Ojibwe Wild Rice Harvest

Ojibwe Wild Rice Harvest. Kathio Landmark Trail. , Ricing Pits , The two circular depressions near this sign are remnants of a historic Ojibwe wild rice harvesting camp. Beginning in the 1750s and continuing for roughly two centuries, Ojibwe families harvested the bountiful supply of wild rice that grew in the shallow waters of Ogechie Lake., The smaller depression on the left was a threshing pit. The larger depression on the right was used to store the wild rice after it was processed. "Ricing pits" such as these occur at several sites on the shores of Ogechie Lake, Shakopee Lake and Lake Onamia. They are archaeological evidence of a tradition still practiced by harvesters of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe., Wild Rice and Ogechie Lake , For thousands of years Ogechie Lake provided wild rice for waterfowl and for human harvest. Since the 1980s, the lake has produced very little rice. Some years scarcely a few plants grew where, in years past, the water could not be seen due to the abundance of wild rice stalks., What happened to the Wild Rice? , Some said that the Buck Moore Dam, once located at the southern end of the lake, disrupted the natural flow and water level to such a degree that it caused the disappearance. Others noted an intrusion of carp from Mille Lacs Lake. Carp disturb the lake bottom in their foraging and uproot wild rice plants. Still others pointed to the constriction of the river as it flows from Mille Lacs, caused twice by bridge building on the highway., Lack of wild rice is a serious concern to resource managers from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Together they extensively studied the problem and searched for solutions. This in-depth research resulted in the understanding that there was enough native seed stock still in the lake to support natural regeneration, if the natural conditions of the lake and river could be restored. It was decided that the best way to do this was through the modification of the Buck Moore Dam., To assure that the removal of the Buck Moore Dam would not permanently lower the level of Mille Lacs Lake, the project was modified to include a new water control structure at the headwaters of the Rum River. Its state-of-the-art design maintains the same water level on Mille Lacs as the former Buck Moore Dam and brings the natural conditions back to Ogechie Lake. The main goal of the restoration project was to restore a naturally reproducing, vigorous and genetically unmodified wild rice stand. After the changes were made, thanks to the cooperative efforts, wild rice began to emerge once again. Both parties are hopeful that in future years the lake will produce wild rice as it has in the past., Photos courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society