The Poplar River Management Board (PRMB) has been given until December 31 to complete projects under a large Great Lakes Commission grant.
One of the three projects already planned for this summer, the Caribou Highlands Flowpath, is going to come in under budget, leaving funds available for another project to reduce sediment from the Poplar River. Under consideration are storm water ponds at the bottom of Moose Mountain and more elements in the Caribou Highlands Flowpath project.
The next two projects, the Lower Eagle Mountain Road and Mystery Mountain Flowpath, will be bid out this summer.
Dr. John Niebur of the University of Minnesota and his students will continue to design sediment-reduction projects and coordinate research in the watershed with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the PRMB.
The board discussed other grant opportunities that could help continue the sediment reduction work on the Poplar River. Karen Evens of the MPCA said LIDAR—Light Detection and Ranging used to map the surface of the Earth from the air—has detected what appears to be unexpected water flow across Superior National at Lutsen Golf Course. She thought Niebur and his students could study this under springtime or high water conditions.
New involvement
PRMB president and Lutsen Mountains co-owner Tom Rider reported that the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) is interested in becoming involved with the PRMB. MCEA often accomplishes its goals through the legal system, he said, but it would be preferable to have them involved in the work they are doing rather than criticizing it from the outside.
MCEA has requested that the PRMB sign a memorandum of understanding with them. The PRMB executive board is working on coming up with a document both groups would be willing to sign.
Lake Superior Pipeline
Rider was asked about the progress of the water pipeline leading from Lake Superior to property owners along the Lutsen Ski Hill Road. He said the first bids came in too high. The project will be re-bid after changes have been made in order to bring the cost down by about $1,000,000.
A water treatment plant that will filter out drinking water may be put off for later when more funding is available. As a local match for outside funding, Lutsen Mountains will donate space it owns at Caribou Highlands for the water treatment plant.
The pipeline will be made of plastic and should last over 100 years. Construction will take 1½ – 2 years.
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