DULUTH – A lake in western Duluth that was once a St. Louis River bay has been restored and reconnected to the river.
More than a decade ago, Perch Lake was identified as one of 17 sites within the federal St. Louis River Area of Concern needing habitat restoration. The Environmental Protection Agency assigned that designation to the river estuary in 1987 after more than a century of industry and human waste was dumped into the river, before such activity was regulated.
This week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and city officials celebrated completion of the lake project.
The restoration of the marshy wetland improves water quality and, via a new culvert, allows fish and other wildlife to travel in and out of both bodies of water.
The project supports tourism in Duluth, said DNR commissioner Sarah Strommen, as it will soon include construction of a spot along Hwy. 23 for launching canoes and other watercraft into the river, “making it an incredible paddling destination.”
Sediment and other material was dredged from the lake beginning in 2022, restoring deep-water habitat and increasing oxygen.
