News Release

Comprehensive River Management Plan Listening Sessions Scheduled

Whispering Pines Landing, Namekagon River

NPS/Janice Anderson

News Release Date: July 7, 2023

Contact: Craig Hansen, 715-483-2270

ST. CROIX FALLS, Wis. – The National Park Service (NPS) is hosting five listening sessions in July to gather input from the public on a river management plan to inform future management of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

The comprehensive river management plan, once complete, will guide NPS actions and decisions of the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers for the foreseeable future. Input and engagement from stakeholder, partners, and the public will help develop and build this plan.

To kick-off the multi-year planning process, the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway will hold five listening sessions in locations throughout the park.  At each session, NPS staff will present a short presentation about the river management plan and the planning process. After the presentation, NPS staff will be at designated stations to foster conversation, gather feedback, and answer questions. The presentation will be the same at each session and will also be available on the park’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment site at https://parkplanning.gov/sacnriverplan on July 20.

Listening sessions will be held:

• Thursday, July 20

  • Minong Town Hall at W7095 Nancy Lake Road, Minong, WI 54859 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, presentation starts at 2:15 pm.

  • Cable Community Center at 13660 Co Hwy M, Cable, WI 54821 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, presentation starts at 6:45 pm.

• Wednesday, July 26

  • Stillwater Public Library, Margaret Rivers Room B at 224 Third Street N, Stillwater, MN 55082 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, presentation starts at 2:15 pm.

  • NPS Headquarters at 401 N Hamilton St, St Croix Falls, WI 54024 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, presentation starts at 6:45 pm.

• Thursday, July 27

  • Crex Meadows Wildlife Area at 102 Crex Ave, Grantsburg, WI 54840 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, presentation starts at 3:15 pm.

You can also submit comments and feedback online from Friday, July 7 through Tuesday, August 8, 2023. The NPS invites you to share your thoughts on the Planning, Environment and Public Comment site 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.

You can find project updates throughout the process 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.

The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a unit of the National Park System, was established by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. It is one of a group of eight rivers in the country which first received this recognition. For over 200 miles, the St. Croix and its tributary, the Namekagon, flow through some of the most scenic and least developed country in the Upper Midwest.

Find more at www.nps.gov/sacn.