Click to enlarge
The Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway includes the lower 52 miles of the St. Croix River extending between Taylors Falls, Minnesota and the confluence with the Mississippi River. The Lower St. Croix was added to the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Program by Congress in 1972.
The Saint Croix River has remarkable scenic characteristics, and may be the most species-rich waterbody in the Upper Mississippi River basin (111 fish and 41 mussel species documented). It has exceptional water quality and is an outstanding fishery.
The management strategy is to accommodate for “limited, planned, development that is consistent with the historic character of the communities” (Cooperative Management Plan, 2002). The river’s close proximity to the Twin Cities metro area make it continuously vulnerable to land use development and recreational impacts.
Land Use Regulations and Administration
- Summary of Lower St. Croix Riverway Land Use Standards - Wild Rivers Conservancy has a number of excellent resources detailing land use regulations in the Riverway. Particularly:
- Lower St. Croix Boundary and Districts – dataset for GIS users
- Review Procedures for Adopting and Amending Wild & Scenic Rivers and Lower St. Croix Riverway Ordinances
- Variances in Shorelands, Floodplains and Other DNR-Protected Waterways
- Bluff and Slope Protection Resources
Other Resources
- National Park Service: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
- Wild Rivers Conservancy
- Lower St. Croix River: A National Wild and Scenic Treasure
- Lower St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan
Boating and Canoeing
- Boat Speeds on the Lower St. Croix - MNDNR
- Boating Rules on the St. Croix Riverway - NPS
- St. Croix River State Water Trail
Questions
- Matt Bauman, Central Office LSCR Program Lead, 651-259-5710
- Dan Scollan, Washington County Area Hydrologist, 651-259-5732
- Craig Wills, Chisago County Area Hydrologist, 763-284-7221