ST. LOUIS RIVER AREA OF CONCERN UPDATES (July 2022)
July 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:
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
Please note: these construction sites can be dangerous due to heavy equipment moving on the land and in the water. For your safety, please stay away from active construction sites. Please be patient and avoid the temptation to get a closer look at these interesting sites.
Munger Landing
Public meeting held on Wednesday, July 20th at 6 p.m. (virtually)
J.F. Brennan is ramping up site preparation activities at the Munger Landing Project site and in-water remedial activities will begin in a few short weeks. Remember that Munger Landing will be closed for two years, starting July 5, 2022. The public is invited to learn more about the upcoming construction activities at a virtual meeting on Wednesday July 20th at 6:00pm.
Registration for the online event is now open: https://bit.ly/3zFrNhS
For more information, contact an MPCA project manager or visit the EPA website: 1-800-657-3864, https://bit.ly/3tHb9LK.
About the project:
Munger Landing, also known as Clyde Avenue Boat Launch, is located on a small channel separated from the main shipping channel by a long, narrow island on the St. Louis River. Located in western Duluth in the St. Louis River AOC, Munger Landing features one of three boat launches in Duluth and a fishing pier, making it a popular recreational location for fishing, birding, and boating activities. However, due to historical industrial activity, contaminated sediment containing lead, nickel, zinc, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins/furans has accumulated at the landing, within the channel, and in a nearby wetland, contributing to public and wildlife health concerns.
In 2022, EPA, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Wisconsin DNR, in partnership with industry, will remediate contaminated sediment at the Munger Landing site. The remediation project will dredge approximately 100,000 cubic yards of sediment and soil from the landing, channel, and wetland. Dredged areas will be covered with a clean layer of sand. The project will remove invasive species, install native plants, and restore underwater areas for fish spawning. The project will also replace the boat ramp and create a sandy paddle sport launch area north of the fishing pier. The dredging project will began this July (2022) and is anticipated to be completed in 2023. During this time, Munger Landing will be closed to the public.
After completing the remediation, the Munger Landing site will provide a cleaner and safer area for recreation and for fish and wildlife. There are additional plans by the City of Duluth to add trails and increase water access for boaters and paddlers.
Other Project Updates
Kingsbury Bay Habitat Restoration Project: a new fishing pier was installed on Indian Point, just in time for fishing over the 4th of July weekend!
Scanlon Reservoir Project: Kemron Environmental Services has begun remedial construction at the Scanlon Reservoir project site. The public may notice some heavy equipment and truck traffic in the Scanlon area over the coming weeks. In-water work to address contaminated sediments is expected to begin in mid-July, with project completion later this fall.
Ponds behind Erie Pier Project: EQCH has begun the second season of remedial construction at the Ponds behind Erie Pier Project site. Dredging, or removal of contaminated sediments, will continue through the summer months, with clean cover placement occurring this fall. Final disposal of contaminated sediments along with site restoration will continue through the winter months.
40th Ave. West Habitat Restoration Project: As part of their contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Roen Salvage Company will be applying biomedia to some of the underwater shoals at the 40th Ave. West Habitat Restoration Project site. This work is expected to begin in mid-July and it will help boost the recovery of submerged aquatic plants and macroinvertebrates.
Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Project: In June, staff from the Lake Superior Research Institute of the University of Wisconsin-Superior led a planting team made up of folks from the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, the Lake Superior Nation Estuarine Research Reserve, the St. Louis River Alliance, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). They planted 17,000 plugs of dune grass over 1.5 acres of the Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Project, that was constructed in 2019. This new vegetation will help enhance the stability of the non-nesting areas and improve foraging opportunities. The federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative provided funding to WDNR to complete this work.
Perch Lake Habitat Restoration Project: The contract for the dredging portion of the Perch Lake Habitat Restoration Project has been awarded to the J.F Brennan Company. Construction is expected to begin July of 2022. Mobilization to the site and other preconstruction activity may begin in late June.
Revitalization Video Series
Many Great Lakes communities have carried the burden of legacy pollution for decades. But as local waterways are cleaned up, they now have an opportunity for a new lease on life. A new 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. Staff from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant developed these videos and the St. Louis River Area of Concern video focused on the resurgence of tourism in Duluth. Links to all five videos are contained below. Area of Concern cities highlighted in the series are Duluth, Minnesota, Muskegon, Michigan, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Ashtabula, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York.
Read more: https://iiseagrant.org/new-video-series-highlights-five-revitalized-great-lakes-areas-of-concern/
Video playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9g5HBosOKtqCd8HfFqFht3RDCnnOgR7u
River Stories
Soliciting memories of St. Louis River before water quality improvements started
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Were you told “Don’t swim in the St. Louis River!” when you were young? How did the river smell? What did your grandparents say about fish kills? Did you see oil slicks in Stryker Bay? Could you harvest wild rice in places where it doesn’t grow anymore?
As efforts to restore habitat and improve water quality in the St. Louis River continue, people today are seeing a river that is different than others remember. We’d like to chronicle those earlier experiences to help people understand that history. If you have memories or stories from your elders that you are willing to share, please send them to Barb Huberty, MN Pollution Control Agency’s St. Louis River Area of Concern Coordinator, at barbara.huberty@state.mn.us. Stories and accounts from Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Fond du Lac Reservation are welcome, along with scans of pictures.
Here are some prompts that might help you tell your story in your own words:
Whose memory are you sharing? – give the name of the person that had the experience
What were they doing that created this memory? – fishing, swimming, hiking, working at a nearby business…
Describe how things looked, felt, smelled, or sounded to them – what caused those sensations?
How did the experience make them feel?
Where did they experience this? - from a fishing boat in Rask Bay, from the shore under the Oliver Bridge, at Boy Scout landing…
What year did this happen or how old was this person when they had this experience? – approximations are fine
What is the most noticeable difference that you see today?
What are your hopes for the future of the river?
How will this information be used? These memories will be compiled into one document, from which excerpts (e.g., quotes or pictures) can be shared in future documents or at presentations, such as a St. Louis River Area of Concern Celebration of Progress event. When you submit your memory, please note whether we can quote you and use your pictures (with credit given to the original photographer).
Please feel free to send this memory request to anyone else you know who might be willing to share their memories.
Thank you for sharing your memories with us!
(If sharing via computer isn’t an option, call Barb @ 218/302-6630 to schedule an interview instead.)
