Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Current project updates for April 2023:

• Superior Slip Sediment Remediation Project | Information can now be found on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website.

• Spirit Lake | Construction in progress, no public access until work is complete. Please stay clear of work outlined in map below.

• The St. Louis River Area of Concern: From a Fond du Lac Viewpoint | Due to winter weather, this event has been rescheduled to Thursday, April 13th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Black Bear Casino

• Scanlon Reservoir | Entrance road, parking area, fishing pier & paddle launch are now accessible. However, some areas may close temporarily during site restoration work in Spring 2023.

• Munger Landing & Ponds behind Erie Pier | No public access! Please stay out of these work areas until official announcements about their reopening have bene made.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Current project updates for March 2023:

• Perch Lake Update | In-water work at Perch Lake is complete now that dredging between Hwy 23 and the Waabizheshikana Trail (Marten Trail) is done.

• Munger Landing Update | J.F. Brennan is working ten-hour days intermittently this winter removing contaminated sediment from the Snively Creek wetlands just south of Munger Landing. 

• The St. Louis River Area of Concern: From a Fond du Lac Perspective (Event) | Tuesday, April 4th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Black Bear Casino in the Stoney Brook Creek Room

• 2023 Anticipated Field Work & Paddlers Awareness Handout | Many projects are planned for the St. Louis River Area of Concern, review these resources to learn about construction zones to avoid.

• Winter Construction | For safety’s sake, please stay away & be alert to St. Louis River Area of Concern construction traffic near project sites

A lot of field work is planned for the St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) project sites and is explained in the attached 2023 Anticipated Field Work document. 

PADDLERS: It is important to know what projects are happening as you explore the St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail! Check out the attached Paddlers Awareness handout to know where current project efforts could impede your paddling plans. Be sure to reference it before you launch so you can be sure to avoid active construction sites.

****Due to the Munger Landing remediation project, the Clyde Avenue boat launch will be closed for the 2023 paddle season.

A sediment cleanup project is underway at Munger Landing, also known as the Clyde Avenue boat launch, to protect human health and the environment from contamination left behind from historic industrial discharges.

The Project includes the dredging and off-site disposal of approximately 100,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments across 38 acres. The Project will also restore eight acres of aquatic habitat and include replacement of the motorized boat landing and constructing a new sandy paddle sport launch.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Current project updates for February 2023:

• BUI 2 Removal | The Degraded Fish and Wildlife Populations Beneficial Use Impairment has been officially removed from the SLRAOC!

• 2022 RAP Posted | The annual update of the SLRAOC Remedial Action Plan has been completed. 

• Superior Slips update | WDNR and its partners have investigated sediment contamination in 4 industrial slips in the Port of Superior and developed alternatives for remedial cleanup.

• Winter AOC Construction | Please stay away and be alert to construction traffic at work sites.

Public Comment Requested: You are invited to provide input on the draft 2022 Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for the St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC).

The draft 2022 RAP, posted on WDNR’s SLRAOC website, is organized as a “red line” document showing the deletions and insertions to the 2021 document. It includes a summary of the status of all 80 management actions and notes work completed from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. The update also identifies remaining actions that need to be completed before the SLRAOC can be proposed for delisting, along with the anticipated schedule to do so.

Please provide your input no later than noon on Friday, January 13, 2023.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Current project updates for December 2022:

• Degraded Fish & Wildlife Populations BUI | Beneficial Use Impairment removal request

• Superior Slips Sediment Remediation Feasibility Study | Major environmental remediation project kicks off in the port of Superior

• Winter SLRAOC Construction | For safety, please stay away from construction sites

• SLRAOC Remedial Action Plan Draft | Announcement coming later in December

Thank you to everyone who came out to our 2022 Celebration of Progress event on November 10th, 2022. We had three incredible speakers share updates related to the St. Louis River Area of Concern.

If you were not able to make it, or are interested in reviewing the information presented, you can view the presentations here.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Here are some current project updates for November 2022, continue reading for further details:

• 2022 Manoomin Restoration | St. Louis River Area of Concern partners collected 8,057 pounds of wild rice & distributed it in 58 acres of shallow bay habitat.

• Perch Lake Updates | Hemi-marsh has been created to benefit marsh birds at Perch Lake.

• Management Action Status | As of September 30th, 51 of the 80 management actions have either been completed or determined that no further action is necessary.

• Celebration of Progress Event | This annual event was held on November 10th

Every 6 months, a report of St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) progress is sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As of September 30th, 51 of the 80 management actions have either been completed or determined that no further action is necessary. That means we are 63.8% of the way to being able to apply for delisting! This important work would not be underway without the support of the community members.

LEARN MORE HERE

Here is an interesting graphic and article on AOC spending throughout the Great Lakes published by Canadian Geographic.

Check it out: https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/a-multination-effort-to-restore-the-great-lakes-a-watershed-moment/

Join the St. Louis River Alliance and AOC Partners for our Annual Celebration of Progress on Thursday, November 10th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth, Minnesota

Many St. Louis River construction projects have been completed or are underway. You are invited to come learn about the progress made this past year towards delisting the St. Louis River as an Area of Concern (AOC). This event is free and open to the public. Come enjoy some food, a cash bar, and great conversation with local Area of Concern coordinators! Our keynote speaker will be sharing updates on the Spirit Lake Cleanup - this is a great opportunity to come ask your questions

On September 14th, 2022 the St. Louis River Alliance (SLRA) in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), planted approx. 500 pounds of manoomin (Ojibwe name for wild rice) in the St. Louis River Estuary. This was the 7th year SLRA has had the opportunity to participate in these restoration efforts.

During this time volunteers learned about manoomin ecology, cultural significance and restoration in the St. Louis River and reseeded the wetlands in Kingsbury Bay for reestablishment. In the past, seed has been replanted around Clough Island.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Here are some current project updates for September 2022, continue reading for further details:

• 40th Ave. West Habitat Restoration | Biomedium is being added to spur the recovery of bottom-dwelling plants and invertebrates

• Scanlon Reservoir | In-water remedial construction will be completed by 9/17

• Kingsbury Bay Celebration Event | held on September 12th to celebrate the completion of the Kingsbury Bay & Grassy Point habitat restoration projects.

• Redesigned Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Website | Launched on September 12th, view here

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Here are some current project updates for August 2022, continue reading for further details:

• Interstate Island | Prairie Restorations is working this month to control invasive vegetation and plant dune grass and other dune-appropriate species

• Lake Superior Pocket Gallery™ | Explore the new Lake Superior Pocket Gallery™ smartphone app and see if you can find the St. Louis River Area of Concern content.

Interested in learning more about the Munger Landing clean-up project? Click here to learn more about the sediment project with the attached Munger Landing Fact Sheet, St. Louis River Area of Concern Fact Sheet and the SLRAOC WI Sediment Remediation Sites document.

Many Great Lakes communities have carried the burden of legacy pollution for decades. Now, they have an opportunity for a new lease on life as local waterways are cleaned up.

This video series features five cities along waterways deemed Areas of Concern (AOCs) that are in various stages of the cleanup process and are experiencing revitalization.

This video highlights Duluth, Minnesota, in the St. Louis River AOC. Cleanup efforts have led to growth in the city’s economic, recreational, and tourism industries.

You are invited to a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 6:00 PM about the Munger Landing sediment cleanup at the Clyde Ave. boat launch in Duluth, Minnesota. The project involves the dredging of 100,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and disposal offsite at a certified landfill.

Join us to learn more and ask any questions! Registration for the online event is now open: https://bit.ly/3zFrNhS

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Here are some current project updates for July 2022, continue reading for further details:

• Munger Landing Project | Closed for two years starting July 5, 2022.  Public meeting to be held on Wednesday July 20th at 6:00pm.

• Kingsbury Bay Habitat Restoration Project | New fishing pier installed on Indian Point

• Scanlon Reservoir Project | Remedial construction has begun, in-water work expected to begin mid-July

• Ponds Behind Erie Pier Project | Dredging continues throughout the summer, with clean cover placement occurring fall 2022

• 40th Ave. West Habitat Restoration Project | application of biomedia expected to begin mid-July

• Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Project | 17,000 plugs of dune grass planted in June 2022

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Here are some current project updates for June 2022, continue reading for further details:

• Perch Lake Habitat Restoration Project | Construction beginning July 2022

• Munger Landing | Closed July 5th, 2022

• River Stories | Soliciting stories of the River before water quality improvements began