Lake Superior Streams Sediment Stressor Investigation

A number of North Shore streams and tributaries are listed as impaired for turbidity due to excess sediment. More recently, biological life impairments have also been documented in several North Shore streams with links to erosion and sediment issues. Associated with these sediment issues are potential increases in sediment and pollutant loadings to surface waters. The relative contribution of sediment from different sources in North Shore streams is not well known. Potential sources of erosion include bluffs, stream banks, openlands, ravines and roads. The percentage of potential erosion from each source will vary with the changes in landuse, geology and geomorphic setting between watersheds. Defining and quantifying the critical sources of sediment for each stream, a required step in the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) watershed work, is challenging because of the dense forest vegetation, steep terrain and often limited access to parts of the watershed.