IMMEDIATE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL MEEDS
OF THE SAINT LOUIS RIVER BASIN
MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN
LAKE SUPERIOR WATERSHED
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CONTENTS
Chapter
Number_ Title Page
1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
Purpose and Scope 1-1
Authority 1-1
Basin Characteristics 1-1
Importance 1-2
Problem Areas ............ 1-3
Present Water Quality Problems ...... 1-4
2 IMMEDIATE POLLUTION CONTROL NEEDS 2-1
Municipal Pollution Sources 2-1
Industrial Pollution Sources 2-5
Other Pollution Sources . 2-8
3 COSTS 3-1
4 RECENT PROGRESS IN POLLUTION CONTROL 4-1
REFERENCES
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TABLES
Table After
No._ Title Page
2-1 Municipal Waste Needs 2-9
2-2 Industrial Waste Needs 2-9
2-3 Other Needs 2-9
3-1 Municipal Waste Treatment Plant Construction Costs . . 3-1
- ii
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FIGURES
Figure After
No. Title Page
1-1 St. Louis River Basin . . 1-1
iii
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this report is to focus attention on known sources
of pollution in the St. Louis River Basin (Figure 1-1) and to provide a
priority for action. The recommendations in this report are based on
information supplied by the States of Minnesota and Wisconsin, reconnais-
ance surveys conducted by the Chicago Program Office staff and preliminary
engineering considerations. No detailed v/ater quality surveys or engineer-
ing studies were carried out for the preparation of this report.
Authority
This report was prepared in accordance with Section 3(a) of the
Federal V/ater Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 USC 466 et seq).
Basin Characteristics
Geography
The St. Louis River, with a drainage area of 3,860 square miles,
is an interstate stream that forms part of the Minnesota-Wisconsin
boundary. Approximately 3,575 square miles are located in Minnesota and
285 in Wisconsin. The St. Louis River Basin is rectangular in shape with
its principal axis extending from a northeast to southwest direction for
approximately 80 miles.
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93
Note = Numbers Refer to Table 2-1
SCALE IN MILES
GREAT LAKES— ILLINOIS
RIVER BASINS PROJECT
ST. LOUIS RIVER BASIN
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FEDERALWATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
GREAT LAKES REGION CHICAGO.ILLINOIS
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Minnesota counties in the study area include portions of St.
Louis, Itaska, Lake, and Carlton counties. Only Douglas County in
Wisconsin contains any of the drainage area.
Hydrology
The mean discharge rate of the St. Louis River is 2,440 cubic feet
per second (cfs) based on 57 year information obtained at the U. S.
(8)
Geological Survey gaging station at Scanlon, Minnesota. Maximum and
minimum rates are 42,600 cfs and 90 cfs, respectively.
Population
The St. Louis River Basin had a I960 population of 260,000 with
a municipal population of 210,000 or 80^ of the total.
Area Economy
A considerable variety of industry exists in the area. Major
industries in Carlton County include pulp and paper products and petroleum
refining. Major industries in St. Louis County include steel rolling and
finishing, food and kindred products, and non-electrical machinery. The
major mining activity is for iron ore.
Importance of Pollution Control in Lake Superior
Lake Superior, the largest body of fresh water in North America,
must be preserved. Future uses of the Lake for all purposes require con-
tinued efforts to reduce pollutants to the lowest possible levels. Nutrients
in the form of phosphates and nitrates must be limited to concentrations
that wj.ll not lead to excessive algal blooms and hence eutrophication.
(1)
Phosphates are the easiest of the two nutrients mentioned to control.
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Experience with Lake Erie has shown what can happen to a large body of
water which is allowed to be a receptacle for pollutants. However, the
trend toward eutrophication may be reversed in Lake Erie by extensive
pollution control actions due to natural flushing and to Lake Erie's
relatively small volume. Damage to Lake Superior water quality on the
other hand may very well be irreversible, since Lake Superior has a much
greater volume and annual flow out of the Lake is a very small percentage
of the volume. This emphasizes the importance of pollution control in
the Lake Superior Watershed. The St. Louis River is a major tributary
to Lake Superior and control of its pollution is vital to the protection
of the Lake.
Problem Areas
1. Upper_Riyer - Many municipalities do not provide adequate
treatment of wastes in the Upper St. Louis River Basin. This
means that problem areas probably exist, although information
is limited in this regard. The recommended actions cited in
Chapter 2 are aimed at improving waste treatment in this area.
2. Lower River - The Lower St. Louis River from Cloquet to
Billings Park is polluted, based on information furnished by
the Minnesota Department of Health and on reconnaissance
(3)(11)
studies made by the Chicago Program Office. This is
evidenced by low dissolved oxygen, excessive algal volumes,
sludge banks and some high coliform counts. Considerable
debris and oil slicks have been noted in the Duluth-Superior
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Harbor. These problems result from:
a. Less than secondary treatment for municipal waste at
Duluth, Superior, Cloquet, and other communities that
discharge sewage effluent into the St. Louis River;
b. Wastes from a number of industries in the Cloquet and
Duluth-Superior areas;
c. Combined sanitary and storm sewer systems in Duluth
and Superior^
d. Refuse and effluents from the large number of ships
using the harbor.
Present Water Quality Problems
The following water quality condition statements are adapted from
(3)
the 1961 Minnesota Department of Health Report on the St. Louis River,
and from observations made by personnel from the Chicago Program Office
between May 6 and October 28, 196?.
(3)
Minnesota Department of Health Report
During both surveys (June and August, 19&1), observing from
the boat, the water appeared to be turbid and colored, but when
viewed in the sample bottles, it appeared clear. The small oil
slicks on the surface of the water in the upper harbor during
both surveys were apparently due to discharge of wastes from the
large number of ships using the harbor.
The waters in the Billings Park beach area were generally
somewhat turbid, especially during the June (1961) survey. The
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high velocity winds from the north and northeast resulted in
a surface water movement (tide) from the main channel towards
the Billings Park area. During the August survey the wind
velocities were much lower, and the river and harbor waters
were generally calm.
At times, the bay and harbor are affected by strong winds
which drive the waters up-river. Such temporary reversals or
impediments to the river flow have been known to raise the water
level in the bay area as high as two feet. The greatest concern
has not been in the elevation of the harbor water level but the
up-river movement of the currents, particularly the surface
currents. It is apparent at times that sewage, wastes, or
refuse discharged from any source into the lower river or bay
can be carried up-river for substantial distances by these
reverse currents.
The results of the examination of the bacteriological samples
are expressed as the concentration of coliform group organisms,
MPN/100 ml (most probable number per 100 milliliters). The un-
differentiated coliform group was used as an indicator of the
presence of fecal material or sewage.
Coliform present in the samples taken at the Billing Park
beach area were relatively low, ranging from 20 to 1?0 MPN/100 ml,
and averaging about 112 MPN/100 ml. Three samples collected in the
inlet immediately south of the beach showed coliform concentrations
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averaging 15,300 MPN/100 ml. (Concentrations in excess of 1,000
MPN/100 ml are considered hazardous to public health when waters
containing these concentrations are used for bathing.) There are
private homes located along this inlet which are served by
individual septic tanks and soil absorption fields; however, at
the time of the investigation, no surface discharge from these
private systems were observed.
On the north side of the beach, just below the Arrowhead
Bridge, samples were collected in two slips that reportedly re-
ceive the overflow from a raw sewage lift station during periods
of breakdown or power failure. The concentration of colifonn
organisms in these samples was 3>900 or 93,000 MPN/100 ml. From
these data, it appears there may be substantial sources of sewage
discharge on both the north and south sides near the beach, but at
this time there was no evident effect on the beach as shown by
the sampling and analytical data.
As would be expected, the concentration of coliform organisms
was relatively high in the samples collected near the outfalls of
the sewage treatment plants„ The concentration of coliform
organisms in the samples collected near the main Duluth plant varied
from 790 to 16,000 MPN/100 ml in June (196l) and from 790 to
5,400 MPN/100 ml in August (1961).
Results for the samples collected near the Fairmount district
plant outfall varied from 220 to 1,000 MPN/100 ml in June and from
20 to 790 in August. Concentrations of coliform organisms in the
samples collected near the Smithville district plant outfall varied
from 790 to 16,000 MPN/100 ml during June, and from 1,100 to 16,000
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MPN/100 ml in August. The sample collected at the outlet of Mud
Lake, which receives the effluent of the Gary-New Duluth district
plant, had a coliform concentration of 1,100 MPN/100 ml in June
and 110 MPN/100 ml in August. (Based on the limited data obtained
it would appear unlikely that the river could be used for body
contact sports in any area other than along the Billing Park beach.)
Along the Wisconsin shore, the chemical and bio-chemical examination
of waters and tributary waters from Lake Superior, through Superior Bay,
St. Louis Bay and upstream into the St. Louis River to Oliver Bridge in-
dicated the following:
(l) In Superior Bay, between Superior entry and the mouth of the
Nemadji River, the DO content averaged 8.15 nig/1 with a
maximum of 8.2 and a minimum of 8.1. The BOD of the composite
of the depth samples was 3.0 ing/1.
(2) In Superior Bay from the Superior entry to a range upstream
past the Superior sewage treatment plant outfall, the DO con-
tent averaged 7.6 mg/1 with a maximum of 8.2 and a minimum of
7.2. The BOD averaged 2.9 mg/1 with a maximum of 3.0 and a
minimum of 2.8.
(3) In the St. Louis River from Interstate Bridge, upstream into
the mouth of Pokegama Bay, the DO content averaged 5.9 mg/1
with a maximum of 7.4 and minimum of 5.1. The BOD averaged
3.3 Eig/1 with a maximum of 5.7 and a minimum of 1.4. (The
waters in the Billings Park Area are included.)
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(4) Along the Wisconsin side of the main river channel, the DO
content averaged 1.6 ing/1 with a maximum of 2.8 and minimum
of 0.0. The BOD averaged 4.1 mg/1 with a maximum of 4.8 and
minimum of 3.3.
Along the Minnesota shore, the chemical and bio-chemical examination
of the waters and tributary waters, from Lake Superior through Superior Bay,
St. Louis Bay and upstream into the St. Louis River, indicated the following:
(1) In Superior Bay from the Duluth entry along the Minnesota shore
to Interstate Bridge, the DO content averaged 6.8 mg/1, with
a maximum of 8.2 and a minimum of 5.7. The BOD averaged 3.4
mg/1, with a maximum of 4.3 and minimum of 2.5.
(2) In St. Louis Bay from Great Northern Railroad Bridge, along
Minnesota shore past the outfall of the Duluth main sewage
treatment plant to Arrowhead Bridge, the DO content averaged
6.1 mg/1, with a maximum of 7.7 and minimum of 5.2. The BOD
averaged 4.5 mg/1, with a maximum of 5.6 and minimum of 3.3.
(3) In the St. Louis River, upstream along the Minnesota shore
from the entrance to Inland Coal and Dock Company barge slip
to a point between Interlake Iron Corporation and Dwights Point,
the DO content averaged 5.2 mg/1, with a maximum of 6.0 and a
minimum of 4.7. The BOD averaged 3.4 mg/1, with a maximum of
3.8 and minimum of 3.0.
(4) In the St. Louis River upstream along Minnesota shore from the
mouth of the creek discharging into the Bay west of Interlake
Iron Corporation past the stream tributaries which receive the
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effluents from the Duluth sewage treatment plants at Fair-mount
Park and Smithville to a point between Morgan Park and Clough
Island, the DO content average 3.0 mg/1 with a maximum of 3.7
and minimum of 2.4. The BOD averaged 3.2 mg/1, with a maximum
of 3.8 and minimum of 2.5.
(5) Along the St. Louis River where the Northern Pacific Railroad
Bridge crosses the outlet of Mud Lake opposite the effluent
discharge of the Gary-New Duluth sewage treatment plant, the
DO averaged 3.6 mg/1 with a maximum of 4.9 and a minimum of 2.3.
The BOD averaged 3.1 nig/1, with a maximum of 3.3 and a minimum
of 2.8.
(6) In the St. Louis River from Oliver Bridge upstream to where
Minnesota State Hwy 23 crosses Fond du Lac, the DO content
averaged 1.5 rag/1, with a maximum of 2.7 and a minimum of 0.0.
The BOD averaged 4.6 mg/1, with a maximum of 7.0 and minimum
of 3.3.
Minimum DO concentrations acceptable for propagation of fish is
(9)
generally considered to be about 4 mg/1, depending upon temperature.
Thus, the waters in this area above the Oliver Bridge would not support
game fish.
(11)
Chicago Program Office Reconnaisance
The town of Cloquet, Minnesota, is located approximately 15 miles
above the interstate portion of the St. Louis River. Cloquet is approxi-
mately 23 miles southwest of Duluth, Minnesota, and has a population (i960)
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of approximately 10,000 people. A primary sewage treatment plant dis-
charging to the St. Louis River handles the municipal wastes and some of
the industrial wastes for the city.
Major industries in the Cloquet area are pulp and paper type of
operations. The Northwest Paper Company, the Wood Conversion Company,
and the Diamond Match Company all have mills in this area.
The Wood Conversion Company discharges directly to the St. Louis
River.
The Northwest 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 as
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. Con-
siderable 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.
Between Cloquet, Minnesota, and Duluth-Superior Harbor area are
located several small towns which provide only primary treatment or less
for their municipal wastes. These are the towns of Fond du Lac, Minnesota,
Gary, Minnesota, New Duluth, Minnesota, Morgan Park, Minnesota and
Oliver, Wisconsin. After the St. Louis River passes the towns of New Duluth,
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Minnesota and Oliver, Wisconsin, it flows into and through a series of
channels and lakes including Mud Lake and Spirit Lake before discharging
to St. Louis Bay, and the harbor areas of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior,
Wisconsin. In the Duluth, Minnesota 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, Minnesota and Morgan
Park, Minnesota there are two major industrial complexes: Universal Atlas
Cement Co. and American Steel and Wire Division of U. S. Steel. The
American Steel and Wire Division of U. S. Steel manufactures steel fence
posts and 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 miles
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 contributes large amounts
of iron and sulphate to the receiving waters. In addition to the red
discoloration so typical of steel pickling 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, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin
bounded on the upstream by the Northern Pacific RR Bridge and to the lake-
ward by the High Bridge (Route 53) is the area containing the so-called
upper channel, north channel, south channel, cross channel areas and the
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Westgate Basin all within the St. Louis Bay area. This area is heavily
discolored and has,at times,large slicks of oil.
The Minnesota Power and Light Company is a source of thermal
pollution and possibly pollution of an acid nature from coal storage
areas. To the northeast of this power plant are industrial plants such
as the Duluth Brass Works, National Iron Company, Elliot Packing Company,
Globe-Duluth Iron Works, and another Chung King Corp. plant (R. J.
Reynolds Food Co.). A series of lagoons discharge to the harbor in this
area.
Located on the North Channel is an ore-loading facility operated
by the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway. Water near these ore-
loading docks is very dark and has a considerable amount of floating oil.
Four primary type sewage disposal plants serve the City of
Duluth. The main plant discharges into the St. Louis Bay near the north
channel. This plant has a large flow which is visible from the air and
does not provide adequate treatment.
The Duluth Harbor Basin area is bounded by Rice's Point to the
west, the City of Duluth to the north, and Minnesota Point to the east
and the East Gate Basin to the south. This area has elevators for grain,
iron and metal docks, fuel docks and a scrap metal terminal, contracting
and dredging companies, refrigerated and general purpose docks, marine
repair facilities, a Coast Guard Base, a Naval Reserve Training Center,
and the U. S. Army Reserve Center. A major .source of pollution in this
area is the Supervrood Corporation Plant. The Duluth Ship Canal leads
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into the Duluth Harbor basin from Lake Superior. The discolored water
from Duluth Harbor can be seen discharging almost continuously through
the Duluth Ship Canal into Lake Superior. At times this discolored
water can be seen a mile or more out into Lake Superior.
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 manu-
facturing 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 Nemadji River. The most obvious sources of pollu-
tion along the Superior waterfront are the City of Superior's Sewage
Treatment Plant, the Superior Fiber Products Pulp and Paper manufacturing
facility, ths Nemadji River, the Allouez River, and the iron loading
facilities operated by the Great Northern Railroad Company and the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company. All pollute the harbor. This dis-
colored harbor water plus the muddy appearing water from the Nemadji
River is discharged through the Superior entry directly into Lake
Superior. This causes a discoloration which extends as much as two
miles into Lake Superior, and on occasion extends for several miles along
the Wisconsin shoreline south and east of Superior.
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CHAPTER 2
IMMEDIATE POLLUTION CONTROL NEEDS
The following lists of municipal, industrial, and other waste
sources in the St. Louis River Basin was compiled from the Minnesota
(3)
Department of Health report of June-August 1961, a Wisconsin State
(4)
Health Department Report of 1966, and the Public Health Service
(7)
Inventory of Municipal Waste Facilities. Population figures are based
on I960 census reports.
Municipal Pollution Squrpes
1. City of Cloquet has a primary sewage treatment plant
serving a population of 9,013. During a 1959 investiga-
tion, general operation of the plant appeared good. Design
capacity is 1.5 million gallons per day (mgd). Secondary
treatment and advanced waste treatment for phosphorus removal
should be provided.
2. Village of Carlton has primary sewage treatment facilities
serving a population of 862. Plant operation appeared to
be fair during a 1959 investigation. Secondary treatment
should be provided.
3. Village of Scanlon has a primary sewage treatment plant
serving a population of 1,126. The 1959 survey showed no
chlorine residual and generally poor maintenance. Design
capacity is 0.036 mgd. Secondary treatment should be
provided.
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k* Community of Esko (Unincorporated) has a secondary sewage
treatment plant designed to treat 0.030 mgd of sewage and
creamery wastes. Generally poor operation was observed in
1959. Better operation should be provided.
5. Duluth (population 106X884) serves all but approximately
5,900 of its total population with municipal sewage treat-
ment facilities. The majority of the unserved population
is in the Riverside area, which is sewered. Provisions
were made in the design of the Smithville plant for the
Riverside area but a connection has not been made. The
length of the Duluth municipal sewer system totals approxi-
mately 315 miles. Approximately three miles of this total
is combined sanitary and storm sewers.
Duluth is served by four primary sewage treatment plantsj
i.e., the main plant and three district plants at Fainnount,
Smithville, and Gary-New Duluth. The latter were constructed
and placed in operation in I960. The main plant, which was
constructed in 1940, contains a telemetering installation
to provide continuous monitoring of some of the processes
at the district plants.
Following is a brief description of each plant and a
summary of operational data:
The Duluth main plant was designed to provide chemical
flocculation, primary sedimentation, sludge digestion and
incineration, and effluent chlorination for domestic sewage
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and a limited amount of industrial waste at the rate of
12.5 wgd. The suuraary report of plant operations in I960
showed an average sewage flow of 14.1 mgd. The flow during
the June 12-16 survey period averaged 16.06 mgd, while in
August it was 13.05 nigd. The summary of laboratory data
for I960 showed an average reduction in SS (suspended
solids) and BOD of 64.1 and 39.6 percent, respectively. The
plant effluent is discharged directly to the harbor area a
short distance above the Interstate Bridge (USH 53).
The Gary-New Duluth district plant consists of the following
units: barminutor, combination grit and pre-aeration chamber,
primary settling tank, chlorinator, chlorine contact tank,
and raw sludge concentration tank. The raw sludge is hauled
to the main sewage treatment plant for digestion. The plant
design was based on an average flow of 0.260 mgd. The
effluent discharges to Mud Lake, a tributary of the St. Louis
River.
On June 12, 1961,all of the plant units were in operation and
the general operation of the plant was satisfactory. The
plant- records show that a chlorine residual of approximately
0.3 - 0.6 mg/1 was being maintained in the plant effluent.
The Smithville district giant has essentially the same units
as the Gary-New Duluth plant with the plant design being
based on an average sewage flow'of 0.500 mgd. The effluent
is discharged directly to the St. Louis River.
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All of the plant units were in operation on June 12} 1961.
The general operation of the plant was satisfactory and
the records show that a chlorine residual of approximately
0.2 - 0.5 mg/1 was being maintained in the plant effluent.
The Fairmount Park district plant is similar to the Gary-
New Duluth and Smithville plants. The plant design is
based on an average sewage flow of 0.700 mgd. The effluent
is discharged to the St. Louis River north of Tallas Island.
Provision was made in the design of the Fairmount Park
Plant for treatment of the sewage from Proctor (population
2,963). This sewage formerly was discharged without treat-
ment to the river via the Duluth system, but now receives
(3)
(primary) treatment at this plant.
Secondary treatment plus advanced waste treatment for
phosphorus removal must be provided for all of Duluth*s wastes.
The City of Superior (populationJ33,5631 operates a primary
type sewage treatment plant which was completed in 195&. It
was designed for dry weather capacity of 5 mgd and a wet
weather flow of 15 mgd. The receiving water for the sub-
merged effluent line is Superior Bay. The sanitary and
storm sewers are combined and regulated with baffles in the
storm sewer interceptors. These storm sewers have outfalls
at 16 locations throughout the city and all but three dis-
charge directly or indirectly into Superior Bay (lowermost
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portion of the St. Louis River Basin). One discharges
into Towers Bay slip in St. Louis Bay, just south of
Connors Point and Interstate Bridge. The other two storm
sewers outfall into St. Louis Bay, approximately one-fourth
(3)
mile east of Arrowhead Bridge.
Superior should provide secondary treatment and advanced
waste treatment for phosphorus removal.
6, The following communities have minor or no treatment of
their sanitary wastes: Floodwood, Iron Junction, Kelly
Lake, Kerr Junction, Kinney, Mahoning Location, Keadowlands,
Monroe Location, McKinley, Arnold, Elcor, Embarrass,
Hermantown, Lactonia, Nopeming, Parkville, West Virginia,
and Wrenshall, Minnesota; and Superior Village, Foxboro,
and Oliver, Wisconsin.
The above-named communities all contribute to the total pollution
of the St. Louis River and help to degrade the aesthetic qualities of
the River. Treatment plant needs were detailed only for those communities
having a population equivalent of 400 or more. Table 2-1 gives specific
recommendations for each community.
Industrial Pollution Sources
Recommended actions for each industry cited and for all other
industries in the Basin are to study pollutional effects of process
wastes and to institute corrective measures. Also, each industry should
provide secondary treatment of its sanitary"wastes or connect to
municipal sewer lines.
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1. Wood Conversion Company, Cloquet, provides fiber screening
facilities and a continuous digester system to reduce the
discharge of suspended solids. Sanitary sewage has been
separated from the process waste and is discharged to the city
sanitary sewer system. A pilot industrial waste treatment
(3)
aeration unit was placed in operation on December 7> 19&1.
2. Northwest Paper Company, Cloquet, provides in-plant fiber
screening, lime sludge pond, and mechanical clarification
for removal of suspended solids. Turbine vents have been
installed at the Thomson and Fond du Lac dams for river
reaeration. Sanitary sewage is segregated and discharged to
(3)
the city sewerage system.
3. American Cyanamid Company, Cloquet, discharges its processed
wastes to the lime sludge pond of Northwest Paper Company.
A septic tank and soil absorption field have been provided
(3)
for disposal of sanitary sewage.
4. Wrenshall Refinery, Wrenshall, provides septic tanks and soil
absorption fields for disposal of sanitary sewage. An oil
removal and cooling pond with a separate discharge to Silver
Creek has been provided for the cooling water and boiler
blowdown. The process wastes are treated by chemical neu-
tralization and steam stripping, the oil being removed by
means of an API oil separator and the effluent being pumped
to a seepage pond. Spent caustics are recovered and hauled
(3)
to a nearby paper aii.ll for use as process chemicals.
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5. TheAmerican Steel and Wire Division, U. S. Steel Corporation
is located on the lower St. Louis River just above the
Smithville district sewage treatment plant. The process wastes
include fly ash and flue dust from the blast furnace, waste
acids and oil from the steel mill and. phenolics from the coke
plant. No attempt is made to segregate sanitary sewage from
the process wastes. At the time of the investigation on June
13, 1961, the mill was operating at approximately 50 percent
capacity with about 1,500 people employed.
Part of the sanitary sewage, and the wastes from the coke
plant and blast furnace, are discharged to a settling and
skimming pond. The pond system was constructed in 1954, and
has been nearly filled with solids. A seepage pit i.s being
used for disposal of the acid wastes from the steel mill.
The settling pond overflow and the remainder of the wastes
are discharged directly to the St. Louis River. Approximately
45 mgd of water is used in the mill. There is little or no
(3)
attempt made to recirculate or reuse the water.
6. The Superwood Corporation board mill is located on Superior
Bay near the Duluth entry. The mill produces a high-density
board from aspen pulp, without debarking. Process wastes
from the chipper, grinder, and presses are pumped from a large
sump through a ditch to a settling pond which was constructed
by diking an area near a barge slip. The overflow from the
pond is discharged to the Bay. Sanitary sewage is treated in
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(3)
septic tanks and discharged directly to Superior Bay.
?• The Lake Superior JRefining; Company of Superior is bounded
by Stinson Avenue, Hill Avenue, and 19th Street. The wastes
are first treated in an API separator, then in a series of
three lagoons where they receive chemical treatment and
settling. The overflow from the lagoons passes through
(3)
the Washington Park drainage tributary to Superior Bay.
Other Poll_ution_ Source s
1. The Carlton Community Health Center (a nursing home) is
located on U. S. Highway 6l north of the Village of Carlton.
The home has a capacity of approximately 40 beds. The
existing sewage treatment facilities consist of an Imhoff
(3)
Tank, dosing tank, and soil absorption field. Secondary
treatment should be provided. No data are available to
assess the effect the Health Center has on the St. Louis
River.
2. Two Trailer Parks located north of the Miller Trunk (U. 3.
Highway 53) north of Duluth are not served by the municipal
sewer system. Each has an individual septic tank disposal
system. In June 1961 there were noticeable signs of surface
discharge of effluent at bothj although the disposal systems
were designed to provide for soil absorption. The runoff,
in both cases, would flow to a swamp and then to Miller's
Creek, which flows into St. Louis Bay. This discharge was
2-8
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reportedly causing a local nuisance, but no effects
(3)
attributable to this discharge could be found in the Bay.
3. Puluth-Superior,.Harbor; received a total of 2,491 ships in
1961 up to the tir.e of the June survey. Only 130 of this
number were ocean-going vessels. During August, 289 ships
passed through the Duluth port of entry and 390 through the
Superior entry, for a total of 6?'9 ships entering the harbor.
The average tine tied up at berth was approximately two days
for ocean freighters and seven to eight hours for domestic
vessels. The crews averaged approximately 35 for each ship,
or a total of about 24,000 in August. The refuse and sewage
from many of the ships is presumably discharged directly into
the harbor waters, because shore facilities for disposal of
these wastes have not been generally provided; however, the
Port Authority does maintain by contract a refuse disposal
• f v- • <3)
service for some shipping.
4. Approximately 113_piers, wharves, and docks are located in
the Duluth-Superior Harbor Area which may contribute to pollu-
tion of the St. Louis River and Lake Superior. These possible
pollution sources should be studied to determine their im-
pact on water quality in the harbor area.
2-9
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SUMJAI3T OF B.3EDIATE FOIiUTIOII COIFIROL 1IESD3
TABLE 2-1
MK3ICIPAL WASTE KEED3
Reauirement
AW, C
S, C
S, C
S, C
S, C
S, C
Connection to
Virginia Sever System
S, C
AW, C
S, C
AV7T, C
Connection to
Superior Sevor System
Location
St. Louis County,
Minnesota
"
it
it
"
„
Car It on County,
Minnesota
ii
Douglas County,
Wisconsin
it
Better Operation of canton cc/uiny,
Secondary Treatment Plaait Minnesota
Separate Storm and
Sanitary Severs
Entii-e Basin
Responsibilities
Buluth
KLoodvood
Kelly Lake
McKinley
Rernanixnm
Parl^rille
Vest Virginia
Carlton
Cloquet
Scanlon
*
Superior
Superior Village
Esko CoKironity
All Communities
Pri-
ority
A
C
C
C
C
C
C
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
Map
Location
1
2
3
k
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
-
Key - C = colorination; S = secondary;
AWT = advanced vaste treatment
Note: Priority letters, i.e., A,B,C} indicate relative
importance of pollution problems based on available
information.
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TABLE 2-2
INDUSTRIAL WASTE HEEDS
Study pollutional
effects of process
•wastes and institute
corrective measures.
Location
Cloquet, Minn.
Responsibilities
Wood Conversion Co.
State of Minnesota
Kbrthwast Paper Co.
State of Minnesota
American Cyanamid
State of Minnesota
Study pollutional
effects of process
vastes and institute
corrective measures.
Wrenshall, Minn. Wrenshall Refinery
State of Minnesota
B
Study pollutional
effects of process
vastes end institute
corrective measures.
Secondary treatment
of sanitary vastes
or connection to
existing sever lines.
Duluth, Minn.
American Steel &
Wire Division of
U.S. Steel Corp.
O^ - 4>.-, *-,-'• >' : ^ ,.-• - - "--'-a
k.- v_* i, ^j; V ^. - ^_u ^_^ * , -• -,ct
Pi:
C-:i--.
State of Minn.
A
Superior, Wis.
Lake Superior
Refining Co.
State of Wisconsin
Note: Priority letters, i.e., A,B,C, indicate relative
importance of pollution problems based on available
information.
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TABLE 2-3
OTHER HEEDS
Requiremont
Secondary treatment or
connection to existing
sever lines
Location
Carlton Community
Health Center
Trailer Parks on
Highway 53
Responsibilities
Village of Carlton
State of Minnesota
Priori"-.?
C
C
Sanitary sewage inter-
ceptors for ships.
Refuse dicjosal for
ships.
Duluth-Superior
Harbor
Port Authority
B
Study pollutional
effect of piers,
wharves, and docks.
Duluth-Superior
Harbor
Fv/PCA
Minnesota & Wisconsin
Note: Priority letters, i.e., A,B,C, indicate relative
importance of pollution problems based on available
information.
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CHAPTER 3
COSTS
Municipal waste treatment plant construction costs are listed
in Table 3-1. Cost estimates for industrial waste control and other
needs were not made due to lack of information.
Municipal waste treatment cost estimates are based on the
requirement of secondary treatment and chlorination for communities
under 5>000 population, and advanced waste treatment for phosphorus re-
moval and chlorination for those over 5,000 population. Costs were
(6)
corrected to June, 196? and were based on national averages. Twenty-
five percent was added to cover administrative, engineering and legal
costs. Where primary treatment existed, one-half of the value of the
existing plant was deducted from the secondary costs to allow for the
use of this plant and equipment. Thirty percent was added to the sewered
population to arrive at a population equivalent (PE) estimate which in-
cludes industrial wastes. Cost estimates were made for all communities
in the basin with a raw PE of 400 or more.
3-1
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TABLE 3-1
MUNICIPAL WAS2E TREAB-EKT PLAOT COIJSTRUCTION COSTS
Municipality
Duliith
Main Plant
Saithvnie
Fairuount Paric
Gary-IJev Duluth
Floodwood
KeUy take
McKinley
Herman toxm
Parkville
West Virginia
Carlton
Cloquet
Scanlon
Superior
Superior Village
Current
Treat-
County ment
St. Louis, Mina.
P
P
P
P
N
St. Louis, Minn. N
N
N
N
N
Carlton, Minn. P
P
P
Douglas, Vis. P
N
Needed Costs
Treatment
AWT, C
AWT, C
AWT, C
AWT, C
S, C
$5,360,000
S, C
S, C
S, C
S, C
Connsction
to Virginia
Sever System
$ 308,000
S, C
AWT, C
S, C
$ 970,000
AWT, C
Connection
to Superior
Sever System
$1,780,000
Key -
P = primary; N = none or minor; C = chlorination;
S = secondary; AWT = advanced waste treatment
$8, if 18,000
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CHAPTER 4
RECENT PROGRESS IN POLLUTION CONTROL
Since 1954, the date of the last comprehensive pollution study
(10)
in the Lake Superior drainage basin, some minor progress has been made
in pollution control. The town of Biwabik, after showing some deteriora-
tion in sei^age treatment plant operation, built a new plant. Four other
towns, Babbitt, Hoyt Lakes, Mountain Iron, and Chisolm have built secondary
treatment plants since 1954; and two towns, Cloquet and Carlton built
primary sewage treatment plants. Seven plants with primary or secondary
treatment had marked deterioration in treatment due either to increased
loadings or decreased plant efficiency. These changes do not affect
appreciably the low level of treatment given wastes in this Basin. Pri-
mary treatment remains the rule rather than the exception.
The water pollution control authorities of the States of Minnesota
and Wisconsin together with the officials of local communities and in-
dustries share the primary responsibility for the conditions existing in
the St. Louis River Basin.
4-1
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REFERENCES
1. Savyer, C. N. Some Hew Aspects of Phosphates in Relation to
Lake Fertilization, gevage and Industrial Wastes, 2k, 6 (June
1952).
2. "More Air, More Sludge, Less Phosphates," Engineering Neva
Record, January 26, 1967.
3. Minnesota Department of Health Report on pollution survey of
the St. Louis River, unpublished, 1961.
k* Wisconsin State Health Department, Report on the Investigation
£? the PojLlutjLpn in the Lake Superior ; Drainage Basin Made During
19oT"end ~ "
5. U.S. Public Health Service, Modem Sewage Treatment Plants,
Pub. #1229,
6. Smith, Robert. "A Compilation of Cost Information for Conventional
and Advanced Waste-water Treatment Plants and Processes, " USDI,
FWPCA, AWT Branch, Division of Research, Cincinnati Water Research
Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio, December
7. UoS,, Public Health Service, Inventory of Municipal Waste Facilities,
Washington, D0C0, 196l to
8. U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Bata for Minnesota,
9. Water Resources Agency of California, State Water Quality Control
Board, Water Quality Criteria, Pub. No. 3-A, 1963.
10. UoS. Public Health Service, A Comprehensive Program fpr^ Water
PoJJLution Control for the Like Superior Drainage Basin, Water
Pollution Series No. 66
11. Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, Pollution
Observations in the Lake Superior Basin, February, 1968 0
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