WSP06980

• File Number: 7630.285
• Description: Wild and Scenic - General
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 5/1/1977
• Author: US DOI
• Title: Outdoor Recreation Action - Wild and Scenic Rivers - Number 43 - Spring 1977
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

OOOGJ?

ers lor a number of years subse-
quent 10 the passage of the Ohio
Scenic RIVer Act in 1968. In July
1970 me Columbiana County Re-
gional Planning Commission re-
quested lhat Lillie Beaver Creek be
accorded Slale scenic river desig-
nation, although local interest in
the protection ollhis stream system
was evident long before this re-
quest In 1965 the regional pran-
nrng commission prepared a plan
lor the ellpansion of Beaver Creek
Stale Parle ThiS plan proposed an
area of approximately 9,000 acres.
includlf'l9 lands in Pennsylvania.
The proposed park included a ma-
jor portion of Lillie Beaver Creek.
The recreational and open space
potential of Liltle Beaver Creek had
also been recognized in Pennsyl-
yania by the Beaver County Plan-
ning Commission and the Western
Pennsylvania Conservancy. Both
entities e/Cpressed their desire to
cooperate in the prOlection of that
pOr1ion of little Beaver Creek in
Pennsylvania,
little Beaver Creek was named
by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
as one of the streams that was to
be studied for possible Inclusion in
the National System. A study team
composed of representatives from
BOR, U.S. Forest Service, National
Park. Service, Fish and Wildlife Serv-
ice, Corps of Engineers, the State
of Ohio, and the Commonweallh 01
Pennsylvania was organized in
1971. Following the issuance of the
study team's findings and recom-
mendations and a series of public
meetings, little Beaver Creek was
designated a State-administered
component of the National System
by the Secretary 01 the Interior In
October 1975.
Segments of the lillie Beaver in-
clude the main stem and portions
of the North Fork., the Middle Fork,
and tne West Fork lalle Beaver
Creek is the focal point of the
2,51J-acre Beaver Creek State Park.
T~is regional outdoor recreation
area IS being upgraded With addi-
tional trails and campgrounds de-
Signed to Olend With the Wilderness
character 01 the river

34

In a sense, the Sr. Croil( River is
lhree differenl riverscapes: From lIS
headwaters to Taylors Falls, Minn.,
the river's character changes lrom
a close, intimate trout stream to a
wide, straight, warm-water river.
The upper SI. Croix and its major
ttlbu!ary, the Namekagon, tend to
be shallow. with sand, graver. and
boulder bolloms The Namekagon
and the upper 25 miles of the 51.
Crall( are entirely in WiSconsin,
while Ihe lower rIVer forms a portion
of the boundary between Wisconsin
and Minnesola before il joins tr.e
MissISSippi near Minneapolls-SI.
Paul
For 27 miles below Taylors Falls,
tne SI. CrOI~ IS relatively shallow
and intimate With dozens oj islands,
sandbars, and sloughS The remain-
ing 25 miles of the 51 CrOll!: are
broader, deeper and more devel-
oped Blu~js are a d.stinctlve fea-
ture along Ihe ent;re river. The
ml).t~re o~ ltees along ItS length

I

Canoe'ng along the 51. Croix Narional
ScefJic Rillerway in Wisconsin_

I

proVides a spectacular array of
colors in the autumn_
There had long been interest in
preserving the wild and scenic qual-
illes of Ihe 51. Croix and lhe Name-
kagon. Various bills inlroduced
belore both the 89th and 90th Con-
gresses proposed a 51. Croix Na-
lional Scenic RlvelWay (or "Water-
way") or the inclusion of the
streams in a nalional system of
Wild and sceniC tJvers.
In June 1968, at Ihe suggestion
of lhe Northern Stales Power Com-
pany, the pnnClpal owner of lands
along the 51. CroiX. a task force
compnsed 01 representatives 01 the
company, the States of Minnesota
and Wisconsin, and the National
Par\.; Service was formed to set out
in general terms a plan to preserve
the upper 51 Crob, and Its tnbu-

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