This project will provide a protocol for prioritizing sites in the St. Louis Area of Concern (AOC ) for restoration based on site-specific bioavailability considerations. Despite large data collection efforts focused on sediment chemistry, the extent to which sediment with moderate levels of contamination is available for uptake into biota and therefore contributing to Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI)s is still largely unknown.
This Partnership Agreement is a 5-year effort that will provide the technical, planning and engineering assistance for implementation of the 2013 St. Louis River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan. Through this agreement the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and MPCA will develop detailed work plans and construction design plans for numerous sites in the project AOC and assist with critical AOC-wide issues.
• 21st Avenue West Restoration Site. Outcome will be preliminary to final engineering designs and costs ready for bid package development.
• Knowlton Creek Site.
This project will provide technical, planning and engineering assistance to the MPCA for the development and implementation of the St. Louis River Remedial Action Plan (RAP). USACE and USEPA in partnership with the MPCA will administer work plans to complete a sediment assessment for Minnesota areas within Superior Bay, St. Louis Bay, Lower St. Louis River and the Upper St. Louis River, encompassing approximately 5,349 acres of the St. Louis River and Estuary.
The study will assess existing phosphorus data records and create a model to explain phosphorus loading into the Red River of the North. Studies have found that the majority of nutrient loading in the stream located in agricultural areas occurs with sediment loading since nutrients are typically bound to sediment particles.
