Temperance River
Encyclopedia
The Temperance River is a river in northern Minnesota
, which drains into Lake Superior
along its north shore
just south of Tofte
. It flows out of Brule Lake in Cook County towards its mouth within Temperance River State Park
. Its name is supposedly a pun on its lack of a sand bar.
, meaning "deep hollow river. While it retained this name in the earliest geological surveys, in 1864 Thomas Clark reported its present name, which he alleged arose as a pun from the fact that the river has no sand bar near its mouth. However, this is not the only river on Lake Superior to have this feature, which has cast some doubt on that story.
. Near Lake Superior, the river has dug deep potholes into the bedrock, some of which connected to form a narrow gorge and a system of waterfalls. The depth of the water where the river enters the lake prevents the river from developing a sand bar at its mouth. The Temperance has a drainage basin of 198 square miles (512.8 km²), which is the fourth largest catchment for a Minnesota river entering into Superior, after the Saint Louis River
, Pigeon River, and Brule River
.
and its upper portions are within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
, thus it remains largely undeveloped. The only two major developments in the immediate vicinity of the river are Minnesota State Highway 61
and Temperance River State Park
. Highway 61 was built by Minnesota's state highway department. beginning in 1926, and was completely paved by 1940. During this time the highway department acquired 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land at the mouth of the river where Highway 61 crosses it, which in 1957 were organized into the present state park. The Superior Hiking Trail
, which crosses Temperance River, does so in this park.
The flow of the Temperance is not currently regulated, but during the early 20th century, dams on Brule Lake, used in conjunction with some limited logging in the region of the Brule River, have modified how much water escapes into either river. In 1925, a 112 feet (34.1 m) canal was blasted between Brule Lake and the South Brule river, while a dam was built to close off its outlet into the Temperance, all without the permission of Minnesota's Game and Fish Department. These were later repaired, using nearby boulders, brush, and two bags of cement. During the 1920's, Edward Wellington Backus
was attempting to build hydroelectric dams on northern Minnesotan rivers, and the blasting was likely connected to this development. It has been variously blamed on land speculators trying to convince buyers that the Brule had enough flow to be a viable source of hydroelectric power, or upon employees of a local development company working towards the same purpose.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, which drains into Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
along its north shore
North Shore (Lake Superior)
The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth, Minnesota, United States, at the southwestern end of the lake, to Thunder Bay and Nipigon, Ontario, Canada, in the north to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in the east...
just south of Tofte
Tofte, Minnesota
Tofte is an unincorporated community in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. Tofte is located on Minnesota State Highway 61 between Grand Marais and Little Marais....
. It flows out of Brule Lake in Cook County towards its mouth within Temperance River State Park
Temperance River State Park
Temperance River State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, just north of the town of Schroeder on Highway 61 on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It has campsites, picnic areas, and hiking trails on both sides of the Temperance River.-History:...
. Its name is supposedly a pun on its lack of a sand bar.
Name
The Temperance River was named Kawimbash by the OjibwaOjibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
, meaning "deep hollow river. While it retained this name in the earliest geological surveys, in 1864 Thomas Clark reported its present name, which he alleged arose as a pun from the fact that the river has no sand bar near its mouth. However, this is not the only river on Lake Superior to have this feature, which has cast some doubt on that story.
Topography
The Temperance River flows over thirty miles between its source, Brule Lake, and its mouth. Brule Lake is unusual in that it has two outlets. The Temperance flows from its western outlet, and carries approximately half of the flow leaving the lake, while the Brule River carries the other half from its eastern outlet. After leaving Brule Lake, the Temperance flows through a chain of smaller lakes for the upper half of its length. It shares this feature with its neighbors, the Cross, Poplar, and Cascade rivers, which gives it a warmer water temperature and more steady flow than streams further to the south. After this, it proceeds to flow directly over the bedrock which is entirely igneous, formed during the formation of the Keweenawan RiftMidcontinent Rift System
The Midcontinent Rift System or Keweenawan Rift is a long geological rift in the center of the North American continent and south-central part of the North American plate. It formed when the continent's core, the North American craton, began to split apart during the Mesoproterozoic era of the...
. Near Lake Superior, the river has dug deep potholes into the bedrock, some of which connected to form a narrow gorge and a system of waterfalls. The depth of the water where the river enters the lake prevents the river from developing a sand bar at its mouth. The Temperance has a drainage basin of 198 square miles (512.8 km²), which is the fourth largest catchment for a Minnesota river entering into Superior, after the Saint Louis River
Saint Louis River
The St. Louis River is a river in the U.S. states of Minnesota and Wisconsin that flows into Lake Superior. The largest U.S. river to flow into the lake, it is 179 miles in length and starts near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The river's watershed is in area...
, Pigeon River, and Brule River
Brule River (Minnesota)
The Brule River is a river of Minnesota. The Brule River originates at Brule Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and terminates at Lake Superior approximately northeast of Grand Marais, Minnesota within the boundaries of Judge C. R...
.
History of Development
Temperance River is located within the Superior National ForestSuperior National Forest
Superior National Forest, part of the United States National Forest system, is located in the Arrowhead Region of the state of Minnesota between the Canada – United States border and the north shore of Lake Superior...
and its upper portions are within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , is a wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota under the administration of the U.S. Forest Service...
, thus it remains largely undeveloped. The only two major developments in the immediate vicinity of the river are Minnesota State Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 61 is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and Minnesota 61 in Duluth and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the U.S.-Canadian border near Grand Portage...
and Temperance River State Park
Temperance River State Park
Temperance River State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, just north of the town of Schroeder on Highway 61 on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It has campsites, picnic areas, and hiking trails on both sides of the Temperance River.-History:...
. Highway 61 was built by Minnesota's state highway department. beginning in 1926, and was completely paved by 1940. During this time the highway department acquired 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land at the mouth of the river where Highway 61 crosses it, which in 1957 were organized into the present state park. The Superior Hiking Trail
Superior Hiking Trail
The Superior Hiking Trail, also known as The “SHT,” is a 275-mile long footpath in Northeastern Minnesota, which for most of its length follows the ridgeline overlooking Lake Superior. The path is 18-inches wide and is set in the middle of a 4 foot clearing. The footpath travels through forests of...
, which crosses Temperance River, does so in this park.
The flow of the Temperance is not currently regulated, but during the early 20th century, dams on Brule Lake, used in conjunction with some limited logging in the region of the Brule River, have modified how much water escapes into either river. In 1925, a 112 feet (34.1 m) canal was blasted between Brule Lake and the South Brule river, while a dam was built to close off its outlet into the Temperance, all without the permission of Minnesota's Game and Fish Department. These were later repaired, using nearby boulders, brush, and two bags of cement. During the 1920's, Edward Wellington Backus
Edward Wellington Backus
Edward Wellington Backus was a timber baron, dam builder, mill owner, financier, developer of the northern reaches of Minnesota, and president of the Ontario & Minnesota Power Company and Minnesota and Ontario Paper Company...
was attempting to build hydroelectric dams on northern Minnesotan rivers, and the blasting was likely connected to this development. It has been variously blamed on land speculators trying to convince buyers that the Brule had enough flow to be a viable source of hydroelectric power, or upon employees of a local development company working towards the same purpose.