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In theU.S. state ofWisconsin, theCentral Plain is a geographical region consisting of about 13,000 square miles (34,000 km2) of land in a v-shaped belt across the center of the state. Beginning in the west, the Central Plain originates inBurnett andPolk Counties and runs southeast toColumbia County, where it turns northeast and reaches its end inMarinette County.
The Central Plain region generally takes the form of a flat sandy plain with elevations between 700 and 800 feet (240 m) above sea level. There are variations on the flatland, however. Hills inBarron County possess the region’s highest altitudes, reaching more than 1,200 feet (370 m) above sea level. This section of the region is primarily a hardwood forest ofmaple,birch, andaspen, but there are several areas of agriculture scattered across the area. The plain is occasionally broken by rolling hills throughout its western half. Plains which were once the bed ofGlacial Lake Wisconsin dominate the south central part of the region. Farms, fields, and cranberry bogs cover the landscape, and sandstonebuttes andmesas are not uncommon. TheWisconsin River dissects the plain here, creating theWisconsin Dells. East of the river,moraines and smallkettle lakes are interspersed throughout the plain. Forests and wetlands mark the northeastern section of the region.
For the most part, the Central Plain is a rural area of farmland and forests. Population is sparse. The city ofEau Claire, Wisconsin is located on the southern border of the plain’s northwest end, and is the region’s largest city with a population of 61,704. Other principal cities in the Central Plain region includeChippewa Falls andMenomonie in the northwest, as well asStevens Point andWisconsin Rapids along the Wisconsin River.
Part or all of the land in the following counties is included in the Central Plains of Wisconsin:
