POLLUTION OBSERVATIONS




       IN THE




  LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN

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       POLLUTION OBSERVATIONS HI THE LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
               (INITIAL RECONNAISSANCE FIIHDIITGS)
                            GENERAL

            Lake Superior Is the largest fresh-water lake in the world

and is the most northwesterly lake of the Great Lakes of North America.

It is bounded on the east and north by the Province of Ontario, on the

west "by the State of Minnesota, and to the south by Wisconsin and

Michigan.  Lake Superior is characterized by deep water, high bluffs,

and a rocky shore along a large portion of its coast.  It is the

deepest of the Great Lakes, having a maximum depth of 1333 feet.

Its shape is roughly that of a wide crescent convex toward the north.

The maximum distance follows the curve of its axis from west to east

and is about 383 miles in length.  The extreme width is approximately

l6o miles.  Lake Superior has a mean elevation of 602 feet above sea

level a.nd is approximately 21 feet higher than Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

       The St. Louis River at the extreme western end of Lake Superior

is the largest river in the Lake Superior basin.   Approximately 200 rivers

of lesser magnitude empty into Lake Superior.  Lake Superior has a total

surface area of 31,800 miles and a total drainage area of 80,900 square

miles.  Lake Superior is part of the St. Lawrence Waterway System and

discharges through the St.  Marys River into Lake  Huron.

       The north shore of Lake Superior from Duluth, Minnesota, to

Silver Bay appears to have little other than rock along the shore.

Rivers and streams discharging into Lake Superior alcng the north

shore carry significant quantities of colored material into the lake

during periods of high flow.  From Duluth,  Minnesota, ana Superior,

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Wisconsin, around the southern shore of Lake Superior to Ashland,




Wisconsin, there are large areas of fine,sand and silt.  Most rivers




discharging along this shoreline have a sand "bar formed "by the




debris carried into the lake by the rivers.  During periods of even




moderate wave action a band of turbid water is visible along the




south shore of Lake Superior from a distance of a few hundred feet




to over a mile into the lake.






                       RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES






       Reconnaissance studies on the Lake Superior watershed and




in the St. Louis River drainage area were carried out by personnel




from the Chicago Program Offi°' Lc-uween May 6 and October 28, 19o?-




The fino~: ~z  ^" this report are based on observations and information




obtained from ground and aerial reconnaissance and from, local and state




sources.  The reconnaissance studies consisted of the following:




       1.  Aerial Reconnaissance and Photography




       2.  Ground Reconnaissance




       3-  Stations sampled on the St. Louis River and in the




           Duluth-Superior Harbor area




       k.  A deepwater cruise of the entire lake




       5.  A study conducted in the vicinity of Silver Bay,  Minnesota,




           for the purpose of evaluating the effect on Lake  Superior




           resulting from taconite pelletizing wastes from the




           Reserve Mining Company.
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       Many visual  observations were Oc-.de both from the air and from




 ground surveillance of potential  sources of pollution which will




 have  to be followed up at a later date.  It was not possible to




 obtain sample  and flow information of pollution sources with the




 snail reconnaissance staff available for this purpose.






                           ST. LOUIS RIY3R






       The St. Louis River has a  total length of approximately




 225 miles and  a total watershed area of ^959 square miles of which




 77 are in Wisconsin.  At a point  approximately 25 miles from




 Lake  Superior  the St. Louis River becomes an interstate stream




 forming the boundary between the  States of Wisconsin a.nd Minnesota.
       The town of Cloquet, Minnesota, is located approximately




15 miles above the international portion of the St. Louis River.




Cloquet is approximately 23 miles southwest of Buluth, Minnesota,




and has a population  (1960) of approximately 10,000 people.  A primary




sewage treatment plant discharging to the St. Louis River handles the




municipal wastes and  some of the industrial wastes for the city of




Cloquet, Minnesota.  Primary treatment plants as such do not provide




sufficient treatment for municipal or industrial wastes.  Biochemical




oxygen demands are seldom reduced more than 35/3-  A flotation and




settling action helps to remove major floating solids and some of




the sludge-forming materials.  A primary sewage treatment plant does




not provide enough treatment for wastes discharged to the Lake Superior




watershed.






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       Major industries in the Cloquet area are pulp and paper

type of operations.  The North-jest Paper Compa.ny, the Wood Conversion

Company, and the Diamond Match Company all have operations at this

location.

       The T.Tood Conversion Company discharges directly to the

St. Louis River.

       The ITorthwest Paper Company discharges both directly to the

river and through a series of lagoons.  Both of these companies

discharge organic wastes which exert a high biochemical oxygen

demand on the stream and contribute substantially to the discoloration

of the water as well a.s having high loadings of suspended materials.

As a result, the waters of the St. Louis River are very dark for many

miles below Cloquet, Minnesota.

       The St.  Louis River between Cloquet and Duluth, Minnesota,

traverses many miles of gorge area, the total fall being several

hundred feet.  Considerable amounts of foam are generated and waters

going through these gorge areas have an amber color.  Some of this

color may come from natural bog conditions, but a large amount of

this color can be attributed to the wood processing industries

located at Cloquet.

       A number of hydro-electric power plants are located on the

St. Louis River and its tributaries.  The power plants on the

St. Louis River are:

       Scanlon         M.P.   32.0
       Knife Falls     M.P.   3^.3
       Fond du Lac     M.P.   22.5
       Thomson Falls   M.P.   2^.8

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Additional power developments are located on tributaries of the

St. Louis River at

       Fish Lake Dan a.nd Reservoir
       Rice Lake Dan and Reservoir
       Island Lake Dam and Reservoir
       Boulder Lake Dam and Reservoir
       Whiteface Dan and Reservoir.

These plants have "been in existence since the early 1900's and during

periods of low flow, usually the summer months, the entire flow of

the St. Louis River goes through some of these hydro-electric power

plants.  The natural bed of the river through some of the gorge areas

is left without flow by these hydro-electric plant diversions.  At

one point in the vicinity of the Jay Cooke State Park all water is

diverted from th<= n'ver auJ passes through a canal.  Approximately

x2,500 cfs of water is so diverted and is not available for scenic

and  recreational purposes in the St. Louis River at this location.

       Between Cloquet, Minnesota, and Duluth-Superior Harbor area

are loca.tetl several small towns which provide only primary treatment or less

for their municipal wastes.  These are the towns of Fond du Lac, Minn.,

Gary, Minn., and Mew Duluth, Minn., Morgan Park, Minn, and Oliver, Wis.

After the St. Louis River passes the towns of Hew Duluth, Minn,  and

Oliver, Wis., it flows into and through a series of channels and lakes

including Mud Lake a.nd Spirit Lake before discharging  to St.  Louis Bay,

and the harbor areas of Duluth,  Minn, and Superior, Wis.  In the

Duluth, Minn, area the Chung King Corporation (R. J. Reynolds Foods, Inc.)

and Western Paint Company have operations which discharge to the

St. Louis River.   Between Gary,  Minn, and Morgan Park, Minn,  there are

two major industrial complexes:   Universal Atlas Cement Co.  and
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American Steel and Wire Division of U. S. Steel.  The Universal




Atlas Cement Co. appears to add little to the pollution of the




St. Louis River.  The American Steel and vFire Division of U. S. Steel




manufactures steel fence posts a.nd various types of fence and woven




steel mats.  The plant has two "blast furnaces in addition to the




usual heavy steel manufacturing facilities.  The plant discharges




a rust-colored to red effluent which carries for ailes "below the




plant "before losing itself in the Spirit Lake and St. Louis Bay




areas of the St. Louis River.  This discoloration is typical of




steel cleaning operations.  Sulphuric acid is used to de-scale the




steel "before forming operations can be carried on and thus con-




tributes large amounts of iron and sulphate to the receiving waters.




In addition to the red discoloration so typical of steel picking




operations, lagoons containing oily wastes were observed discharging




to the river.  This oil overflow or spillage caused oil slicks and




oily conditions on the surface of the water and along the banks for




a considerable distance below the steel plant.




       In the harbor area between Duluth, Minn, and Superior, Wis.




bounded on the upstream by the northern Pa.cific R3 bridge and to




the lakeward by the High Bridge (Route 53) is the area containing




the so-called upper channel,  north channel, south channel, cross




channel areas and the Westgate Basin all within the St. Louis Bay area.




This area is heavily discolored and has at times large areas of oil.
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Minnesota Powc-r  and Light  Go.




       The Minnesota  Power and Light  Company  is  a  source  of themal




pollution and possibly pollution  of an  acid nature from coal storage




areas.  To the northeast of this  pover  plant  are sor.e  industrial




plants such as the Duluth  Brass 'Torks,  National  Iron Company,




Elliot Packing Company, C-lobe-Daluth  Iron T..rorks, and the  Chung King




Corp. plant (R.  J. Reynolds Food  Co.).   (This is a different plant




from the previously-~entioned plant).   A series  of lagoons  discharge




to the harbor in this area.




       Located on the North Channel is  an ore-loading  fa.cility operated




"by the Duluth I'issabe and  Iron Range Railvay.  Water near these  ore-




3.oading docks is very dark and has a  considerable  amount  of floating  oil.




Duluth Sewage Treatment Plants




       Four primary type sewage disposal plants  serve  the City of




Duluth.  The main plant discharges into the St.  Louis  Bay nea,r the




north channel.  This plant  has a  large  flow which  is visible  from




the air and does not seem to provide adequate treatment.




Superior, *,risconsin




       On the Superior, Wis. side of St. Louis Bay are located, coal




docks, fuel docks, general  merchandise docks, grain elevators, and




the Fraser-Helscn Ship Building and Dry Dock  Company.




Duluth Harbor Basin




       The Duluth Harbor Basin a.rea is bounded by Rice's  Point




to the west,  the City of Duluth to the north, and Minnesota Point to




the east ana the East Gate Basin to the south.  This area has  elevators
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for grain,  iron and  metal  clocks,  fuel  docks  and a scrap metal




terminal,  contracting and  dredging  companies,  a paper mill,




the Supers-rood Coapany,  refrigerated and  general purpose docks,




marine repair facilities,  a  Coast Guard  Base,  a Ilaval Reserve




Training Center, and the U.  S. Army P.eserve  Center.   A major source




of pollution in this area  is the  Super-wood Corporation Plant.   The




Duluth Ship Canal leads into the  Duluth  Harbor "basin  froti Lake  Supei'ior.




This  is an artificial chs.nnel cut through Minnesota Point about l8j2.




The discolored water from.  Duluth  Harbor  can  be seen discharging




almost continuously  through the Duluth Ship  Canal in~co La.ke  Superior.




At times this discolored water can  be  seen a aile or  more into




Lake  Superior.




Superior, Wisconsin  Harbor




       The  City of Superior docking area extends  generally southeast




for approximately 5  miles  from the  High  Bridge  (Route  53)-   This




area  contains general storage warehouses, coal storage docks, a




paper manufacturing  facility, a cement plant,  a sewage treatment




plant, grain elevators, and iron  ore loading docks.  The  natural




outlet of the St. Louis River to  Lake  Superior  is through the




Superior entry.  This entry is approximately 7  miles  southeast  of  the




Duluth Ship Canal and is directly opposite the  Ilemadji River.   The




most obvious sources  of pollution  along the Superior waterfront  ere




the City of Superior's Sewage Treatment  Plant,  the Superior  Fiber




Products Pulp and Paper manufacturing facility, the ITemad.H  River,
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The Alloues River., and the iron leading facilities operated by

the Great northern Railroad Company and the northern Pacific

Railroad Company.  All pollute the harbor.  This discolored harbor

water plus the muddy appearing vater from the IJeraad.ji River is

discharged through the Superior entry directly into Lake Superior.

This causes a discoloration which extends as ranch as two miles into

Lake Superior, and on occasion extends for several miles along the

Wisconsin shoreline south and east of Superior, Wisconsin.


                         LAKE SUPERIOR


Area, Alon.g the ITorth Shore of Lake Superior from
Duluth, Minnesota to Taconite Harbor, Minnesota

       The two major operations which could contribute pollution

to Lake Superior in the stretch of coastline between Taconite Harbor

and Duluth, Minnesota are:

       1.  The Erie Mining Company's private harbor and

       2.  The taconite pelletizinr; operation at Silver Bay, Minn.

Taconite Ka.rbor,  Minn.

       Taconite Harbor is used for the storage and stockpiling of

processed taconite pellets.   These pellets are shipped on ore boats

to Great Lake ports for use by the steel industry.  Some ore vessels

on their return trip unload coal at Taconite Harbor.   A large power

plant converts this coal into electric power which is transmitted

to Babbitt, Minn, where the taconite palletizing operation for the

Erie Mining Company is located.   Pelletizea taconite  is shipped by

rail from Babbitt, Minn, to Taconite Harbor.
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       There appears to be little pollution frora the storage




and  stockpiling of this palletized taconite.  The power plant




contributes some pollution directly to Lake Superior.  This




pollution is from boiler blow-down and water treatment -wastes.




Some pollution to Lake Superior may come from the stockpiled




coal.




Silver Bay, Minn.




       Silver Bay, Minn, is located approximately 60 miles from




Duluth, Minn, along the north shore of Lake Superior.  The




Reserve Mining Company has created a taconite pelletizing plant




along vita a town of approximately 3,000 people.  The physical




facilities for producing taconite pellets are housed in several




large buildings.  Taconite ore is brought to Silver Bay by rail




and is processed by a grinding operation.  The magnetic iron is




separated from the crushed ore.  The waste materials or tailings




from this crushing and grinding operation a.re discharged directly




to Lake Superior.  Approximately 60,000 tons of these tailings are




discharged every 2k hours.  From the taconite processing operation




at the Reserve Mining Company a, large flume several hundred feet




in length a.nd approximately 10 to 15 feet in width carries process




water plus solid and colloidal materials to Lake Superior.  A delta




has been built up along the shore which extends into Lake Superior.




The bulk of the solid material is deposited in this delta and from




time to time the flume must be extended or relocated.  The colloidal




material and some finely divided suspended material flow over this
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delta  and  cause a green color in the lake which under certain

conditions can extend from the Reserve Mining Company's operation

at  Silver  Bay, Minn, along the north shore of lake Superior for

a distance of approximately 15 miles to the southwest.  This

"green vater" has been observed to extend in an unbroken line from

Silver Bay past the Split Rock Lighthouse to the Gooseberry River.

This plume of "green vater" is especially noticeable after storm

or wind conditions.

Green  Water Study

       A "green water" study and a sampling program were carried

out in the vicinity of Silver Bay, Minn, during September 19 57-

Samples were obtained from various outfalls at the Reserve Mining

Company's  ta.conite ore pelletizing plant and from Lake Superior at

distances  as far as 6|- miles into the lake proper.  Analysis of these

samples shoved high concentrations  of heavy metals such as iron,

copper and zinc.    The report has a complete list of sample locations,

chemical analyses, and interpretation of the effect of this waste

material on Lake Superior.

South  Shore of Lake Superior from
Superior, Wis. to Ashland, Wis.

       The  south shore of Lake Superior from Superior,  Wisconsin

to Ashland, Wisconsin has had aerial reconnaissance and ground

reconnaissance in the vicinity of Barksdale,  Wis.   I?o samples  have

been obtained from this segment  of Wisconsin.   There appears to be

few major  sources of pollution from Superior,  Wis. to Bayfield, Wis.
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Ashland, His.




       Ashland, which is located or. Checua.negon Bay, is a




city of approximately 11,000.  This population is served by a




primary type sewage treatment plant.   This plant was surveyed




"by personnel from the State of Wisconsin over a 2^-hour period




on September 7 and 8, 19^5-  The results of this survey showed




that only k^> of the BOD was removed by this treatment plant.




Primary treatment plants should be able to remove 35 to Uofs of




the BOD loading.




Marathon Division of the American Can Co.




       Also located at Ashland is the Marathon Division of the




American Can Company.  This plant makes waxing tissues, machine




creped tissues, and plain a,nd embossed napkins.  Waste materials




from this paper plant operation consist of chemical treatment  and




settling of approximately 2,UOO,OCO gallons of waste per day.   This




waste has a BOD loading equivalent to 12,000 people.  The plant has




a small lagoon located along the shore of Lake Superior.  A white




waste material spills from this lagoon and causes a discoloration




of the lake which extends for approximately -|- mile outward from




the discharge point.




Power Plant




       A power plant burning fossil fuel is also located at




Ashland, Wis.  This plant has an extensive stockpile of coal which




may contribute acid pollution to Lake Superior in addition to  the




used boiler blowdown and water treatment wastes.
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The DuPont Company




       The DuPont Company has an explosives manufacturing plant




at Barksdale vhere TUT is rr.anufactu.red.  The waters of 3oyd Creek




were bright red from these TNT wastes.  This red color extended




into Lake Superior ana along the shore for a distance of




approximately one mile.  TI7T manufacture is generally carried out




in three steps.  Each step consists of a nitration procedure.




Nitric acid is used for the nitration process and a fusing




sulphuric acid called oleum is used to absorb the water generated




from the nitration procedures.  Most of the waste material produced




frora a Tiff manufacturing plant is generated at the so-caJLLed tri-house.




At this point the acids and TNT are neutralized using a sodium




carbonate solution.   After this neutralization, a selliting operation




is performed.  In this procedure the previously neutralized TNT




is treated with sodium sulfite, which separates the various isomers




of Tiff frora the desirable alpha phase.  The wastewater on discharge




from the tri-house contains various isomers of TNT and some suspended




alpha TNT which is generally recovered.  A bright red color character-




izes this waste material.  Generally speaking, the volume of red




water per ton of alpha TNT produced is approximately 22,003 gallons.




TNT manufacture at this DuPont plant appears to be on a batch basis.




In addition to the red color which is caused by aniline-type by-




products of TNT manufacture these wastes contain high nitrates,




high sulphates, and approximately 900 to 1200 pounds per 100,000




gallons of dissolved solids.   Fish and other aquatic organisms have




comparatively lew tolerance for this "red water".   Water into which




TNT wastes have been placed, is generally unsatisfactory as a source






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 of  drinking vater  due to a bitter taste.

 Commercial Fishing Operations

        Commercial  fishing operations are conducted in the

 vicinity  of the Apostle Islands.  Fish processing plants,

 most  of then  in the vicinity of Bayfield, Wis. discharge

 fish  wastes and entrails to Lake Superior.  Only one fishery

 professes to  dispose of fish waste on land.  Return of this

 fish  offal and inedible pa,rts to Lake Superior nay account for

 increased plankton and benthic orga.nis.iis in the vicinity of

 the Apostle Islands.

 La.ke  Superior East  of Ashland, Wisconsin

        Lake Superior east of Ashland, Wis. has had no reconnaissance

 of  any  kind by personnel of the Chicago Program Office.  There

 is  an Immediate Heeds Report shoving municipalities and industries

 contributory  to the Montreal River.  The Montreal River forms part

 of  the  boundary between Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

        That part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan which borders

 on  Lake Superior is sparsely populated.  The major communities are

Houghton-Hancock, Marquette, Munising, Grand Marais, and, on the

 St. Marys River, Sault Ste.  Marie.  Smaller communities such as

Eagle Harbor, Baraga, L'Anse, have comparatively small populations.

There are a number of active and inactive copper mines, iron mines,

refineries, and ore processing plants on the Xeweenaw peninsula.

The contribution of these industrial areas is difficult to assess

without some  rather extensive surveys.  Abandoned iron and copper

mines may contribute acid and metallic ions of copper and iron to

Lake Superior.  The effect of 'hr-j  metallic ions is impossible to

determine until further information can be developed.
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             KNOWN -SOURCES OF POLLUTION ON LAKE SUPERIOR
A  list of industries and municipalities known to be contributing
pollution to Lake Superior is as follows:

                       Fish Processing Plants

Booth Fisheries Division of Consolidated Foods Corp., Bayfield, Wis.
Sand Bay Fisheries, Bayfield Area, Wis.
Bodin Fisheries, Bayfield, Wis.
Everett Fisheries, Port Wing, Wis. - (2 Locations)

                   Milk, Cheese and Dairy Processing:

Fuhrmann's South Shore Dairy, 3 miles North of Iron River, Wis.
Marten's Dairy
Mountain Valley Cheese Factory, Route 3> Ashland, Wis.
Farmers Cheese Factory, Mason, Wis.
Moquah Cheese Factory, Moquah, Wis.
Twin Ports Dairy, Near Benoit, Wis.
Andersonville Co-op Dairy Assn., Route 1, Ashland, Wis.
Radhoff Cheese Co., Highbridge
Marengo Co-op Dairy Corp., Near Kellen, Wis.
Mason Milk Products, Mason, Wis.

                            Paper Mills

Marathon Div. of American Can Co., Ashland, Wis.
Superwood Corp., formerly Superior Wood Products, Inc., Duluth, Minn.
Northwest Paper Co., Cloquet, Minn.
Celotex Corp., L'Anse, Mich.
Kimberly-Clark Corp., Munising, Mich.
Huss Ontonagon Pulp & Paper Co., Ontonagon, Mich.
Superior Fiber Products, Superior, Wis.

                            Munitions Plants

DuPont at Barksdale, Wis.

                              Steel Mills

U. S. Steel Corp., Morgan Park, Minn.

                       Taconite Processing: Industry

Reserve Mining Co., Silver Bay, Minn.

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             KNOWN SOURCES OF POLUUTION OM IAKE SUPERIOR
         Municipalities With a Population of Over 2,000

Hurley, Wis.                         Duluth, Minn.    4 Plants
Bayfield, Wis.                       Aurora, Minn.
Ashland, Wis,                        Babbit, Minn.
Washburn, Wis.                       Buhl, Kinn.
Superior, Wis.                       Chishol^,  Minn.
                                     Eveleth, Minn.
                                     Gilbert, Kinn.
                                     Hibbing, Minn.
Alger, Mich.                         Hoyt Lakes,  Minn.
Munising, Mich.                      Virginia,  Minn.
L1 Arise, Mich.                        Cloquet, Minn.
Bessemer, Mich.                      Lake, Kinn.
Wakefield, Mich.                     Silver Bay,  Minn.
                                     Two Harbors, Minn.
                                     Beaver Bay,  Minn.

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            PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LAKE SUPERIOR,
              DULUTH AND SUPERIOR HARBORS AND SOME  TRIBUTARIES
        A cruise was made  the  latter part  of May  and the first part  of
 June 1967,covering Lake Superior.  Samples were  collected  at widely
 scattered stations at top, middle  and bottom depths.  Lov  concentrations
 of all parameters analyzed were observed  over the entire lake.

        Concentrations of  0.010 mg/1 of phosphorus and 0.30 mg/1  of
 inorganic nitrogen present in the  water at the beginning of the  growing
 season is sufficient to cause nuisance algal blooms (Sawyer, 19^7)-*

        Concentrations observed in  the lake for the  following parameters
 were as follows:

                  Total Phosphorus    Inorganic Nitrogen     Total Iron
 Average (mg/l)        0.13                0.23                0.10
 Range (mg/l)          0.003-0.0^7         0.16-0.37          0.02-0.36

        Concentrations of  phosphorus and inorganic nitrogen at the two
 entries to the harbors were quite  high.   At the Duluth Ship Canal,  con-
 centrations of the phosphorus v*3r«  about k times the amount found in the
 lake and the concentration of inorganic nitrogen was slightly higher than
 was  found in the lake.  Iron  concentration in the Duluth Ship Canal was
 about 5 times that found  in the lake.  At the Superior Entry, the phosphorus
 was  about 7 times the amount noted in the lake and  the inorganic nitrogen
 was  about the same as found in the lake.  Iron concentrations at this site
 were 10 times those found in the lake.

        Samples collected  in a slip in the northern  part of Duluth Harbor
 Basin near Superwood Corp. showed  phosphate values  37 times those noted
 in the  lake and the inorganic nitrogen values were  about the same as those
 noted in  the lake.  Iron  concentrations at this site were  12 times  those
 found in  the lake.  Temperature and dissolved solids were  very high.  pH
 values were low and the dissolved  oxygen was depleted.  All other parameters
 were very high.

       A  sample collected near Superior Fiber Products, Inc. in  a slip in
 the  northwestern part of  the Lake  Superior Front Channel showed  phosphate
 values 10 times those found in the lake and inorganic nitrogen concentrations
 3  times those in the lake.  Iron concentrations were 10 times those in the
 lake.

       A  sample collected near a Duluth Sewage Disposal Plant outfall in the
 northern  part of the North Channel showed phosphate values about 20 times
 those in  the lake and the inorganic nitrogen values about k times those in
 the  lake.  Iron concentrations were 9 times those in the lake.   The dissolved
 oxygen reading at this site was low (3.7 mg/l).


*This assumes that temperature and other environmental conditions are favorable.

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       A sample collected near a Superior Sewage Treatment Plant outfall
in the central part of the Superior Front Channel indicated phosphate
values of about 5 times those in the lake and inorganic nitrogen values
2 times those in the lake.  Iron concentrations were about 9 times those
in the lake.

       The mean value of nine other harbor stations for phosphate was
11 times that of the lake.  The mean value of inorganic nitrogen was
2 times that of the lake.  The mean iron concentration vas 9 times that
recorded in the lake and the lowest value was higher than the maximum
value observed in the lake.

       Not only were high phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations observed
at all harbor stations but low dissolved oxygen levels and high sodium,
total iron, chloride, silica and MBAS concentrations were observed.

       Between the bridges over St. Louis River at U.S. Highway 2 and
U.S. Highway 6l, there was a marked degradation in water quality of the
river due to low dissolved oxygen levels, high COD levels and an increase
in nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), solids and other parameters.

       Relatively high concentrations of iron are entering the Superior
Harbor Basin west of the Superior Entry from the Kemadji River.  Phosphate
concentrations in the Nemadji River at U.S. Highway 2 Bridge were about
7 times those observed in the lake.

       Relatively high concentrations of iron were noted in Bluff Creek
as it enters Allouez Bay.  However, the flow of this stream is rather
small as compared to the flow of the Kemadji and St. Louis Rivers.

       Boyd Creek receives the discharge from a TNT  raan'ufaciui'ing
plant operated by the DuPont Co. at Barksdale, Wis., which is west of
Ashland and south of Bayfield, Wis.  This creek was sampled at Highway 13
Bridge located near Lake Superior.  This creek was grossly polluted during
a sampling period in June and one in August 196?-  Concentrations (mg/l)
of the various parameters analyzed are listed below:

COD                         537         Organic Nitrogen       6?
Suspended Solids            260         MBAS                   168
Dissolved Solids            ^,055       Na                     1^5
Total Soluble Phosphorus    .336        Cl                     93
Total Phosphorus            .463        SO^                    1,080
Ammonia Nitrogen            6.2         Si                     9«7
Nitrate Nitrogen            190         Total Iron             9.2
pH                          9.0

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       Boyd Creek was a deep red color at each sampling period.  Aerial
reconnaissance indicated that this colored material extends for a
considerable distance into Lake Superior.

       In summary, physical and chemical conditions of the lake at the
stations sampled, indicated that the water quality was good.  However,
high levels of pollutants noted in the harbors and in some tributaries
indicated that these waters were grossly polluted and create pollutional
hazards to the lake.
Reference:
       Sawyer,  Clair N. Fertilization of Lakes by Agriculture and Urban
       Drainage.   Journal New England Water Works Association.
       61-2:109-127 (19^7).

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