St. Croix River – Wild and Scenic, Close to Home

In 1968, the St. Croix River was one of eight rivers in the United States designated for protection under the newly established Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, thanks to the strong advocacy of community residents in the region and the legislative efforts of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale. The act recognized the “outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, [and] cultural” values of the river and declared that it should be protected in its free-flowing condition for future generations.

Though the original legislation only included the Upper St. Croix (north of the St. Croix Falls dam), the Lower St. Croix River was added in 1972. Today, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System protects more than 13,000 miles of riverway in 226 rivers across the United States. The St. Croix is the only federally protected Wild and Scenic River in Minnesota and one of only two in Wisconsin.

https://eastmetrowater.org/2023/08/04/st-croix-river-wild-and-scenic-close-to-home/