| Summary: | Surface Water Resources North Dakota is separated into two major drainage basins by a continental divide running from the northwest to the southeast corners of the state. The northeastern portion of the state falls generally within the Hudson Bay drainage, while the southwestern part is drained by the Missouri River to the Gulf of Mexico. There are five major drainage basins in North Dakota: the Missouri River basin, James River basin, Mouse River basin, Red River basin, and Devils Lake basin. The Missouri River drainage system includes the major sub-basins of the Missouri and James Rivers. The tributaries on the south and west sides of the Missouri River typically occupy small but sharply defined valleys. This area is well drained with few natural lakes. The topography is characterized by rolling, hilly plains; with numerous flat-topped steep-sided buttes. The most prominent are located in the Badlands along the Little Missouri River. Areas east of the Missouri River include glaciated areas that are characterized by many small lakes and wetlands. The James River, which is a major tributary of the Missouri River, begins in the drift prairie of central North Dakota, but does not join the Missouri until it reaches Yankton, South Dakota. The James system is poorly to moderately drained with a large number of wetlands. The Hudson Bay drainage includes the Mouse and Red River systems, and the Devils Lake basin. The Mouse River originates in Saskatchewan and then loops through North Dakota before it reenters Canada west of the Turtle Mountains. The topography is varied within the basin, with hilly terrain in the southwest, a flat glacial Mouse Lake plain in the east, and forested hills of the Turtle Mountains in the northeast. The Red River winds northward almost 400 miles, forming the border between North Dakota and Minnesota. From the international boundary with Canada, the Red flows another 155 river miles to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. The valley through which the river flows is the former bed of glacial Lake Agassiz. The ancient lakebed is extremely flat, and is home to some of the most productive farmland in the world. The Devils Lake basin is currently a non-contributing sub-basin of the Red River basin. The drainage system is formed by chains of waterways and connecting lakes; many of which ultimately terminate in Devils Lake itself. Flow in all North Dakota streams and rivers is seasonably variable. Runoff is greatest in early spring as a result of snowmelt water and spring rainfall. Many smaller streams experience little or no flow for extended periods during summer months. Although, dramatic flow variations in river discharges can be caused by 578 201 1-2013 North Dakota Blue Book
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