The St. Croix River was one of the original eight rivers to be protected by the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. The upper parts of the river for the first and the Namekagon River are protected as the "St. Croix National Scenic Riverway". The only interruption is a hydroelectric dam operated by the Northern States Power Company at St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. The lower , including both sides of the river along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, were protected as part of the "Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway". 