Recognizing the outstanding scenic, fishery,
wildlife and recreational qualities of the Snake River and its
Valley, the mission of the Friends of the Snake River is hereby
declared to be the oversight, protection and general stewardship of
these qualities in the watercourse, riparian environments and the
extended watershed of the River. We propose to meet these
goals through the collection of information, interactive education
and jointly conducted programs of challenge and support, pursued by
members in cooperation with relevant public agencies and other
citizen conservation groups.
*****
Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources
Forest
Classification and Off Highway Vehicle Road/Trail Designation
Schedule
for
the Snake River State Forest
Message
received from DNR July 21, 2008:
The Department of Natural Resources is conducting
a statewide review of the forest classification of State Forest
lands in the East Central Group of forests.
You are being contacted because you have indicated an interest in
the planning that is underway.
The Department has released its Draft Plan and maps for the East
Central Forests. The Draft Plan covers 6 State Forests (DAR,
Hill River, Land O'Lakes, Savanna, Snake River, Waukenabo) and
scattered DNR Forestry-administered forest lands in 8 counties
(Aitkin, Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, So. Cass,
Washington).
The draft plan and maps provide the Department's
recommendations on forest classification, forest road/trail
designations, and Areas with Limitations on Off-trail and
Non-designated Trail Use for the planning unit. The maps
provide recommendations from Aitkin and Cass Counties for routes
proposed to be open or closed to OHVs on county-administered
lands.
Scroll down to the bottom of the table to see the information for
the East Central Forests. The draft plan and maps are found
over to the right in column 5.
The DNR/counties will hold three public meetings to receive public
comment in late September. Meetings will be held in:
Aitkin on September 23
Mora on September 24
Pine River on September 25
See the Draft Plan for details for each meeting. DNR’s
Planning Team and Area Staff familiar with the state forest lands
in this part of the planning unit, will be attending. Staff
from Cass and Aitkin Counties will also be present.
The Department will accept written comments thru 4:30 PM on
October 3, 2008. Comments may be sent to the attention of:
Brian McCann, Planner
MnDNR Division of Trails & Waterways
Box 52
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
Thank you for your interest in the planning process.
Sincerely,
Bill Johnson, Planner
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
*****
Welcome
to Ford Township
The
Snake River State Forest is accessed through Ford
Township in the northern part of Kanabec County. You can learn more
about Ford Township by visiting the website.
Check
for Snake River water levels
The
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports river levels at four locations
along the Snake River between Pine City and the Ford Township bridge east of
Woodland. These reports are updated weekly. They report valuable
information for those planning canoeing or boating activities on the
River. Check out the DNR
Snake River water level reports, or check out the USGS
gauge at Pine City for up to the minutes reports.
*****
Welcome!
The Snake River is located in east-central Minnesota, between
the Twin Cities and Duluth, and is a part of the St. Croix River basin.
The River begins about 6 miles north of McGrath, in the Solana State Forest in
southern Aitkin County, and flows 90 miles southward and then eastward, and
about 560 feet down to the St. Croix River east of Pine City. The Snake
River and its tributaries drain about 986 square miles of watershed.
The earliest name for the Snake River was Portage River given
by the European fur trappers. The Mandan Indians were the earliest known
inhabitants of the region, followed by the Dakota, who in turn were
displaced by the Ojibwe, and eventually by European settlers.
The Snake River has "some of the wilder and more scenic river
environment in Minnesota" according to Dr. Thomas Waters, the founder of
Friends of the Snake River. The upper half of the watershed is relatively
wild and forest covered. (See photo above.) Logging of the high
quality stands of white pine in the area began in 1837 and peaked in the
1880's. The virgin stands of white pine were completely removed and the
land transformed by wildfires and clearing. The replacement forest
consists of hardwoods and aspen. Some of the steepest gradients in the
River are found between McGrath and the bridge east of Woodland where the River
flows through two granite gorges known as the Upper and Lower Falls of the Snake
River.
You can reach Friends of the Snake River by contacting Tom Mortenson
at: