Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy
Lake Superior Water Trail
Water trail opens across Ontario coast
A new, northern section of the Trans Canada Trail opens today, but you'll need more than comfortable shoes to explore it.
The trail is a 1,000 km water path along the north shore of Lake Superior.
Paddlers have 16 access points to choose from between Gros Cap Marina Park near Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay's Fisherman's Park.
Joanie McGuffin is the project coordinator for the Lake Superior Water Trail. She says her team has developed infrastructure at each of the access points to help travellers. This includes composting toilets, bear-proof garbage, recycling containers and universally accessible docks.
The opening is part of this year’s Canada 150 celebrations for the sesquicentennial.
Ontonagon shipping hiatus continues
Jan Tucker, writing for the Ironwood Daily Globe:
It has been nine years since a lake ship unloaded cargo on the Ontonagon dock. That hiatus was to have ended Sunday as the Lake freighter Michipicoten was scheduled to pull into the harbor and unload 16,500 tons of road construction materials. [...]
But after four attempts to enter the river to the EDC dock, the ship was unable to do so. Tucker explained that, as the ship entered the river, it hit a row of just 17-foot draft and could not get over that area.
Historically, Ontonagon was an important port for copper and lumber.
Power facility will be “single-largest private investment in Superior’s history”
Shelley Nelson, reporting for the Superior Telegram:
A historic investment in Superior's economy provides a 21st century solution to clean energy for the region.
Minnesota Power announced this week that it is investing in a $700 million state-of-the-art natural gas power generation facility to support its efforts to generate energy in partnership with Dairyland Power Cooperative to enhance safe and reliable energy through wind and solar sources.
The new facility will allow the company to increase its renewable-energy capacity. Renewables could account for 44 percent of its energy supply by 2025.
Soo Locks upgrade study halted: Funding for the study, a critical step towards building an additional lock for the 1,000-foot lake vessels, has been cut, SooToday reports. But officials expect the study to be completed (albeit delayed) using funds from other projects.
Duluth tug fleet gets an upgrade: The Duluth News Tribune’s Bob King snapped some nice shots of the new tugs arriving on Tuesday.
How did invasive mussels reach the Apostle Islands? Researchers hope to limit the spread of zebra and quagga mussels, which crowd out native species, Wisconsin Public Radio’s Danielle Kaeding writes.
Photos: Paul Sundberg’s latest photo adventures on the Minnesota shore include an encounter with a newborn fawn and a thunderstorm over Grand Marais.
Ashland harbor cleanup begins: Contaminated sediments will be removed “after years of planning and legal battles,” reports WDIO-TV’s Taylor Holt.
Duluth EPA lab turns 50: In the Duluth News Tribune, John Myers looks at the scientific work done at the facility, located near the start of Highway 61.
Movie production continues filming on Ontario shore: “Angelique’s Isle” is shooting again in Thunder Bay and Terrace Bay, TBNewsWatch reports. The team filmed some scenes earlier this year. Some parts of the Terrace Bay shoreline will be closed to the public until June 15.