| Summary: | North Dakota drainage basins. Water Resources Surface Water Resources There are two major drainage basins in North Dakota separated by a continental divide running from the northwest to the southeast corners of the state. The northeastern portion of the state drains into Hudson Bay, while the southwestern part is drained by the Missouri River into the Gulf of Mexico. Flow in all North Dakota streams and rivers are seasonably and annually variable. Runoff is generally 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. Dramatic flow variations in river discharges can be caused by changes in weather patterns, isolated storm events, evaporation rates, and snow pack conditions. In 2012, the total recorded waterbodies in North Dakota covered approximately 1,331,840 acres. According to the North Dakota State Water Commission MapService and North Dakota's Assessment Database (ADB), provided by the North Dakota Department of Health to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there are 3,297 man-made reservoirs and 988 waterbodies greater than 10 acres in area in the state. The state's four largest reservoirs (Sakakawea, Oahe, Audubon, and Ashtabula) comprise about 30 percent of North Dakota's total waterbody surface acres, accounting for a surface area of 397,467 acres. Of these, 375,669 acres, or 28 percent of the state's entire waterbody acres, are contained within the two mainstem Missouri River reservoirs (Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe) at their normal operating pool elevations. 514 2015-2017 North Dakota Blue Book
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