Kinnickinnic River (St. Croix River)

The Kinnickinnic River, called the Kinni for short, is a 25-mile-long river in northwestern Wisconsin in the United States. It is listed as a Class I trout stream. The Kinnickinnic River arises from springs in St. Croix County and flows in a southwesterly direction before emptying into the St. Croix River in Kinnickinnic State Park. The city of River Falls, Wisconsin, named after a waterfall on the Kinnickinnic, is situated on the river. The name "Kinnickinnic" is a word from the Anishinaabe language, and refers to tobacco mixed with other plant material for smoking. [cite web
last = Milwaukee Public Museum
authorlink = http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/
title = Wild Plant Foods
date =
url = http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/ICW-32.html
accessdate = 2008-04-13] The first setteler along the Kinnickinnick River was Joel Foster. He spent his first winter in a walled in cave overhang at junction falls near where the power plant now stands.

The Kinnickinnic is composed of two types of river.cite web
last = Kiap-TU-Wish Chapter Trout Unlimited
authorlink = http://www.lambcom.net/kiaptuwish/
title = A Short History of the Kinni
date = 2002
url = http://www.lambcom.net/kiaptuwish/river_pages/kinni_history.html
accessdate = ] Above River Falls, the river flows slowly, with a sandy/silty bottom and a narrower bed. Below River Falls, the bed is wider and is generally composed of stone rather than sand or silt. A substantial amount of silt and sand are deposited in the delta, enough that that section of the St. Croix is known as the "Kinnickinnic Narrows."cite web
last = National Park Service, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
authorlink = http://www.nps.gov/sacn/
title = Annual Report: Quantitative Assessment of Zebra Mussels at Native Mussels Beds in the Lower St. Croix River - 2005.
publisher = National Park Service
date = March 2006
url = http://www.nps.gov/sacn/naturescience/upload/2005Zebra%20Mussel%20Density.pdf
accessdate = ] The water is slightly colder above River Falls than below, as the dam in the city allows the water to sit and warm up before continuing.

The differences in the stream means for differences in the fish population. The upper section of the river contains very high numbers of trout that are of relatively smaller size. The warmer water below River Falls supports more minnow and crustacean life, which can support larger trout, though in fewer numbers. The extreme case of this is near the delta, where the water becomes even warmer, and the river supports warmer-water species such as smallmouth bass.

References

* Pierce County Heritage Series Vol II. (Joel Foster reminiscences of River Falls)