THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI "4 1()ifd 4"" SceHie ~~ Steed, Final Report and Environmental Impact Statement Prepared by: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF OUTDOOR RECREATION Minneapolis AS THE NATION'S PRINCIPAL CONSERVATION AGENCY, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR MOST OF OUR NATIONALLY OWNED PUBLIC LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS INCLUDES FOSTERING THE WISEST USE OF OUR LAND AND WATER RESOURCES, PROTECTING OUR FISH AND WILDLIFE, PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL VALUES OF OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND HISTORICAL PLACES, AND PROVIDING FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE THROUGH OUTDOOR RECREATION. THE DEPARTMENT ASSESSES OUR ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES AND WORKS TO ASSURE THAT THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL OUR PEOPLE. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY FOR AMERICAN INDIAN RESERVATION COMMUNITIES AND FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ISLAND TERRITORIES UNDER U. S. ADMINISTRATION. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Cecil D. Andrus, Secretary BUREAU OF OUTDOOR RECREATION Chris Therral Delaporte, Director ? ff/ J:> _)__., :/ I UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER MINNESOTA WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY JUNE 1977 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE I. INTRODUCTION. 1 Purpose 1 Scope • 2 Conduct of the Study .. 2 Eligibility Determination and Classification Procedure ...... 3 II. PICTORIAL GUIDE TO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI ......• 5 III. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 18 Findings. 18 Prehistory . 18 History .• 18 Vegetation 18 Fishery •• 18 Wildlife • 19 Flow Characteristics . 19 Water Use. 19 Water Quality ••...•. 20 Land Use . • . • . 20 Landownership. 20 Socioeconomic. 20 Recreation 21 Access . • • . 21 Conclusions . 21 Classification . 21 Public Involvement 24 Recommendations . • • . • 25 IV. REGIONAL SETTING. • . • . • . • • • . • 30 Pre-History and Archaeological Significance . 30 History . • • . • . 33 Physical Environment ..... 44 Climate . 45 Geology and Mineral Resources • 45 Geology .....• 45 Mineral Resources ..•. 48 iii r PAGE Population and Economy. 48 Population . 48 Economy ...... 49 Agribusiness. 56 Forestry .. 60 Mining .... 60 Power Generation. 62 Transportation Network .. 69 Recreation Resources ..• 73 Rivers • • . 73 Lakes and Reservoirs • 74 Other Resources .... 75 v. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE RIVER . 78 Water Resources . 78 Flow Characteristics 78 Water Use. 81 Water Quality. 86 Wetlands 94 Oxbows . 96 Islands. 97 Related Land Resources. 99 Soils. 99 Land Cover/Use . 105 Wildlife and Fish. 108 Air Quality. 118 Landownership. 118 Land Management Policies 122 Bureau of Indian Affairs. 122 United States Forest Service. 122 Bureau of Land Management . 123 Existing Recreation Resources and Access Points. 123 Legal and Institutional Framework . 133 Federal Legislation. 133 State Legislation. 134 Federal Agencies . 136 State Agencies . 138 VI. EVALUATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE RIVER. 142 River Evaluation ... 142 River Classification. 144 IV l PAGE VII. ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTUAL PLANS AND THEIR EVALUATION. 153 Summary of the Alternative Plans 154 Alternative I--All Segments, Maximum Federal Involvement. • . • . 154 Alternative II--All Segments, Federal, State, Local Involvement .••.•.. 155 Alternative III--Selected Segments .. 156 Evaluation of Planning Alternatives •..• 156 National Economic Development Account • 157 Regional Economic Development Account • 158 Environmental Quality Account 169 Social Well-Being Account • . • . 171 VIII. RECOMMENDED RIVER PLAN • 172 Boundaries . 172 Means of Protection. 173 Fee Title Acquisition. 173 Scenic Easements 173 Zoning .•.• 175 Development •. 178 Management •• 180 Administration • 186 Federal 186 State •• 187 IX. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT . 188 Description of the Proposed Action • • 188 Description of the Environment • • 190 Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action .• 190 Impact on Cultural, Historical, and Archaeological Resources 191 Impact on Scenic Quality .••. 192 Impact on Air Quality . • . 193 Impact on Soils and Vegetation. 194 Impact on Fish •.... 197 Impact on Wildlife ••••••• 197 Impact on Water Quality . 199 Impact on Water Resource Development •• 200 Impact on Transportation and Utility Corridors. 201 Impact on Agriculture 202 Impact on Forestry .•••• 202 Impact on Minerals •...• 202 Impact on Local Population •• 203 Impact on Residential Development 203 Impact 9n Recreation. • • • • . • 204 v PAGE Mitigating Measures Included in the Proposed Action .......... 205 Archaeology and History. 206 Vegetation and Soils . 206 Water Quality .. 207 Litter . • . 207 Economy. 207 Probable Adverse Effects Which Cannot be Avoided Should the Proposal be Implemented. 207 Relationship Between Short-Term Use of the Environment and Long-Term Productivity. 209 Any Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources Which Would be Involved in the Proposed Action Should it be Implemented . 210 Alternatives to the Proposed Action . 210 Alternative I: No Action. • . 210 Impact on Historical, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources . 210 Impact on Scenic Quality. 210 Impact on Soils and Vegetation. 211 Impact on Fish and Wildlife . 211 Impact on Water Quality 212 Impact on Recreation. 212 Other Impacts . 212 Alternative II: Inclusion of All Qualifying Segments in the National System Under A Combination of Federal, State, and Local Administration ............. " 212 Alternative III: Inclusion of Selected Segments in the National System. • 213 Impact on Soils and Vegetation. 213 Impact on Fish and Wildlife 213 Impact on Recreation. 214 Other Impacts . • . 214 Consultation and Coordination With Others . 214 TABLES 1. Regional Socioeconomic Profile. 51 2. Power Supply Requirements - PSA #16 63 3. Energy Generating Facilities on the Mississippi River 64 VI L PAGE 4. Distance/Time from Major Urban Centers to Brainerd, Minnesota .• 71 5. Federal and State Parks - Size Facilities and Visitation. 77 6. Water Quality 89 7. Soil Interpretations. 100 8. Degree of Soil Limitation and Major Features Affecting Recreation Uses . • • . • 101 9. Recreation Facility Inventory for the Upper Mississippi River . • . • . • • . 125 10. Total Federal Investment and Resulting Benefits for Upper Mississippi Alternative Plans . 158 11. Sunnnary Comparison of Recommended Plan and Alternatives. • . • . • • 159 12. Minnesota Shoreland Management Act, Minimum Zoning Standards .• 177 13. Minnesota Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers System Act, Minimum Zoning Standards •.•• 179 14. Estimates of Annual Visitor Days Recreation • 205 FIGURES 1. Qualifying Segments 23 2. History 1768-1869 . 42 3. History 1869-1910 . 43 4. Surficial Geology 46 5. Major Mineral Areas 47 6. Regional Setting. 50 7. Population Projections. 52 "" PAGE 8. Existing and Projected Earnings Distribution 54 9. Jobs by County 55 10. Gross Sales by County .. 57 11. Grain Acres by County. 58 12. Livestock Production by County . 59 13. Forest Acreage and Production by County. 61 14. Travel Industry Sales. 68 15. Transportation Network 70 16. Mean Monthly Flow. 79 17. River Width. 80 18. Sinuosity. 80 19. Gradient . 80 20. River Profiles 83 21. Wetlands 95 22. Oxbows . 95 23. Islands. 95 24. Land Cover/Use 107 25. Riverfront Landownership 119 26. River Access and Recreation Facilities . 124 27. Proposed Initial Development ..... 181 VIII PHOTO CREDITS Photos by Bureau of Outdoor Recreation except: Page 31, TCR Productions for U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Page 38, Wisconsin Natural Resources Department Madison, Wisconsin. IX at .oome. fiutwl.e. day, .o U6 .tcUn a de.no e. H. Sc.hoolc.Jr.afi:t "I:t b.:i wonde.nfiul. :to ob.oeAve. how thb.:i f[,[ve.n c.ombhie...o a..U. :the. fie.a.twte.,o o 6 gtta.nde.Wt and beauty, all that c.an a66rz.c.:t and a.oto;i,U,h. I:t c.ompwe...o at :thb.:i .opo.t, wU:hJ..n a .opac.ioU.6 and e.nc.han.ting e.nc.lo.oWl.e., 6-{.fi:te.e.n ..loland.6, Jz..i.va.Li.ng e.ac.h otheJL in e..te.ga.nc.e. a.nd c.haJmJ.o • Nat.Wte. .6 e.e.m.6 :to tLe.pM e. w).;th ple.M Wte. in :the. v..le.w o 6 .them, and :to be. p!1..oud o 6 heJL wo!l..k. • .• " I. INTRODUCTION Purpose On October 2, 1968, the Congress of the United States enacted the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Public Law 90-542. In this Act the Congress declared it: ••• to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recrea­ tional, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and. their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes. The Act established the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, designated eight rivers as initial components of the system, identified 27 rivers for study as potential additions to the National System, and prescribed methods and standards by which additional rivers could be added to the system from time to time. In January 1975 the Act was amended placing 29 additional rivers in the study category, one of which is the Upper Mississippi River. The Act calls for a determination of the suitability of the Upper Mississippi River for inclusion in the National System