Thank you to all of the St. Louis River Area of Concern agency partners for your work in making this year's Celebration of Progress engaging and educational!

We had over 100 community members come out to our 'The St. Louis River: A Virtual Tour of Recreation Opportunities' to learn about where you can recreate on the river, along with the cleanup efforts that have made it possible. We could not have done it without the incredible non-profits, retailers, and other organizations that showed up to table. THANK YOU ALL!

Join the adventure and win a prize! The St. Louis River Alliance and Area of Concern partners are excited to share 'Recreating in the St. Louis River: A Virtual Scavenger Hunt'.

Explore hidden gems of the St. Louis River with a virtual scavenger hunt uncovering the many exciting recreational opportunities along the river. Be one of the first twenty participants to correctly answer the 20 multiple choice questions and you’ll win a $20 Super One gift card. All other participants will be entered to win one of five complementary 1-year memberships to the St. Louis River Alliance.

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

• Munger Landing Progress Update: As of 3/31/24, 72.5% of the management actions are complete. Since the tally on 9/30/23, five more management actions have been substantially completed.

• Public Input Opportunity: The Superior Slips Sediment Remediation Feasibility Study is complete, and a virtual public informational meeting is scheduled this month. Learn about the Superior slips project clean up options and provide your input by joining us for a public input meeting via Zoom on April 11, 2024, at 5:00 pm. For more details, and link to join the meeting HERE.

• Little Balsam Creek/Gandy Dancer Trail Culvert Replacement: Construction will be starting soon to replace a stream crossing on the Gandy Dancer Trail. This section of trail in Patzau, Wisconsin will be closed for the duration of the project and detoured. For updates on the trail conditions, detours and closures please visit the Douglas County Forestry, Parks and Recreation website. For more information on the project, click HERE.

• AGP/Northland Slip: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency invites you to comment on the amended decision summary for the AGP/Northland Slip in Duluth. The comment period ends April 29th. For more information and to submit a comment, click HERE.

• Ponds behind Erie Pier, Munger Landing, and Scanlon Reservoir: Spring is in the air. Crews will be out soon to conduct restoration activities at several project sites in Minnesota.

• Sediment Remediation: JF Brennan has been awarded the contract for the Thomson Reservoir contaminated sediment remediation project in Minnesota. Learn more about this project in Chapter 4 of the St. Louis River Area of Concern Story Map, by clicking HERE.

Join the St. Louis River Alliance and partners for a virtual tour of accessible Area of Concern project sites and connect with recreational experts on where to go and what you can do along the river!

This year's St. Louis River Area of Concern Celebration 'The St. Louis River: A Virtual Tour of Recreation Opportunities' will be on Tuesday, April 23rd at Clyde Iron Works (2920 W Michigan Street, Duluth) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Area of Concern Coordinators will be there to answer your questions, and Superior and Duluth recreational businesses and organizations will have tables at the event to help get you connected and geared up. All are welcomed and encouraged to come ask questions.

This event is free and open to the public. Come enjoy free pizza and thoughtful conversations! We will also be sharing information on how you can become eligible to win a prize by participating in a fun “Recreating in the St. Louis River: A Virtual Scavenger Hunt”.

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

• Superior Slips: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is recommending options for removing contaminated sediment from the Superior Slips. Learn about the Superior slips and provide your input at a public meeting via Zoom on April 11, 2024, at 5:00 pm.

• C. Reiss Slip and Dock: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, C. Reiss Co., and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is partnering on a Great Lakes Legacy Act project to clean up contaminated sediment.

• Paddling in the Estuary this Summer: Check out this updated map before paddling this summer, to ensure you can avoid this year’s Area of Concern Projects. Click HERE for the map.

• Field Work Season: Many field work projects will be underway during this field season. Click HERE for the handout showing you where, and when the work is planned in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• Save the Date: Plan on taking a virtual tour of our accessible project sites and getting information from recreational experts during our 2024 Celebration of Progress, Tuesday April 23rd. This event will take place at Clyde Iron Works, from 5:30-7:30 pm.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Ice Safety River Connection Event on February 17th at Spirit Lake Marina! We had a great time learning how to measure ice thickness, how to drill a hole through the ice, and how to practice self-rescues if we were to ever fall in. After the hands-on lessons, we joined as a group by the fire to roast marshmallows, drink hot chocolate, and socialize.

A huge thank you to our partners at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for leading the safety discussion and activities, and Barb Huberty with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) for sharing about the St. Louis River Area of Concern work and answer questions on safe fishing and access points. This event was funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and we are extremely grateful for their support in all of the current and future River Connection events.

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

• Munger Landing: Removal of contaminated sediments at Munger Landing in Minnesota and Wisconsin is complete!

• 2023 Remedial Action Plan: The Remedial Action Plan for 2023 has been finalized and will be posted on February 9th, to both the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website.

• Save the Date! The 2023 Celebration of Progress will be held on April 23, 2024 at Clyde Iron Works.

• In January, the Environmental Protection Agency approved $455,000 in environmental justice funding for the City of Duluth for multiple projects to improve access at four St. Louis Area Of Concern sites!

• St. Louis River Summit: You can learn more about the St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) progress at the 2024 St. Louis River Summit. This event will be held on March 6th through March 8th, located at the UW-Superior Yellowjacket Union. More information 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 January:

• 2023 Remedial Action Plan: Share your input on the St. Louis Area of Concern’s draft of the 2023 Remedial Action Plan. The Remedial Action Plan (RAP), and directions for comments can be found using the link below. More information HERE.

• St. Louis River Summit: Learn more about the St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) progress at the 2024 St. Louis River Summit. This event will be held on March 6th through March 8th, located at the UW-Superior Yellowjacket Union. Registration opens in January, with a detailed agenda to come in February. More information 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 December:

• Wild Rice Restoration: Continued progress has been made towards wild rice restoration in the St. Louis River Estuary. The amount of rice is expanding in Allouez Bay and upstream sites near Boy Scout Landing. Over 12,500 lbs of rice was seeded on 61 acres in 2023, thanks to many partners. More information HERE.

• Manoomin Camp: The 1854 Treaty Authority hosted educators, professionals and youth to celebrate the return of Manoomin. Over 500 students, including 17 different schools attended the first Manoomin camp on the shores of the river in decades.

• Snively Creek: 5,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil was removed and the area was backfilled with clean soil. Temporary erosion control work will be completed in early December. Site restoration continues into Spring of 2024, with more information below.

• Munger Landing: Clean sand was placed over dredged areas, along with biomedium in sensitive habitats. Restoring the boat launch and upland areas is underway, while vegetation planting and final site restoration are coming in Spring of 2024. For everyone’s safety, please stay away from the construction areas.

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:

• Thomson Reservoir: Design of the sediment remediation project is complete, with project partners moving forward to begin remedial construction in the spring of 2024. More information HERE.

• Scanlon Reservoir: Thanks to the daily support of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Minnesota Power, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, and the Fond du Lac Band, the Great Lakes Legacy Act project at the Scanlon Reservoir is complete! Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, partnered on this one-of-a-kind project to remediate approximately ~55,000 cubic yards of contained sediments. More information HERE.

• Munger Landing: Dredging and removal of contaminated sediments is complete, and a new layer of clean sand has been placed over the full 38-acre footprint. Additionally, the in-water habitat restoration is underway and on-land site restoration will begin soon. More information HERE.

• Pickle Pond: Water and wetland construction is done, including habitat features for fish, turtles, and birds. The staging area is being restored and slope stability monitors will be removed this month. Native plants are coming in 2024. For more information click HERE.

• Snively Creek: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is overseeing the removal of soil contaminated with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) from Snively Creek this fall. Final restoration of the creek channel and restoring native plants will occur in Spring 2024.

• Perch Lake: Highway 23 is being paved above the newly installed culvert sections, as part of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Perch Lake restoration project. Two-way traffic, with speed restrictions, will be restored through the winter, with continued construction in 2024.

The once-polluted Duluth riverfront U.S. Steel Superfund Site in Morgan Park is set to re-open next summer with new trails and wildlife habitat after $165 million in cleanup efforts.

This past Wednesday, October 25th, St. Louis River Alliance Executive Director Kris Eilers joined Mayor Larson and city leaders aboard the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad to view the nearly completed projects. The finished projects will provide new public access to the St. Louis River and extended recreational trails.

The St Louis River Alliance gives thanks to the neighbors and many project partners for their vision and collaboration to see the site cleaned up and reclaimed.

“The Alliance has been working to help connect people back to the river, and now that some of these projects are being completed, we look forward to helping provide more opportunities to access the river... Community participation, partnerships and problem solving led to the success of these projects and we are so grateful to be here to witness the recovery of a once degraded waterway.” said Kris Eilers

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Here are some current project updates for October:

• Munger Landing and Spirit Lake/U.S. Steel: As construction continues, please stay out of the project areas, including trails and the railroad, until official reopening announcements are made.

• Superior Slips: Sediment Remediation Study has reached a milestone with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ approval to remove contaminated sediment in three large slips within the Port of Superior. Watch for an upcoming public meeting about the clean-up effort!

• Pickle Pond: Crews have completed 90% of the wetland and are working to remove a section of the railroad embankment. The new openings will improve water exchange, water quality, and restore unrestricted navigation by small craft for the first time in over 130 years. More information HERE.

• Perch Lake: Expect single-lane traffic to continue into October as the Perch Lake culvert is being installed under Highway 23. This new opening will help restore waterflow between the St. Louis River and Perch Lake.

• Howards Bay: In association with the Howards Bay project, the City of Superior is building a trail on the former Wisconsin Point landfill that will be open for recreation in spring 2024, after the construction contract and permits are closed. More information HERE.

• Completed Management Actions: Ponds behind Erie Pier and Scanlon Reservoir represent two projects that have been added to the list of completed management actions, with 27 management actions in progress.

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:

• Regulated Navigation Areas: To protect engineered remedies, 6 sites in Minnesota are being proposed as federal Regulated Navigation Areas. To submit comments, more details below.

• Pickle Pond: Crews began constructing a wetland spillway and are approximately 90% complete with dredging. Rail removal, wetland and filter strip construction and monitoring of water clarity outside of Pickle Pond are ongoing. Find more details below.

• Perch Lake: Starting September 5th, Landwehr Construction will begin installing a concrete culvert under Highway 23. Expect single-lane traffic during construction, continuing through about October 20th.

• Thomson Reservoir: Join the Environmental Protection Agency, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and PotlatchDeltic for a public meeting at the Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College Amphitheatre on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 6 PM. This meeting is to learn about the 2024 Thomson Reservoir sediment remediation project and ask questions. Register HERE, with more details below.

• Scanlon Reservoir: The public parking area, trail, fishing pier and walk-in paddle sport landing are all open to the public, but may experience temporary closures to accommodate construction.

• Munger Landing & Spirit Lake/U.S. Steel: Please stay away from these sites until they officially reopen. For everyone’s safety, please stay out of the project areas, including trails and the railroad.

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:

• Munger Landing: remedial construction is going well, and the public are reminded to please stay away from the site until it reopens in the spring of 2024.

• The Spirit Lake/U.S. Steel: site is NOT open to the public. Please stay off the site, trails, railroad tracks, and shorelines.

• Pickle Pond: crews have removed all the contaminated sediment and transported it to a landfill. Rail removal, filter strip construction and monitoring of water clarity continues.

• Scanlon Reservoir: upland site restoration activities will resume in August, with the public parking area and fishing pier open to the public, with possible disruptions at times.

• Thomson Reservoir: Kayak Center has a new sign with information about the sediment remediation project that starts in 2024. A public meeting about the project will be held on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 at 6 pm at the Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College.

• Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency are hosting a public open house to discuss PCB cleanup near Snively Creek, on Thursday 8/17, from 4:40-6:30, more details to follow. Soil excavation to remove the contamination will begin the week of 8/21

From January 2023 to March 2023, the St. Louis River Alliance, in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, hosted six in-person neighborhood input events within the 18 communities adjacent to the St. Louis River. The goal of these events were to identify what activities community members wanted to experience on and near the river, in addition to any barriers that kept them from those activities.

Approximately 300 people attended the six events, in addition to online feedback received via a google form. We had a total of 180 people submit forms (both physical and online). From this information, the St. Louis River Alliance created a River Connection Summary Report, which is available HERE for viewing.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Beginner Paddling + Water Safety event on Tuesday, July 25th at Boy Scout Landing in Duluth. We learned about the importance of cold water safety, how to properly fit and wear a life jacket, and basic paddle strokes and canoe terminology, surrounded by community in a safe and fun atmosphere!

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Current project updates for June 2023: Here are some current project updates, continue reading for further details:

• Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Site: Over 5,200 plugs were planted to expand the dune grass area at the Piping Plover habitat restoration site on Wisconsin Point.

• Manoomin (Wild Rice): Partners have been busy observing promising Manoomin (wild rice) growth this summer. 49 protective exclosures have been installed in 6 locations.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Upcoming events:

  • Lake Superior Days: Sunday, June 16th from 11 am - 3 pm on Barkers Island. Enjoy free family fun, music, kids’ activities, stand up paddle boarding, food vendors & more info booths focused on our Great Lake.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Current project updates for June 2023: Here are some current project updates, continue reading for further details:

• Thomson Reservoir: An Environmental Assessment Worksheet that describes the potential effects of the Thomson Reservoir remediation project in MN is available for review & comment until July 6th

• Pickle Pond: Crews started dredging & have removed 10% of the contaminated sediment at Pickle Pond in Wisconsin. Rail removal has started on the north bank. A 3rd barge will be added to the fleet to continue sediment removal & disposal through July. Then the pond will be deepened and wetland restoration work started.

• Superior Slips: The team is evaluating the collection of more samples at the Superior Slips sites in WI to further define contamination areas. Organotin & other targeted contaminants will be sampled in the Tower Ave & General Mills slips to refine cost estimates the options to clean up contaminated sediments. 

• St. Louis River Area of Concern Story Map: Changes made by the software vendor have driven changes in the SLROAC’s story map.  On this website, click on the story map button to see the new, six-chapter layout. Chapter 1 gives navigation tips and site locations maps in Ch. 3 and Ch. 4 are linked to detailed information about the mapped projects.

• Upcoming events:

  • Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan IV Public Input Session: Wednesday, July 12th from 6-8 pm at the University of Wisconsin-Suprior Yellowjacket Union in Superior, WI

  • 2023 Great Lakes Areas of Concern Conference: held in Green Bay on September 13 & 14, with pre-conference sessions and tours on 9/12. It is open to the public.

Construction is underway to clean up polluted sediment and restore fish and wildlife habitat at Pickle Pond, a nine-acre urban pond that was created by the construction of a railroad embankment that cut off part of Barker's Bay in Superior. This project is part of a large-scale effort to address historical pollution and habitat loss in the St. Louis River Area of Concern and funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

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

• Munger Landing & Ponds behind Erie Pier: Construction will resume soon. For everyone’s safety, please stay out of these work areas until official announcements about their reopening have been made.

• Scanlon Reservoir: Site restoration work will begin soon. The entrance road, parking area, fishing pier, & paddle boat launch at Scanlon Reservoir Park are open; however, they may temporarily close to accommodate site work. There’s no access past the road gate.

• Pickle Pond: Construction has begun at the Pickle Pond restoration site in Superior. Crews will be setting up equipment and clearing areas to access the pond. Dredging will continue throughout the summer to remove contaminated sediments and create a deeper pond that is better connected to the St. Louis River.