40th Avenue West Restoration Site
Most of the Area of Concern related work is proposed for the southern portion of the site. Click to zoom.
The 40th Ave West Restoration Site is near Erie Pier, the Bong Bridge (Highway 2) and the M. L. Hibbard Renewable Energy Center in West Duluth. Before it became home to various industries that dredged and filled the area, this 332-acre aquatic site was more sheltered from wind and waves. This encouraged growth of aquatic plants and provided habitat that served as productive spawning, nursery and hunting areas for both prey fish (like minnows) and game fish (like walleye, muskellunge, lake sturgeon, smallmouth bass, bluegill and black crappie).
What is happening now?
Using sediment obtained by dredging the shipping channel, this project is restoring sheltered, shallow-water habitat. After construction is completed in 2018, natural processes will establish aquatic plants and macroinvertebrates (bottom-dwelling bugs and animals like dragonflies, stoneflies, leeches and crayfish), leading the way to encourage a healthy and thriving aquatic ecosystem for fish to spawn, grow and hunt. Periodic sampling will assess the rate of recovery.
This project is one of the designated habitat restoration actions completed as part of the Remedial Action Plan for the St Louis River Area of Concern, funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
40th Avenue West restoration site. Click to zoom.