The St. Croix River seen from the Osceola Bluffs/NPS file

Work is underway to develop a comprehensive river management plan for 230 miles of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway in Minnesota and Wisconsin, a park unit built around the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers.

As envisioned, the plan will build on the 2001 Lower St. Croix Cooperative Management Plan, updating and carrying forward existing guidelines as needed, the National Park Service said. The plan does not replace previous planning but rather provides additional NPS-specific guidance for the federally managed area of the riverway. While the Park Service oversees 230 miles of the rivers; 25 miles of the Lower St. Croix, from Stillwater to the confluence with the Mississippi River, is administered by the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Four public meetings are scheduled this month to gather input on the river management plan. These meetings are an important opportunity for the public to provide feedback on management strategies that will guide the future of the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers.

“This river management plan will shape future NPS decisions regarding resource management, visitor experiences, and preservation efforts,” said St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Superintendent Craig Hansen. “Stakeholder, tribal, partner, and public engagement is essential to the success of the plan and future management of the riverway."

The purpose of the comprehensive river management plan is to establish overall management direction to protect and enhance the values for which the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway was designated as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The plan will then provide a framework for Park Service management decisions.

To continue this multi-year planning process, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway staff will host public meetings in various locations. At each meeting, park staff will present an overview of the river management plan and the planning process. After the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in discussion, ask questions, and provide feedback. The presentation will be the same at each session.

Public meetings will be held:

Wednesday, November 20

• Spooner DNR Office at 810 W Maple St, Spooner, WI 54801, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Holiday Inn Express, Hayward at 15586 County Rd B, Hayward, WI 54843, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Thursday, November 21

• Stillwater Public Library at 224 Third Street N, Stillwater, MN 55082, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• St. Croix Falls Visitor Center at 401 N Hamilton St, St. Croix Falls, WI 54024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Comments can be submitted online from November 8 through December 31, 2024. The NPS encourages input at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sacnriverplan or by sending written comments to St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (Attn: Superintendent), 401 N. Hamilton Street, St. Croix Falls, WI 54024.

Updates can be found at the "Comprehensive River Management Plan" link at https://www.nps.gov/sacn or by calling the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Headquarters at 715-483-2274.