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.

You’re invited! Join the St. Louis River Alliance for our River Ally Social on Tuesday, December 12th from 5:00-7:00 pm at Clyde Iron Works upstairs bar located at 2920 W Michigan St, Duluth.

This celebration is being held in appreciation of the many people who have supported the St. Louis River Alliance, the restoration of the river, and the St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail.

Join staff and board members, fellow river allies, and potential new members to hear about our accomplishments and plans for next year, and how you can be a part of those plans!

This event is indoors, open to the public and family friendly. We will have tables set-up with FREE St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail maps and other information on SLRA projects. Cake will be provided and the cash bar will be open. There will also be door prizes!

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 St. Louis River Alliance is recognized as a major contributor to the health and well-being of Lake Superior with the Lake Superior Magazines 2023 Achievement Award!

Lake Superior Magazine celebrates the Alliance for its partnerships, its planning, and its commitment to the waters of Lake Superior’s largest U.S. tributary. The award and a story about the Alliance appears in the October/November issue of Lake Superior Magazine and is now available online.

The visionaries at Alakef Coffee Roasters understand that the health of our waterways and the people that utilize them are of the utmost importance to our community.

As St. Louis River Alliance Business Partners, Alakef is supporting the work that we do in the estuary everyday. Since starting the partnership in early 2022, Alakef has donated thousands of dollars to the St. Louis River Alliance to help protect, restore, and enhance the St. Louis River.

Does you business align with the St. Louis River Alliance’s mission of protecting, restoring, and enhancing the St. Louis River? You can support our efforts by becoming a partner today!

Learn more about partner benefits at: www.stlouisriver.org/become-a-partner

If you have questions or want to get involved: email Kris@StLouisRiver.org

It's that time of year again... we are excited to be launching our Annual Membership Drive! From now until December 15th we'll be showcasing the many projects and events we host to help connect the community to the river.

Whether it is through Piping Plover monitoring and habitat maintenance, managing the St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail, wild rice restoration, clean-up days, or one of our many community events, the St. Louis River Alliance is committed to building experiences and opportunities for YOU to get out on and near the water!

You can be a part of this work by becoming a member or making a tax-deductible donation today. And for a little extra nudge... we're giving a way a guided kayak trip for six on the St. Louis River.

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

The shore of the St. Louis River near Duluth’s Morgan Park neighborhood has seen some massive changes in the past few years. After contamination, environmental clean-up and green space restoration have made the area safer and more accessible for generations to come.

U.S. Steel and the Environmental Protection Agency have been cleaning up the area near Spirit Lake, the site of a former U.S. Steel facility. One part of the effort aims to remove or contain residual chemicals leftover from production including lead, zinc, and more. The second part will turn the area into a green space for anyone to enjoy hiking, boating, and other activities.

“As we’re seeing the river become cleaner, our focus is turning more towards making sure that we’re able to connect people who have been negatively impacted by the pollution,” said Kris Eilers, executive director for the St. Louis River Alliance.

According to Eilers, the Alliance is helping to ensure that the people in Morgan Park enjoy the beauty in their own backyards.

“We’re trying to open up avenues by which we can really help people connect and learn to love the river and actually maybe experience it for the first time,” Eilers said.

Watch the video and read the full article at: https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2023/10/25/river-views-inside-look-waterfront-clean-up-effort-near-morgan-park/

Photo by Matthew Sperrazza

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 'Incredible Wild Edibles: A River Connection Field Event' at Chambers Grove on 10/4/23. We had a great time learning about the immense plant diversity of the St. Louis River and surrounding area!

During this event, attendees were introduced to over 50 plants, basic foraging ethics, and had an opportunity to taste, smell, and feel dozens of wild edibles. Thank you to our expert presenter Sarah Foltz Jordan for sharing your passion, time, and knowledge with us.

This event was made possible through the Great Lake Restoration Initiative and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

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.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our ‘Beginner Birding and Bird Identification: a River Connection Field Event’ hosted at Kingsbury Bay on 9/26/23. We had a great time walking the Waabizheshikana Trail as we learned about various Area of Concern cleanup efforts, in addition to spotting some of the diverse migratory birds of the St. Louis River.

A big special thank you to our expert presenters from the Duluth Audubon Society for sharing your passion, time, and equipment with us!

The St. Louis River Alliance (SLRA), in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, planted approximately 500 pounds of manoomin (Ojibwe name for wild rice) on the St. Louis River estuary on Friday, September 8th. This was the 8th year SLRA has had the opportunity to participate in these restoration efforts. 

During this time, volunteers learned about manoomin ecology, its cultural significance, and the restoration efforts happening in the St. Louis River, as well as participating in the hands-on reseeding of the wetlands in Kingsbury Bay for re-establishment. 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:

• 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.

Join the St. Louis River Alliance on Wednesday, October 4th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for ‘Incredible Wild Edibles: a River Connection Field Event’ hosted at Chambers Grove Park (13404 MN-23, Duluth, MN), presented by Sarah (Sair) Foltz Jordan of the Xerces Society. Please carpool if you are able.

Space is limited and registration is necessary. Register by September 29th at 4 p.m.

REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/rWHJpN51SHMdTT5f9

Wild edibles provide nutritious, delicious, sustainable, local, gourmet food—- always found in one of the best places to be: the great outdoors! This field event will introduce dozens of wild edibles that can be found along the St. Louis River and in our region, with an emphasis on some of the best greens, mushrooms, roots, berries, and bulbs that money can’t buy. We’ll discuss foraging ethics, identification, harvest, and cooking tips. Creative methods for incorporating more diversity into your diet will also be introduced, including wild teas, pestos, nutritional powders, broths, salts, and more.

Join the St. Louis River Alliance on Tuesday, September 26th from 5:00 to 6:30 pm for ‘Beginner Birding and Bird Identification: a River Connection Field Event’ hosted at Kingsbury Bay. We will park and meet at the Waabizheshikana Trailhead Parking near the Munger Inn at 7009 Pulaski St, Duluth. Please carpool if you are able. No prior birding experience is necessary for participation. Binoculars will be available for use during the event.

Space is limited and registration is necessary. Register by September 22nd at 4 p.m. REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/iyGKZDCbFdSCC7cH9

During this event, attendees will be introduced to the basics of birding during fall migration along the St. Louis River. Experts from the Duluth Audubon Society will lead the discussion on techniques to locate, identify, and observe birds, as well as guide attendees in the use of bird-spotting equipment such as binoculars and spotting scopes.

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.

We have distributed hundreds of St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail Maps throughout the Twin Ports and beyond!

You can pick one up at one of the many local businesses and organizations listed HERE as well as outside the St. Louis River Alliance office at 394 S Lake Ave. Suite 604 in Duluth.

If you are interested in being a map distribution location, please fill out this short google form: https://tinyurl.com/2023-nwt-map-locations

Calling all volunteers! Join the St. Louis River Alliance and Master Naturalists on Sunday, August 20th from 1-3 p.m. for a volunteer cleanup day at the Piping Plover Habitat Site at the Wisconsin Point Wildlife Sanctuary. Come lend a hand however your schedule allows.

We will be handling non-local invasive species such as tansy as well as piling up and removing woody debris from the shoreline. Participants are encouraged to email projectleader@stlouisriver.org if they are interested in helping at one or both of these days so we have enough tools to go around.