St. Croix Falls Dam. - USFWS Photo

On April 13, 2006, Scott Hassett, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Michael Swenson, President and CEO of Northern States Power Company (aka Xcel Energy) signed a Memoradum of Understanding to change the operation of the St. Croix Falls Hydroelectric Project from a peaking mode to a run-of-river mode. 

The Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resource, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and other conservation groups have been working toward the change in operation to a run-of-river mode over the past several years.  This change will enhance conservation benefits to mussel communities immediately downstream of the hydro project.  

The winged mapleleaf and the Higgins eye pearlymussel, both listed as federally endangered, are found in the St. Croix River below the project.  Because the project was constructed in 1906, prior to the Federal Power Act of 1920, as amended, it is not under the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Act.  Therefore, negotiations to change the operation of the hydro project have had to be done at the State level.  The implementation of a run-of-river mode of operation satisfies one the major recovery tasks as identified in the winged mapleleaf recovery plan.