Table of Contents
acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................................................				i
Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations ..........................................................................................................................				iv
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................................				xi
Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................................				1
	Overview ......................................................................................................................................................................................			1
	Remedial Action Plan ....................................................................................................................................................................			1
	Habitat Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................................			2
	How To Use This Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................			3
HISTORY OF THE LOWER ST. LOUIS RIVER ...............................................................................................................................				5
	Geologic History of the Lower St. Louis River ...............................................................................................................................			5
	Pre-Industrial History of the Lower St. Louis River ........................................................................................................................			6
	Post-Industrial History of the Lower St. Louis River ......................................................................................................................			9
	Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................................			11
Overview of the Planning Process ..................................................................................................................................				13
LOWER ST. LOUIS RIVER ECOSYSTEM .......................................................................................................................................				15
	Physical Setting of the Lower St. Louis River .................................................................................................................................			16
	Historical and Current Habitats of the Lower St. Louis River ..........................................................................................................			16
	Overview of Conservation Targets ................................................................................................................................................			19
	Conservation Targets - Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats ....................................................................................................			21
		Classification of Plant Community and Aquatic Habitat Conservation Targets ....................................................................		21
		Mapping Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats ................................................................................................................		23
		Natural Range of Variation of Ecosystems and Their Processes .............................................................................................		25
		Descriptions of Plant Community and Aquatic Habitat Conservation Targets ......................................................................		27
			Estuarine Aquatic Habitats .........................................................................................................................................	28
			Estuarine Plant Communities .....................................................................................................................................	35
			Baymouth Bar Communities .......................................................................................................................................	37
			Upland Forest Communities .......................................................................................................................................	38
			Other Inland Plant Communities ................................................................................................................................	41
	Conservation Targets - Species Assemblages and Individual Species .............................................................................................			42
		Descriptions of Species Conservation Targets .........................................................................................................................		43
	Regional and Global Significance of the Lower St. Louis River .......................................................................................................			51
ThreatS TO THE LOWER ST. louis river ecosystem .......................................................................................................				53
	Overview of Stresses and Sources of Stress ..................................................................................................................................			54
	Stresses.........................................................................................................................................................................................			55
		Loss of Habitat .........................................................................................................................................................................		55
		Increased Sedimentation ..........................................................................................................................................................		57
		Competition from Undesirable Exotic Species ........................................................................................................................		59
		Exposure to Sediment-associated Contaminants .....................................................................................................................		63
		Degraded Water Quality ...........................................................................................................................................................		65
	Sources of Stress ..........................................................................................................................................................................			66
		Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Development ............................................................................................................		66
		Commercial Shipping ...............................................................................................................................................................		67
		Contaminated Sediments ..........................................................................................................................................................		68
		Forest Management Practices .................................................................................................................................................		69
		Airborne Deposition of Chemical Contaminants .....................................................................................................................		70
		Global Climate Change ...........................................................................................................................................................		70
Strategies for Mitigating Threats ...................................................................................................................................				71
	Strategy 1: Protect Critical Remaining Natural Areas .....................................................................................................................			73
	Strategy 2: Maintain a List of Priority Restoration Projects and Sites ..............................................................................................			76
	Strategy 3: Remediate Contaminated Sediments and Restore Natural Functions..............................................................................			79
	Strategy 4: Reduce Peak Stream Flows that Result from Land Use Patterns....................................................................................			81
	Strategy 5: Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Roads and Parking Lots .................................................................................			81
	Strategy 6: Improve Stormwater Management and Eliminate Sanitary Sewer Overflows .................................................................			82
	Strategy 7: Minimize Impacts of Recreational Vehicles....................................................................................................................			83
	Strategy 8: Implement BMPs to Control Sedimentation and Protect Water Quality .........................................................................			83
	Strategy 9: Increase Use of Compatible Forest Management Practices ...........................................................................................			84
	Strategy 10: Enhance Enforcement and Compliance Monitoring of Environmental Permits ...............................................................			85
	Strategy 11: Modify Current Land Use/Zoning Regulations ............................................................................................................			85
	Strategy 12: Restore Natural Drainage Systems and Processes.......................................................................................................			86
	Strategy 13: Control Populations of Undesirable Exotic Species .....................................................................................................			87
	Strategy 14: Regulate Ballast Water Discharge to Control Introduction of Exotic Species ...............................................................			87
	Strategy 15: Develop Zebra Mussel Control Strategy ....................................................................................................................			88
	Strategy 16: Infuse the Lower St. Louis River Habitat Plan into Public Planning Processes ..............................................................			89
	Strategy 17: Encourage the Development and Implementation of a Comprehensive Port Plan ..........................................................			89
	Strategy 18: Encourage the Development and Implementation of a Comprehensive Dredge Material Management Plan ...................			90
Indicators OF SUCCESS ............................................................................................................................................................				93
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................................................................				99
Appendices ....................................................................................................................................................................................				107
	Appendix 1. List of Participants and Reviewers
	Appendix 2. List of Plant Communities Mapped in the Lower St. Louis River
	Appendix 3. List and Descriptions of Aquatic Habitat Types of the Lower St. Louis River and Their Ecological Values
	Appendix 4. Conservation Target-Related Recommendations from St. Louis River Remedial Action Plan Stage Two
	Appendix 5. List of Fish Species Native to the Lower St. Louis River
	Appendix 6. Fish Use of Aquatic Habitats in the Lower St. Louis River
	Appendix 7. Birds of the Lower St. Louis River
	Appendix 8. Summary of Threats Identified for Each Conservation Target in the Lower St. Louis River
Maps*
		Map 1. Locational Map of Project Area Boundary
		Map 2. Presettlement Vegetation of the Lower St. Louis River Project Area
		Map 3. Current Vegetation of the Lower St. Louis River Project Area
		Map 4. St. Louis River Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats
		Map 5. Aquatic Habitat Types
		Plant Community Map 1 of 4
		Plant Community Map 2 of 4
		Plant Community Map 3 of 4
		Plant Community Map 4 of 4
*NOTE:  These are LARGE FORMAT DETAILED or  JAVA-Enabled** maps.
Please allow for longer load times
** Click below to download the JAVA Plug-in for your Operating System Platform
		http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
List of Tables
		Table 1. Conservation Targets of the Lower St. Louis River.........................................................................................................		20
		Table 2. Estimated range of variation of successional stages in boreal spruce-fir forest (per Frelich199