Land Revitalization Success Stories | EPA 560-F-l 6-171
November 2016
Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment
CONVERTING WASTE LAGOONS INTO FISH PRODUCTION SPACE
MULE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE. MULE LACS. MINNESOTA. EPA REGION 5
The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Public Works Department operates wastewater treatment lagoons on its Onamia,
Minnesota, Reservation. In 2004, a new wastewater treatment facility serving the Garrison, Kathio, West Mille Lacs
Lake Sanitary District began operating, With the additional capacity and treatment
capabilities made available by this new facility, the older wastewater treatment facility
and lagoons were closed.
The closed wastewater treatment facility is located on a site of approximately 45-acres,
The closed facility includes three smaller lagoons that occupy the northeast portion of the
site. The smaller lagoons were installed between 1965 and 1991 to manage wastewater
from nearby residences. The closed facility also includes three larger lagoons that were
installed in 1996 to manage larger volumes of wastewater produced by the Grand
Casino and other buildings east of the site.
Over the last several years, the Mille Lacs Band and the State of Minnesota have studied
potential causes of a prolonged decline of the walleye population in Mille Lacs Lake, as
well as ways to replenish the walleye stock. In 2015, the Mille Lacs Band requested
technical assistance from EPA's Land Revitalization Team to investigate the feasibility of
converting the closed wastewater treatment lagoons into a fish hatchery that could be
operated by the Band to spawn and produce walleye and other select species. A fish
hatchery could support the Band's socioeconomic goals such as intern programs, cultural
use, education, and employment, as well as help restore the local walleye population.
EPA's Land Revitalization Team analyzed the requirements for and feasibility of
renovating the former wastewater treatment complex into a fish hatchery. Although
producing several fish species would be possible, the Team's analysis focused primarily on
walleye and the required components necessary to maximize the available pond space
provided by the former treatment lagoons,
The Land Revitalization Team found that the Mille Lacs Band property could support the
proposed fish hatchery if the site:
Had a dedicated water supply via a pathogen-free well(s);
Had site piping installed to supply water from the well to the proposed building
and ponds;
Had a hatchery building with dedicated space for egg hardening, disinfection, and
incubation and tanks for habituation, research, or grow-out;
Had the lagoons renovated in preparation for fish rearing; and
Included an effluent treatment area to treat hatchery waste prior to discharge.
While not all of the former lagoons were deemed useable, the team concluded that the
proposed renovation of the site and construction of a new hatchery building would provide
the capacity to produce over one million 1.5" walleye fingerlings within the existing 45
acres occupied by the wastewater treatment operation. The Land Revitalization Team's
analysis, estimates of probable construction costs, and draft concepts will be utilized by the
Band to advance their project concept and seek funding to build the facility,
For more information, please contact Kyle Rogers, EPA Region 5, at
roqers,kvle(a).epa.aov.
Figure 1, Rendering of the proposed hatchery
building egg incubation and tank space.
KR e
Figure 2. Illustrations of proposed
improvements and additions at the former
treatment lagoon location.
LESSONS LEARNED
•	Creating fish production space by
utilizing existing wastewater
treatment lagoons can help restore
sport fishing and enhance
community natural amenities,
•	Reclaimed lagoons can be a cost-
effective and safe location for fish
production after the units are
cleaned up.
RECOMMENDED POST-TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
•	Complete an investigation into well
water availability and address
impacts to other wells at the
property.
•	Complete a preliminary design to
narrow the possibilities to a
formalized set of design criteria
matched to the project budget,
•	Review combinations of funding
sources to complete renovations
and construction of the new fish
hatchery Puilding.

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