The May 25 and June 1 expeditions to clean up the Wood River of log jams have been completed with great success.
On May 25, a group of 6 (Bob Hartshorn, Jerry Dorff, Julie Chell, Rod Kleiss, Dave Dahlberg and Pam Davies) made our way from the HWY 70 bridge just west of the Gun Club down stream to the River Road bridge cleaning up about 10 impediments to navigation! We met at Wild River Outfitters where Jerry Dorff fitted us out with canoes and kayaks. In hip waders and pfds, with 4 chain saws, an extension saw, a come-along and tow strap, and a machete we made our way from jam to jam with only one minor mishap. Some 9.5 hours after starting out, we emerged from the river sodden, gritty with sand and decidedly exhausted. But we had a great time.
May 25, 2016 Wood River Cleanup
On June 1, Bob Harnshorn, Steve Hoffman, Julie Chell, Sharon Johnson, Rod Kleiss, Jerry Dorff and Pam Davies met at the Gun Club. The Club was closed for the day so that we could safely clear four significant log jams from the portion of the Wood River that runs through Gun Club land. Working from shore we employed chain saws, machete, extension saw, and 2 come-alongs. By 3:30 we were fairly confident that most of the way from Memory Lake to the St. Croix River is now free of impediments to navigation via canoe or kayak! Another expedition from Memory Lake to the Saint Croix is planned for June 7. Meet at the Wild River Outfitters at 8:00 if you are interested in participating.
June 1 2016, Cleanup at Gun Club
River cleanup will be an ongoing project as new snags are created. Please report any snags you come across on the Wood River to Jerry Dorff at Wild River Outfitters, 715-463-2254.
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About the Author: Pam Davies
