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Cannon
River
Sections:
Recreational:
The Cannon
River
is classified as a recreational river from the northern city limits of Faribault
through the State Highway 56 Bridge.
Also
included is the section of river from the Lake
Byllesby to the city
of Cannon
Falls. Lake
Byllesby is not part
of the
classification.10
Scenic:
The section from the city of Cannon
Falls to where the river runs into the Mississippi river
is classified as a scenic river.11
Effects
on Local Economy:
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act will not
allow for economic
activities that were established prior to the rivers
classification to be
adversely affected by the act. Because
of this there are some management exceptions for
Cannon Falls,
Northfield
and Dundus businesses. 16
The reason
for the Cannon River
classification and
qualification:
In
1979 the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
did a study on the Cannon River to see if it was qualified to be
admitted for
protection under the Minnesota’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The report found that the Cannon River possessed
the necessary scenic, historical,
recreational, scientific and natural components that were needed for
protection. The history of the use of
the watershed is rich with fur trade, ginseng harvesting, wheat
production and
subsequent flour milling. In the 1880s
the area was known for its high quality flour.12 In 1876 Jesse James and his gang were
attempts to rob a bank in Northfield were foiled
by citizens of the town who killed two of
the robbers.13 Archaeological
investigations revealed that there was a lot of prehistoric Indian
activity in
the area around 1000A.D. These prehistoric indigenous people left an
abundance
of sites to be explored by archaeologists. The
high amount of recreational access that the river saw
in 1979 was
also considered in the report. The
“natural character” and “beautiful scenery” and the wide variety of
outdoor
activities available made the Cannon River a good
candidate for acceptance under the Act. 14 The
great diversity of fish and wildlife of
the area (around 53 species of fish and a multitude of amphibians,
reptiles,
birds, and mammals) was also factored into the decision. 15 All of these characteristics—prehistory,
history, animals, plants and the surrounding land and the river
itself—were considered
in the process that led to the Cannon River being
accepted into the program.
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