The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on an environmental assessment worksheet for a project to bring water from Lake Superior to Lutsen Mountain and other customers.
The project was necessitated by Lutsen Mountain Corporation’s need for a new water source to make snow and irrigate its golf course. Lutsen Mountain had used water from the Poplar River for those purposes since the mid-1960s, but had a history of drawing more water than originally permitted for. Over three million dollars was appropriated in this spring’s bonding bill for the pipeline project, which is expected to cost $4.8 million in total.
Plans call for a four-foot wide intake pipe to extend 150-feet into Lake Superior to draw “raw” water from the lake to be used to irrigate the Lutsen Mountain golf course, provide water for Lutsen Mountain’s snow-making operation in winter, and to fill fire-fighting tanker trucks. Nearly two-and-a-half miles of pipeline will carry the water to its final destinations.
Read the DNR’s announcement HERE. Details about the project and the environmental assessment worksheet can be found HERE.
Construction of the system is expected to take more than a year, with the bulk of activity taking place next summer.
Public comments will be accepted during the 30-day public review period, which runs through July 11. Written comments must be submitted to: Randall Doneen, EAW project manager, DNR Ecological Resources Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.
Electronic or email comments may be sent to environmentalrev.dnr@state.mn.us with “Poplar River Water District EAW” in the subject line. Written comments may also be sent by fax to 651-297-1500.