Lower St. Louis River Habitat Plan

Funded by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Grant Contract Number X995385010 with additional support from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Partners Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	i
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS	iv
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY	ix
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	15
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	50
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 Materials 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 Project Area
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. Pre-settlement 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 Index
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map Legend
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 1
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 2
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 3
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 4
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 5
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 6
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 7
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 8
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 9
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 10
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 11
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 12
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 13
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Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 15
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 16
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Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 18
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 19
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 20
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 21
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Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 25
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Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 27
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 28
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Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 30
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 31
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 32
Plant Communities and Aquatic Habitats Map 33
Map 5. Aquatic Habitat Types