Our Legacy of Victory
Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Designation
In 1989, Clean Wisconsin helped secure major protections for a 92.3 mile stretch of the Wisconsin River that runs from the dam in Prairie Du Sac at the northern most end all the way south to the river’s confluence with the Mississippi River. A popular destination for canoeists, kayakers, day-trippers and campers alike, this protected section of the Wisconsin River is the longest free-flowing stretch of river in the Midwest. In total, the designation now protects nearly 95,000 acres of land.
A law establishing the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway and land management standards went into effect in August 1989. Since then, Wisconsin residents and visitors have been able to enjoy large swaths of unimpeded river teeming with diverse wildlife. Clean Wisconsin lobbying, testimony, and organizing efforts to secure the area’s State Riverway designation alongside other environmental groups helped guarantee the river’s scenic beauty and natural resources would remain protected for generations to come.
Why It Matters
The section of the Wisconsin River north of the designated state riverway contains 26 hydroelectric dams and 21 reservoirs, more than any other stretch of river in the nation. While the river has helped Wisconsin grow to become the state we know it as today, disruption of many species’ native habitat has negatively impacted the wildlife that call Wisconsin home. The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway designation ensures the birds, fish, deer and other wildlife that we share our state with have a place to call home.
