August 24th Wild River Announcement by DNR
On Wednesday, August 24th at 3:00 PM, DNR Secretary Scott Hassett hosted a Wild River announcement at Nelson Lake Park on Highway 27 (about seven miles north of Highway 77) near the origin of the Totagatic River.
The announcement provided more information regarding the proposed Wild River designation for the Totagatic River and the St. Croix River headwaters segment (between Upper St. Croix Lake and the Gordon Flowage). These designations are part of Governor Doyle's Conserve Wisconsin agenda announced on August 18th.
The site of the announcement was the source of the Totagatic (Totogatic) River. (August 2005)
DNR Secretary Scott Hassett (left) and DNR Northern Region Director John Gozdzialski. (August 2005)
DNR announcement at Nelson Dam park. (August 2005)
Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett's Message
I am very pleased to be here today. I’d like to take a minute to thank a few people for being here as well…(Jim Holperin, Sen. Jauch, Fred Blake – Washburn County Lakes & Rivers Association, Scott Peterson, Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters)
It is wonderful to see so many local citizens here who care about the future of their river. And I am here today because of the long-range vision you all have for protecting this important resource.
As part of a local initiative, Washburn County citizens requested to investigate the possibility of adding the Totogatic River to Wisconsin’s list of designated State Wild Rivers.
During the past two years, interested citizens have worked throughout the area with the Department of Natural Resources to investigate this opportunity.
Last year, it was specifically brought to my attention during the annual Superior Days event that there was indeed a strong desire among local citizens to see the Totogatic and Upper St. Croix Rivers designated as State Wild Rivers.
And even more recently, the Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters, a citizen-volunteer organization in the Gordon-Solon Springs area requested state-level support to protect and honor the headwaters segment of the St. Croix by designating it as a State Wild River.
I took this request to Governor Doyle. And just last week, he announced his new Conserve Wisconsin Agenda.
Conserve Wisconsin is a bold package of legislative proposals and executive orders that will help safeguard Wisconsin’s great environmental legacy.
And part of that legacy includes continuing the work of Gaylord Nelson –who was instrumental in the creation of the State Wild Rivers program – by supporting legislation that will designate the Totogatic and Upper St. Croix as State Wild Rivers.
These will be the first rivers, joining the Pike River in Marinette County, and the Pine & Popple Rivers in Florence and Forest Counties, to receive this designation since the law was originally enacted in 1965.
The Totogatic and Upper St. Croix are truly deserving of this designation.
The Totogatic River flows for 70 miles through Bayfield, Sawyer, Washburn and Douglas Counties before joining the Namekagon River in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
The St. Croix Headwaters in Douglas County is the last remaining segment of the river that did not receive protection when the rest of the river was added to the National Wild and Scenic River System decades ago.
Both the Totogatic and Upper St. Croix have extremely high quality natural beauty, recreational use, fish and wildlife habitat and water quality.
I look forward to working with all of you ensure that the designation of these rivers achieves the goals set by all of you and your local communities.
Once designated, we will have the tools to preserve the wild nature of the shoreline and protect water quality and habitat.
Again, on behalf of Governor Doyle, I would like to express our commitment and support to designate the Totogatic and Upper St. Croix as State Wild Rivers.
Thank you.
