The Wisconsin River
Being the longest river in the state of Wisconsin US at 430 miles (692) kilometers, the Wisconsin River is one of the main natural features in this great state. The Red Indian tribes referred to it as the “Meskousing” which was later made easy to pronounce by the 17th century explorers as “Wisconsin”. It is one of the tributaries of the great River Mississippi and originates from the Lake District forests near Michigan. It meanders gracefully through the glacial plain, Wausau up Stevens Point, where it is dammed to tap hydro power.
It is one of the navigable rivers in the US and hence it is used to transport goods and services to neighboring states, qualifying it to be protected by the commercial clause of the United States Constitution. Many economic activities are done on the river including tourism, where tourists are attracted by the watersports such as canoeing, tubing and snorkeling. Other activities include transport of goods, fishing for commercial purposes and mining. Several mineral deposits have been discovered in the river including frac sands, zinc, iron, copper, gold and silver deposits.
One of the most important activities done at the river is Hydro power generation at Stevens Point Dam. This energy is distributed throughout the state to power the industries, homes and other forms of businesses. The Pentenwell Lake exists from the damming of the waters of the Wisconsin River. A lot of real estate development has cropped up around this lake. Water sports have attracted a lot of tourists as well as home buyers. Some people are also earning a living by either being tour guides or fishermen on this lake.
Apart from the economic activities around the river, it is one of the most important sources of water in the state both for human consumption as well as wild life. The flora and fauna found in the state is much more beautiful due to the waters of the river. It is a very important ecosystem balancing feature in the state.
Although much of the southern part of the river is protected by the government, much of the river is open for economic activities without regulation. After all, economic activity is reduced due to the fact that it is one of the major tributaries of the river Mississippi, a very important river in many parts of the United States. When you come to think of it, Wisconsin state got the name from the river. It traverses the whole of Wisconsin; make it clear to all and sundry that it is the majestic source of life for the people of Wisconsin!