On this warm August day, two graduate students from the University of Minnesota in Duluth take to the outdoors to study the water quality of the city's streams. Jeremy Erickson and LaRae Lehto haul equipment down to Tischer Creek to take samples along the stream. They are looking at stream health.

MN Sea Grant: Superior Science News

Water Quality and Research Challenges in Duluth Streams

Light rain and cool air blowing off Lake Superior couldn’t keep representatives from the Wisconsin DNR's Coastal Management Program and several other agencies from heading out on the water. The group of fifteen set out in four boats to get a closer look at the site nominated for the second freshwater research estuary on the Great Lakes: the St. Louis River, one of the major rivers feeding into Lake Superior.

Research Estuary Tour

Beach-goers and swimmers began taking notice of rip currents in Lake Superior about five years ago. The death of 21 year-old Matthew Rheaume while swimming along Minnesota Point (also known as Park Point) in 2003 highlighted the danger rip currents pose in the Twin Ports. National Weather Service Meteorologist Dean Packingham with the Duluth office says the risks prompted them to develop a surf zone forecast for the area.

Lake Superior Rip Currents

Seagulls and sightseers crowd Canal Park in Duluth, taking in some of the treasures of Duluth’s maritime industry. Among them, a group of 15 teachers file into the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center to learn about the importance of shipping on the Great Lakes. It’s part of a five-day course put on by Joan Chadde — coordinator of the Great Lakes Maritime Transportation Teacher Institute.

Great Lakes Maritime Transportation Institute

For the last three years, researchers with the Large Lakes Observatory at the University of Minnesota Duluth have been examining warming trends in Lake Superior. Assistant Professor Jay Austin is among scientists documenting the effects of climate change in the lake.

Data Gathering Buoys

Great Lakes states have been examining ways to minimize their impact on lake environments. Minnesota and Wisconsin are no exception. The two states are joining forces to develop successful clean or green marina programs to protect Lake Superior. Wisconsin Sea Grant Coastal Engineering Specialist Gene Clark says they started looking at the issue a few years ago.

Green and Clean Marinas

E. coli bacteria contamination in the Duluth/Superior harbor has been an issue for many years. University of Minnesota Duluth biology professor Randall Hicks is working with researchers to narrow the field for possible causes and pathways of contamination.

E. Coli in Duluth-Superior Harbor Fish

Millions of people are drawn to Lake Superior each year to catch a glimpse of its natural beauty. Many in the Northland work to preserve the region's natural resources. But development along the shoreline has been a growing threat to water quality and lands surrounding the lake, according to Ben Van Tassel of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

The State of the Coast

This marks the fifth year of boat tours on Lake Superior and its shoreline. The "View From the Lake" project is a joint effort between the University of Minnesota Duluth and the University of Wisconsin--Superior to promote awareness of water quality issues in and around the lake.

A View From the Lake Boat Trips

Smelt have been around for so long that some may not realize they are an invasive species. Smelt were first stocked into the St. Marys River in 1909 to ensure the success of salmon in the Great Lakes. Don Schreiner, Lake Superior Area Fisheries Supervisor for the Minnesota DNR, says smelt weren't found in Lake Superior until almost thirty years later.

The Spirit of the Annual Smelt Run

These natives of Eastern Europe made their way into the Great Lakes like many other invasives — through the ballast water of ocean-going ships. Scientists say similarities between quagga mussels and zebra mussels masked their presence in Lake Superior. Jack Kelly, a researcher at Duluth’s EPA lab, says pinning down their identification didn’t come easy.

Quagga Mussels in Lake Superior

Researchers have witnessed many changes in the Great Lakes in the wake of abnormally warm winters and summers in recent years. Many lake scientists are examining the impact of warmer temperatures on Lake Superior. Jay Austin is a researcher with UMD's Large Lakes Observatory. He says ice plays a number of roles in the lake.

The Importance of Ice Cover for Lake Superior

A seiche is a little-known phenomenon that occurs within the Great Lakes. They are standing waves that occur in an enclosed body of water. Minnesota Sea Grant Director Stephen Bortone says researchers have spotted seiches in Lake Superior.

Seiches in Lake Superior

The invasion of sea lamprey into the Great Lakes had a significant impact on Lake Superior's native lake trout. Lamprey nearly eliminated lake trout populations in Lake Superior by the 1970s, which led various state agencies to make comprehensive programs to restore the fish. Efforts remain underway to keep the invaders from threatening lake trout.

New Lamprey Controls

A charrette is simply a focused effort to resolve community development challenges in a short period of time. Often, a charrette can avoid drawn-out battles between communities and cities over development. Such is the case with the Amity Creek Charrette.

Amity Creek Charrette

Minnesota Sea Grant has teamed up with KUWS Radio, an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio, to produce programs about Lake Superior science. "Superior Science News" airs on KUWS (91.3 FM) every two weeks throughout the year, 2007-2008.

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MN Sea Grant: Superior Science News

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