• Canoeists paddle by tree lined shores

    Saint Croix

    National Scenic Riverway WI,MN

There are park alerts in effect.
hide Alerts »
  • High Water

    The rivers are running high and fast and the water is cold. Be prepared and cautious if venturing out on the rivers! Watch for debris and low clearance under bridges.

  • Wells Closed

    Beginning in 2013, water will no longer be available at McDowell Bridge Landing, Riverside Landing, and the Marshland District Office on Highway 70. Please plan accordingly and bring an adequate supply of water.

Dinosaurs of the Riverway

January 17, 2013 Posted by: Park Ranger Branda Thwaits

This one year old sturgeon being held in the hand of a biologist is less than a foot long. NPS photo.

Sometimes startling paddlers with its size and prehistoric look, sturgeon are gentle giants that inhabit both the Namekagon and St. Croix Rivers. A species that can live more than 100 years, measure more than 7 feet in length, and weigh more than 200 pounds, this fish is so important that the word Namekagon is derived from the Ojibwe "Name" or "Nah-muy", which means sturgeon.  

Join us this Saturday to learn more about this ancient fish as Jeff Kampa, Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Scientist, presents the results of years of research. Learn about the current status of the sturgeon population in the Namekagon and upper St. Croix Rivers.  In addition, explore the movement and distribution of sturgeon in the Riverway and the success of current and past stocking efforts in the Namekagon River.

This presentation will be the kick off for our 2013 Speaker Series.  The presentation is free and open to the public.  It will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19th at the St. Croix River Visitor Center, 401 North Hamilton Street, in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.  Reservations are encouraged.  To reserve a seat, call (715) 483-2274.


Post A Comment

Submit Comment

Did You Know?

two men with a circular ice saw.  In the background blocks of ice are moving up a ramp into an ice house

Before the invention of refrigerators, people harvested ice from rivers and lakes in the winter and stored the ice, covered in sawdust, in buildings.  An ice house, storing ice from the river, once stood near the site of the park headquarters for St. Croix NSR, in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.