Environmental Factors

Early winter along the Namekagon River.

NPS/Jonathan Moore

The St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers are always flowing and they are in a constantly shifting, dynamic state. Changing water levels and moving sand drive the change. The land that adjoins the rivers is also dynamic. Weather and climate change, geologic processes, fire, and human-caused factors such as air and water pollution are only a few of the agents of change that have helped to create the Riverway that we know today.

The park provides a "living laboratory" that helps us better understand how these environmental factors have shaped park landscapes and ecosystems. Park staff are monitoring changes in environmental factors to alert managers to threats to the resources, hopefully, in time to prevent long-term damage to the resources.

• Blue-green algae
• Disturbed lands
• Non-native species
• Soundscape / Noise
• Water quality