The following pages illustrate the changes in the extent of wetlands in Seven Mile Creek Watershed. This small watershed in south-central Minnesota has dramatically transformed from the 1850s to the present. By navigating through the years (bar at left) you can capture details of the landscape change. You can also see a quick overview animation (1) Animation (requires the flash plug-in) or (2) Powerpoint show (514 k).

Seven Mile Creek is a minor watershed (location map) in the Minnesota River Basin. The following maps are the result of a study that examined historic aerial photos in the years listed. The study tells a broader story of how the landscape has changed in the basin as settlers drained the wetlands to farm the productive soils. The study found that Seven Mile Creek lost about 88 percent of wetlands during this time period. This echoes other scientists estimates that 90 percent of the wetlands have been lost in this part of the state.

Some Tips
Click on any image for a larger view
Use the bar at left or the ducks to navigate
Place your cursor over the maps to see labels

For More Information
Where is Seven Mile Creek? Seven Mile Creek Map
How were these maps created? An Historical Perspective of Hydrologic Changes in the Seven Mile Creek Watershed (pdf 474 k)
Learn more about Seven Mile Creek Watershed
Learn more about Seven Mile Creek Watershed Wetlands
Seven Mile Creek Virtual Tour