The City of Hurley is located on the Montreal River, the border between Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is located in the Montreal River watershed in Iron County. The city was founded to serve the interests of both lumbermen and miners. The Ojibwe name for the Montreal River is Gaa-waasijiwaang, meaning "where there is ...

Understanding the Context

A sharp increase in the sedimentation rate soon after European settlement and clearing for agriculture, logging, or town establishment in the watershed has been thoroughly documented throughout Wisconsin (E&S Environmental Chemistry, Inc. 1992, Garrison 1993, Garrison and Hurley 1993). The cities of Hurley, WI and Ironwood, MI, discharge into this sub-watershed. The West Fork of the Montreal River above Gile Flowage is considered a warm water fishery including young walleye, perch, crappies, northern pike and the occasional brook trout.

Key Insights

Other studies within the Mississippi River drainage have documented greater movements of 34 to 335 miles (Helms 1974, Hurley et al 1987, Curtis 1990). It is possible that these larger movements are seasonal or associated with spawning migrations.