Save the St. Croix

This letter to the editor, by Laurie Harmon, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on July 2, 2026.

Do you brag about our lovely St. Croix Valley? I do. Whenever I return from vacationing elsewhere, I am always struck by the beauty of my hometown. We pride ourselves on taking care of our natural resources because we want everyone to safely enjoy outdoor activities and/or just marvel at the amazing place we get to call home.

With the proposed drawdown of Lake Mallalieu, however, our beautiful home is at risk. Our local governments need to step up to the plate, stop the drawdown and protect our unique St. Croix River Valley from unnecessary and potentially irreversible pollution. We could lose much of our natural beauty and balanced ecosystem simply because a small number of folks in the Lake Mallalieu Association want to unnecessarily and dangerously add more water.

This proposed drawdown will move phosphorus, arsenic and who knows what else (sediments, waste, fertilizers, nitrates, etc.) into our lakes and rivers, affecting anyone who wants to enjoy St. Croix County’s protected waterways. These inevitable pollutants will further pollute them and cause even more algae blooms.

Our natural resources in St. Croix County are too valuable to use as dumps for mucky sediments and pollutants. We all lose with the proposed drawdown: residents, tourists and local businesses.

Our governments must protect the St. Croix River because it’s the place we are all proud to call home and a place that offers rest and recreation to many residents and visitors. St. Croix County residents can make our voices heard by telling our local governments to stop the drawdown of Lake Mallalieu!