Million-yard lakebed cleanup finishes, new fish spawning bay opens in Duluth
A $186 million remediation project completed in Spirit Lake, Minnesota, removed 1.3 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and created a 14-acre shallow bay for fish spawning.
Since the early 1900s, industrial activity along the St. Louis River left Spirit Lake clogged with toxic sediments from the former U.S. Steel Duluth Works plant, prompting health warnings and an Area of Concern designation. In October 2020, a $186 million restoration plan launched under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, pairing EPA funding with U.S. Steel and leveraging the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Over three years, specialized dredgers removed about 460,000 cubic yards of contaminated mud, which was transferred to custom containment units, and engineers capped 96 acres of lakebed with clean sand and stone.
The project ultimately remediated 1.3 million cubic yards of polluted material, planted over 400,000 native wetland species, and fashioned a 14-acre shallow bay designed for spring fish spawning. Federal officials announced completion in July 2024, opened a two-mile waterfront trail, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recommended ending swimming advisories. Ongoing monitoring will track water quality and cap integrity, offering a model for similar Great Lakes restorations.
Why it matters
The cleanup restores a historic waterway for recreation, wildlife and community health, showing how large-scale public-private projects can revive polluted ecosystems.
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