July 2023: St. Louis River Area of Concern Updates
The St. Louis River (SLR) was designated as one of the 31 Areas of Concern (AOC) on the Great Lakes. It was designated as an AOC under the U.S. – Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1987 because of significant impacts that occurred before modern environmental laws were in place. Following the SLRAOC Remedial Action Plan, state and federal agencies have been implementing management actions to address the legacy impairments. If you look, you can now see the work in progress throughout the SLRAOC: contractors are busy each construction season, plant and animal populations are rebounding, water is cleaner, and lost habitat is being restored.
Here are some current project updates, continue reading for further details:
Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Site: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Superior Lake Superior Research Institute, and the St. Louis River Alliance partnered for a day of planting dune grass at the Piping Plover habitat restoration site on Wisconsin Point. For more information click HERE.
Manoomin (Wild Rice): 49 exclosures have been installed in 6 locations, protecting Manoomin from herbivory impacts until the seed ripens. For more information click HERE.
C. Reiss Terminal: United States Environmental Protection Agency, C. Reiss, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources entered an agreement under the Great Lakes Legacy Act at the C. Reiss Terminal in Superior, WI. For more information click HERE.
Pickle Pond: Crews continued dredging and have removed 80% of the contaminated sediment from Pickle Pond. For more information click HERE.
Ponds Behind Erie Pier: Site restoration at the Ponds Behind Erie Pier Great Lakes Legacy Act project has been completed and the City’s adjacent Cross-City Train has been reopened. Press Release HERE.
Munger Landing: Work has resumed at Munger Landing. As the contaminated sediments are dredged, they are piped to Hallett Dock 7 for dewatering and water treatment.
Upcoming Event: Lake Superior Day (Sunday, June 16th from 11 am - 3 pm) Enjoy free family fun, music, kids’ activities, stand up paddle boarding, food vendors & more info booths focused on our Great Lake. For more information click HERE.
Planting crew June 2023. Photo credit: Matthew Sperrazza
Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Site
WI DNR, UW Superior Lake Superior Research Institute, and SLRA partnered for a day of planting dune grass at the Piping Plover habitat restoration site on Wisconsin Point. Over 5,200 plugs were planted to expand the dune grass area and will help to stabilize the sand while providing habitat for many species.
Find more information here: https://widnr.widen.net/view/pdf/y07izhkltm/GW_SLR_PipingPloverHabitatRestoration.pdf?t.download=true
Protective herbivory exclosures within a wild rice seeding area, July 2023. Photo credit: Wisconsin DNR.
Manoomin (Wild Rice)
Partners have been busy observing promising Manoomin (wild rice) growth this summer. 49 protective exclosures have been installed in 6 locations. These protect Manoomin from herbivory impacts until the seed ripens. Follow SLRA posts for more info on seeding events and a rice camp this fall.
For more information: https://widnr.widen.net/view/pdf/5eadfvsxw6/GW_SLR_WildRiceRestoration.pdf?t.download=true
C. Reiss Slip. Photo credit: Stantec.
C. Reiss Terminal
US EPA, C. Reiss, and WI DNR entered an agreement under the Great Lakes Legacy Act at the C. Reiss Terminal in Superior, WI. This partnership will help restore operations of a dormant dock and accelerate the clean-up of contaminated sediments. The project is in design, slated for 2024 construction.
For more information: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/sites/default/files/topic/GreatLakes/SLRAOC_ContaminatedSedimentRemediationSites_202302.pdf
Full barge at Pickle Pond heading to the offloading area. Photo credit: EA Engineering
Pickle Pond
Crews continued dredging and have removed 80% of the contaminated sediment from Pickle Pond. Rail removal and monitoring of water clarity is ongoing. Contractors continue sediment removal & disposal through July. The next phase will be deepening the pond and wetland restoration work.
For more information: https://pickle-pond-epa.hub.arcgis.com/
Munger Landing. Photo credit: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Munger Landing
Work has resumed at Munger Landing. As the contaminated sediments are dredged, they are piped to Hallett Dock 7 for dewatering and water treatment. Once that work is complete, about 35,000 cubic yards of clean sand cover will be placed over remedial area. Please stay out of the entire project area!
Ponds Behind Erie Pier
Site restoration at the Ponds Behind Erie Pier Great Lakes Legacy Act project has been completed and the City’s adjacent Cross-City Trail has been reopened.
Press Release can be found HERE.
Events
Lake Superior Day: Visit WDNR’s info table to learn about their SLRAOC projects at Lake Superior Day on Sunday, June 16th, (11 am - 3 pm) at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Dr, Superior). Enjoy free family fun, music, kids’ activities, stand up paddle boarding, food vendors & more info booths focused on our Great Lake.
For more information: https://lakesuperiornerr.org/event/lake-superior-day-2023/
