeod, C-20
Part A Geology: 2009
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2013
Meeker, C-35
Part A Geology: 2015
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2019
Mille Lacs
No atlas
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
Murray
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
N
Nicollet, C-25
Part A Geology: 2011
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2016
Plate 7 - Chemical Hydrogeology
Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections
Supplemental GIS raster files (file downloads automatically)
Nobles, C-48
Part A Geology: 2020
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Norman
No atlas
O
Olmsted, 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
Pipestone, C-59
Part A Geology: 2024
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Polk
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Pope, C-15
Part A Geology: 2003
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2006
R
Ramsey, C-07
Part A Geology: revision in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
(C-07 1992 archived)
Red Lake
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
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
Plate 8 - Bedrock hydrogeology
Plate 9 - Sensitivity of bedrock aquifer systems to pollution
Plate 9 Supplement - Sensitivity of near-surface aquifers to pollution
Rock, C-47
Part A Geology: 2020
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Roseau
No atlas
S
Scott, C-17
Part A Geology: revision in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Sherburne, C-32
Part A Geology: 2013
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2017
Sibley, C-24
Part A Geology: 2011
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2017
Plate 7 - Chemical Hydrogeology
Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections
Supplemental GIS raster files (ZIP file downloads automatically)
Stearns, C-10
Part A Geology: 1995 and 1996
Plate 1 Data base
Plate 2 Bedrock geology
Plate 3 Surficial geology
Plate 4 Quaternary stratigraphy
Plate 5 Depth to bedrock and thickness of Cretaceous strata
Plate 6 Bedrock topography
Plate 7 Geologic resources
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 1998
Plate 8 Hydrogeology of the Quaternary water-table system (shaded relief map not included)
Plate 9 Hydrogeology of the Quaternary confined aquifers and bedrock aquifers
Plate 10 Sensitivity of ground-water systems to pollution
Buried aquifer supplement and cross sections: 2007
Northern Stearns County 002 to 056, 7 cross-section sheets (ZIP file downloads automatically)
Southern Stearns County 058 to 102, 6 cross-section sheets (ZIP file downloads automatically)
Composite maps of surficial and shallow buried aquifers: High-resolution
Composite maps: Low-resolution | High-resolution
Steele, C-53
Part A Geology: 2022
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: in progress
Stevens
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Swift
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
T
Todd, C-18
Part A Geology: 2007
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2010
Traverse
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
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: 2024
Waseca
Part A Geology: in progress
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
Washington, C-39
Watonwan
No atlas
Wilkin
No atlas
Winona, C-34
Wright, C-30
Part A Geology: 2013
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: 2018
Y
Yellow Medicine
Part A Geology: 2025
Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start

