Keiichi Koike

“Wisconsin Waters: The Ancient History of Lakes, Rivers and Waterfalls” is a combination natural history, human experience and travelogue. Its subject is the waters of Wisconsin: Great Lakes, smaller lakes, rivers and streams. After addressing the Origins of Wisconsin Waters, it divides the state into Northeastern Highlands, Northeastern Ridges and Lowlands, Southeastern Glacial Showcase, and The Driftless Area. For each geographic subarea, The Bois Brule River and The Upper Lake Michigan Shore, for example, the section contains accounts of its location and dimensions, geological origins and a Travel Guide with sites to see and directions to lead you there. Frequent references to The Ice Age Trail illustrate its significance. The text is richly supplemented by color photos and maps. The Index aids finding what intrigues and the Bibliography is a guide to future reading and an affirmation of past reading.

The subtitle is instructive. The narrative begins with the ancient, and I mean billions of years, history in which continental drift, erosion, glaciation and human activity have shaped the landscape of Wisconsin to its present topography. It continues through native American habitation, sometimes through European settlement and, occasionally, to present times. His geological timetable provides helpful frames of references.

This volume would be attractive to readers with a variety of interests. First are students of natural history. As in his work, “Wisconsin State Parks” (see my review), author Scott Spoolman focuses heavily on geology, for which Wisconsin is a case study. Its landmass having migrated from tropics to its current location on continental plates, Wisconsin’s natural history extends far beyond its modern climate. Spooners’ tale encompasses the rise and fall of seas and lakes, advancing and retreating glaciers, dinosaurs, mastodons, beavers larger than contemporary bears and a varieties of flora and fauna that shifted with the climate. Not limiting his work to geology, Spoolman also chronicles human adaption to climate change through the eons and provides a guide to travelers seeking nature’s wonders.

As a life-long learner and frequent traveler to Wisconsin, I appreciate this volume on several levels. Despite my interest, I have difficulty wrapping my mind around ancient earth science, but this tome, as well as “Wisconsin State Parks”, is an aid. It has introduced concepts I have not considered before. I knew that glaciers scoured the ground, moving rocks and debris for hundreds of miles, but never thought that a melting glacier would water land for decades or centuries be the source of rivers. When I travel across Wisconsin, I enjoy understanding what I am seeing. I have often seen what I now know to be kettle lakes, created by chunks of ice that depressed the land then filled the basins as they melted. During a recent visit to the Driftless area in southwestern Wisconsin, I noticed the change in topography and now realize it is one of the oldest landforms on earth. I now have places to see, sights to explore and wonders to savor.

I did receive a free copy of this book without an obligation to review.… (más)