Slope Stabilization Work Plan For Poplar River Management Board

Slope Stabilization Work Plan
North American Wetland Engineering, LLC.
January 18, 2007 4444 Centerville Rd, Suite 140
Poplar River Management Board White Bear Lake, MN 55127
Phone: 651-255-5050
Fax: 651-255-5060
Section 1 - Introduction
1.1 Introduction
The Poplar River Management Board (PRMB) is evaluating methods for stabilizing the
megaslump zone of the Poplar River located about 2 miles west of Lutsen, MN. The Poplar
River is a key source of tourism and recreation in Northern Minnesota and has been placed on
the Clean Water Act 303(d) Impaired Waters List by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA). A wide cross section of state, community, and business leaders in the area have
formed the PRMB in an effort to rectify the problems and eventually remove the river from the
303(d) listing.
1.2 Poplar River Water Quality
The Poplar River was listed according to the Clean Water Act 303(d) list, issued in May 2004,
for exceedances of the Minnesota mercury and turbidity water quality standard. Based on the
MPCA’s turbidity monitoring data for 2002, the flow-weighted mean turbidity level does not
meet the State of Minnesota standard of 10 NTU for designated trout streams. The megaslump
has been identified as a major contributor to the sediment load in the river.
1.3 Poplar River Management Board
An organizational meeting of the Poplar River Management Board (PRMB) was held on August
4, 2005 in Lutsen. Resource agencies that participate in the PRMB are the DNR, US Forest
Service, Cook County, Cook County SWCD and Lutsen Township. Other contributing
organizations include the MPCA, DNR Coastal Program, Coastal Zone Management, Natural
Resources Research Institute and North American Wetland Engineering.
The PRMB is an organization to promote water quality management activities of landowners on
the Poplar River. The purpose of the PRMB is to protect and improve the water quality and
other natural resources of the Poplar River through sound land use planning and management.
The Board will be working toward the development of plans, projects and funding of water
quality activities on the river. Ultimately, the PRMB wants to see the Poplar River achieve
compliance with water quality standards and be removed from the 303(d) impaired waters list.
1.4 Purpose
The purpose of this report is to provide a work plan for the megaslump correction including an
investigation into the causes and corrective options available to the PRMB with a focus on
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