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 These older assessments will be superseded by the county atlases as they are completed.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
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 model - Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic cross sections
- Plate 9 - Sensitivity to pollution of the uppermost bedrock aquifers
Plate 9 errata - Plate 10 - Sinkholes, sinkhole probability, and springs and seeps
- GIS files
- Plate 7 - Bedrock and water-table hydrogeology
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: 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
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: future start
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
- Report
- Plate 7 - Chemical Hydrogeology
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections
- GIS files
- 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
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeology of the unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers
- Plate 9 - Hydrogeologic cross sections
- Plate 10 - Sensitivity to pollution of the uppermost bedrock aquifers
- Part B Errata
- GIS files
Pipestone, C-59
- Part A Geology: 2024
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start
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
- (C-01 1982; C-17 2006, 2008 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
- Plate 7 - Chemical Hydrogeology
- Plate 8 - Hydrogeologic Cross Sections
- GIS files
- 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
- 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 downloads automatically)
- Southern Stearns County 058 to 102, 6 cross-section sheets (ZIP file downloads automatically)
- Legend
- 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: in progress
- Part B Groundwater/Hydrogeology: future start