Missouri Coteau facts for kids

The Missouri Coteau, also called the Missouri Plateau, is a large, raised area of land (a plateau) in the central United States and Canada. In the U.S., it stretches along the eastern side of the Missouri River valley in North Dakota and South Dakota. In Canada, it's known as the Uplands Missouri Coteau and is part of the Great Plains, reaching into Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Long ago, in Canada, this area was called the Palliser's Triangle. An explorer named John Palliser thought it was like a desert and not good for farming. The land here has gentle, rolling hills, small ponds called potholes, and lots of grasslands.

The Missouri Coteau is also important to the Métis people of South Dakota and other Indigenous groups. It has a rich history and special meaning for them.

Map of Palliser's Triangle. Canadian section of the Missouri Coteau

What the Land is Like

This plateau is part of the larger Great Plains region. It is separated from the main plateau to the west by the deep valley of the Missouri River. The ground is made of a type of rock called Pierre Shale, covered by hard layers left behind by many glaciers.

The Missouri Coteau also has deposits of lignite (a type of coal), mirabilite (which is sodium sulfate), and bentonite (a type of clay). Even though glaciers covered much of the area, there was a special spot called the Driftless Area that the ice missed.

Farming and Growing Conditions

The Missouri Coteau is known for having tough conditions for growing crops. This is because of the weather and the special soil. The land doesn't drain water very well and has many small ponds left by glaciers. This is why it's close to the Prairie Pothole Region.

Several old river valleys cross the plateau, including parts of the Grand, Moreau, Cheyenne, Bad, and White rivers. To the east, the low valley of the James River was formed by the last ice age, separating the plateau from the Coteau des Prairies. This area is also connected to the Canadian Prairies, which are mostly flat with very few forests.

Native grasslands in the Missouri Coteau of Saskatchewan

See also

• Geography of Saskatchewan
• Geography of North Dakota
• Geography of Alberta
• Geography of Montana
• Coteau des Prairies
• Cypress Hills (Canada)
• Moose Mountain Upland